One of my favorite characters in the Bible was a man named Barnabas. He was not one of the more well-known men in Scripture. As far as I know, he never performed any miracles. He is not credited with writing any of the books of the Bible. However, I am convinced that we are blessed today because God used Barnabas in a mighty way.
Joseph was his real name, but the Apostles nicknamed him Barnabas because Barnabas means, “ Son of Encouragement”. He had the gift of encouragement and used it to inspire people to do their best for God. Even the greatest men in the Bible often needed encouragement. And God used Barnabas to inspire the hearts of at least two of the most important men in the New Testament.
It was Barnabas who encouraged the Apostles to accept Paul when he was a new believer. Later when Paul would disappear for two years, Barnabas would go to Tarsus and inspire him to begin work in Antioch. Later on, when John Mark would fail on a missionary journey, it was Barnabas who believed in him and gave him another chance. For this reason, whenever I read the Gospel of Mark and the Letters of Paul, I am grateful for the Son of Encouragement.
I challenge you to become a Barnabas. In Proverbs, we read that it is a joy to hear the right word for the right occasion and that God is pleased with friendly words. So make it a point to encourage everyone you come in contact with. Put a smile on your face and tell someone that they are doing a good job. Your kind words may be the inspiration someone needs to hear today
In Mark Chapter 5, there is a story about a woman who was a nobody. We don’t even know her name. If we had been there on this day, she would not have been in our field of vision. Seeing her would have made us uncomfortable, so we would have chosen not to see her. If we had seen her at all, we would have assumed her problems were her own fault, because that is the way we think.
She was a nobody that most people avoided. She was not supposed to be there. For twelve years she had suffered from an issue of blood. This made her unclean. Because she was unclean, she could not be around others. She could not even worship God. In her shame and grief, she spent everything she had seeking help. She has suffered all sorts of abuse and indignities. Hopeless and helpless, she spends her days and nights lonely and untouched.
She felt like a nobody, but one day she overheard people talking about Jesus. I say “overheard” because since she was a nobody, why would anyone bother to tell her about The Savior? She considers herself a nobody so she cannot even face Jesus. She hopes that maybe if she can just touch his coat she will be healed. To the world and herself, she was a nobody. But to Jesus she is somebody. He stops everything and looks for her. He finds her and calls her His daughter. Her faith in Him has made her well. She was a nobody, but now she is somebody. She is a child of God.
Do you feel like a nobody? Have addictions caused you to spend all you have seeking relief from your demons? Are you broken and abused? Do you stand there weeping? Is your life filled with loneliness and do you spend your days untouched and unloved? Maybe it seems that no one sees you, because no one offers help. It seems that no one cares. To the world you are nobody.
Today I hope you hear about Jesus. I hope you will push through the crowd and reach out for Him. Have faith only in Jesus. He will stop everything to reach out to the ones the world ignores. Everybody is somebody to Him. The Bible tells us that God is rich in mercy. Because of His great love, even when we are nobody and dead in our sins, He makes us somebody alive in Christ.
Nehemiah was an Israelite who loved God. He was heartbroken when he heard that his nation and the city of Jerusalem were broken and in distress. He spent many days mourning and fasting for his people. In the Bible, the book of Nehemiah is the story of how God heard and answered Nehemiah’s prayer.
In Nehemiah 1:5-11, we find Nehemiah’s prayer. Today I am going to borrow Nehemiah’s thoughts and adapt his prayer to fit the world we live in. This is my prayer.
Lord God in heaven, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. You are the great and wonderful God who keeps Your gracious promises to those who love You and keep your commands. But you are also a righteous God who allows us to suffer the consequences of disobedience. Please let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear my cry as I lift my voice to You and pray for Your children and this hurting nation.
I confess the sins we have committed against You. Lord, we have been faithless and sinned. We have allowed entertainers to become advisors and given sports figures hero status. We have passively watched as many who were elected to serve this nation wrongfully establish themselves as our rulers. We have acted unfaithfully toward You and have not kept the commandments that You gave to us through Your servant Moses. Lord, we are an unholy people. We suffer as a result of our sinfulness.
