NOT SEEING BUT TRUSTING!