Lord, I know that if we treasure sin in our hearts You will not hear our prayers. I know that you will not bless the life of the unrighteous man. But You have promised that if we your people, who are called by your name, will humble ourselves and pray, and if we turn from our wicked ways then You will hear from heaven and heal our land. I know Lord, that in this nation Your people indeed are few. However, You are not concerned with numbers but seek to honor the ones who have broken and contrite hearts.
God, we are Your servants and Your people. You have redeemed us by Your great power and strong hand. Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of all Your servants who delight in Your name. Give Your servants success today, and have compassion on us in the presence of evil men as we attempt to reclaim this land for Your Glory.
In the Power and Authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen
I want to tell you a story about my neighbor Bud and his great-grandson Logan. Bud is with the Lord now and Logan has grown into a fine young man. This story took place many years ago when Logan was a toddler maybe two or three years old.
Bud had a pasture right across the road from my house. The pasture fence was old, the cedar post were loose and the barbed wire was sagging. One day I sat on my front porch and watched as Bud and little Logan worked on this old fence.
As I watched, Bud would push the dirt around the post and then he and Logan would both take hold of a rod and pack the dirt down. Bud would then stretch the barbed wire as tight as he could and. nail it to the post. After he had driven the staple into the post he would then give the hammer to little Logan and let him “ finish” hammering it in. I would hear Bud say, “ has that got it?”. Logan would answer, “yea got it.” Then they would go to the next post.
From fence post to fence post, they went with Bud allowing Logan to “ help” him work on that pasture fence. Now, you and I both know that Bud did not need Logan’s help. No, he probably could have finished quicker and done a better job by himself. However, Bud was not working on a fence that day, he was working on a little boy. That fence and Bud are both gone now. But the lessons that Logan and I learned that day remain.
Jesus tells us in the Book of Matthew that we should take His yoke upon ourselves. When He says this, He means that He wants us to work by His side as He does the Father’s business. Jesus’ yoke is easy because He is the one carrying the load. When He allows us to walk with Him, it is not because He needs us but because He loves us and wants us by His side. Put your hand in His hand and you will find that He is working on you, making your soul fit for the Kingdom of God.
Most of us know that Jesus is the only begotten Son Of God. We also know that He is the only truly righteous Man to ever live. His death on the cross was an atonement for our sins. He was bruised for our iniquities and chastised for our transgressions. It is by His stripes that we are saved.
However, for a couple of minutes, I want you to remove from your thoughts the fact of the Deity of Jesus. From a human point of view, I want you to know that Jesus was killed on the cross because He was guilty of committing a horrendous crime. It was a crime that mankind cannot tolerate. You can do almost anything and be forgiven, but not this. We do not forgive people for this crime. What was this horrendous crime? Jesus was guilty because He did not fit in. He stood out from the crowd. He did not do what they thought He should. He was guilty of being different, so they killed Him.
The Pharisees thought He should have conformed to their rules, but Jesus would not, so they pronounced Him guilty. Jesus would not do what the people wanted Him to do, so they called for Him to be crucified. Rome wanted Him to blend into the crowd, but Jesus would not so Pilate nailed Him to the cross. The Son of God was guilty of being a different kind of Messiah, so they killed Him.
Among all living breathing beings on earth, the most hated creature is the one who stands out from the crowd. And yet a famous preacher once said, “The sad thing about modern American Christians is that nobody wants to kill them anymore. Jesus tells us in John 15:18-19; “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”
If you are a child of God, your purpose on earth is to glorify Him and make a difference in this world. You cannot honor God or impact the world if you will not stand out from the world. God’s people must not be tossed to and fro like a reed blowing in the wind. We must be influenced only by the Presence of God, led only by the Holy Spirit of God, and strive to be perfect like the Son of God. Stand out from the world and Jesus will stand up for you.
By now almost everyone has heard of the “Asbury Revival.” A Wednesday night chapel service that continued for weeks. It has been reported that the Holy Spirit had taken control. It was also reported that the testimony, preaching, and singing of ordinary people were used in a mighty way.
This happened organically. There were no famous preachers, no well-known musicians, and no influence from religious denominations. It seems the Holy Spirit alone was in control. Jesus was lifted up and people were drawn to Him. And some people didn’t like it.
What I have to say is not in response to the “Asbury Revival.” I was not there so I can’t give an accurate report on it. But I have heard and read commentary on this amazing phenomenon from different people. Most have been positive. Others however have been negative. What I have to say is in response to the negative comments.
When I read the Bible, I see that whenever Jesus was teaching there was always Scribes and Pharisees present. These men were not there to worship, learn or glorify God. The Pharisees would show up to hinder Jesus and try to retain their influence over the people. Sitting in prominent places they were horrified because Jesus didn’t follow their rules and regulations.
Today many self-appointed VIPs have reported their negative opinions on this movement. Some say we should test the spirit, and with that, I agree. Some people ask if this revival is for real. To that, I say “Wait twenty years until we can examine the fruit of this movement, then ask me again.” Until then I will rejoice that the Name of Jesus is heard everywhere. He is lifted up, souls are being saved, and lives are changing. And I will pay no attention to the Pharisees on the front row.
His name was, well we don’t know if he even had a name. He is known as Bartimaeus, but that just means that his father was a man named Timaeus. The Bible says he was a blind man who sat by the road begging. Sometimes a person would feel sorry for him and throw a cheap coin in his lap. But mostly the world saw him as a person with no sight, no usefulness, and no hope. He was not even worth a name, so they just called him the son of Timaeus.
However, even blind people can hear and this man with no name had heard that Jesus could give hope to the hopeless, sight to the blind, and would even use useless people. When he heard that Jesus was close, he began to shout as loud as he could “Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me!” The people around him considered him a nuisance so they told him to be quiet. But he wouldn’t. He continued to loudly beg for mercy. He knew the people would not help him, but because of his faith and persistence, Jesus did.
Jesus was surrounded by people who had names. These people were irritated because of the loud noise coming from a man who was blind. They wanted him to be quiet. Jesus wanted him to be healed. Jesus said to the blind man, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” When the man received his sight, he followed Jesus, because Jesus is the Way. Once this man was blind and had no name but now he sees and his name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Do you have a name that is written in Glory? Jesus Christ is nearby, call loudly to Him, and don’t stop crying out until He hears you. He will answer and show you great and mighty things. If you have faith and are persistent, you will see like you have never seen and you will have a name that Jesus will never forget.
As I was hunting, I found the remains of an ancient rock wall. I could tell that it had once stretched along a ridge overlooking a small creek. Long ago these stones formed a strong barrier, but now they had been reclaimed by the earth.
Looking at these rocks, I wondered about their story. Whose calloused hands had gathered and stacked them? When was this wall built and for what purpose? What was happening in the world when these stones were being lifted into place? Was this the combined effort of a husband and wife building a life together, along with this rock wall?
These rocks can’t talk and their story is lost forever. But they have the power to speak to us about our crumbling society. You see, the strong old wall consisted of many rocks stacked together, but without proper maintenance, it fell apart. In the same way, our society is crumbling due to the lack of spiritual and moral maintenance.
God instituted three major types of building blocks for the construction of a healthy society. The first is family, which begins with the marriage of one man and one woman for life. The second is government, which to be effective must be simple and small. The third is the church, the Bride of Christ whose doctrine must come only from the Word of God.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of spiritual and moral maintenance, these building blocks have succumbed to a wicked world. The family is being destroyed by rampant divorce and the stupidity of same-sex marriage. The government has become large, uncontrollable, and insanely corrupt. Meanwhile, religious denominations are being led by people who listen to worldly opinions and not the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is the only foundation stone for a civilized society. He created all things and in Him is the consistency of all things. He holds everything together. Without Him, nothing is built and nothing will last. So, let’s pray, and call out to Jesus because He is the only hope for this crumbling society.
Jesus personally called the men He wanted to be His disciples. These men were Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the Son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot. Now we know that Jesus walked this earth as a man, but He was The Great I Am. Therefore, He knew all there was to know about these men He wanted to be His disciples.
Judas was a thief who would sell his soul for thirty pieces of silver. Thomas doubted that Jesus could rise from the dead. James and John were called the Sons of Thunder, probably because they had violent tempers. Peter well, we all know that Peter denied he even knew Jesus. When Jesus called these men, He knew about their past. He understood their current actions and He knew what they would do in the future. Yet He called them anyway because these were the ones, He wanted.
The disciples were all chosen by Jesus despite their sins and failures. The Bible teaches that there is a way that seems right to men, but the ways of men always end with death. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When Jesus called the disciples, they all repented and followed Him for eternal life. All except for Judas, who chose the way that seemed right to men and lost his soul.
There is good news for you and I. Jesus is still the Great I Am. He knows about your past, your future, and what you are doing now. And yet He still chose you. Jesus has called out to us because we are the ones that He wants. You and I are chosen despite our sins and failures. He does not call us because we are good or holy. He doesn’t call us because we are righteous and just. He calls us because we are sinners in need of a Savior and He is that Savior. So now you have a choice to make. Will you choose the way that seems right to men or will you choose to follow Him?
He was a good man, a likable man. He worked hard to provide for his family because this is what good men do. He had no bad habits. He did not drink, do drugs, or cheat on his wife. He was a good man.
He had a daughter. A precious little girl. Man, he loved that little girl. He would do anything for his princess. They went fishing, they played tea party, anything she wanted. He went where ever she wanted to go. She took ballet lessons, and he watched. She played soccer, he watched, she wanted to go to a movie he was happy to go.
He loved his precious little girl. He took her everywhere, except, well, he didn’t take her to church. He just didn’t think the church was necessary. Just didn’t care for it. He said, “Church is okay for some men, but not for me, I can do without it.” He loved his little girl, but he never took her to church.
One day he died, sooner or later everyone dies. He went to hell, that is where you go if you die without Christ in your life. He did not have Christ in his life, so, he went to hell.
Hell did not seem so bad, not near as bad as he had been told. He had been told it would be unbearably hot, but it didn’t seem to be that bad. He said, “I can handle this.” and he thought he could. But then. He heard it. The screaming. The bloodcurdling, agonizing screaming.
He recognized the voice. It was his little girl, his precious little girl.
He ran toward the sound, and he saw her. Demons were tormenting her. Imagine the worst things that could possibly be done to a little girl. He ran toward her, he was going to rescue his baby.
But! There was an invisible wall. He could not get through. He could not get to his little girl. And the demons—– and she screamed, and screamed—- He pounded on the invisible wall, and she screamed, and screamed.
Then he heard the voice, the evil voice, laughing at his agony. Satan said, you did not need God, you thought hell was not bad. This is your hell. For eternity, forever, you will watch and listen as your little girl is violated, beaten, and tormented by my demons. Forever!!
And then, his little girl saw her daddy. She screamed at him. The little mouth that used to sing for daddy, the little mouth that used to say, “ I love my daddy”. The little mouth screamed at him, “ DAMN YOU, DADDY, you could have taken me to church, you could have let me learn about Jesus, I would have believed in Him. I would be in heaven. But you said the church was not important, you said we did not need Jesus. I WISH I HAD JESUS! DAMN YOUR ETERNAL SOUL, DADDY!
This is not a true story, it is not about any particular people. I don’t know what hell is like, but I know it is an awful place. I know that it is a place of torment. I know that Jesus died on the cross so that no one HAS to go there. I know that no one goes to the Father, except through Jesus. I know that a daddy has a tremendous influence on his children. I know that Jesus said, “ let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them.” He also said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
These things I do know. I also know that a lot of daddies don’t think they need church or Jesus. But one day——
Pavement Ends Ministry 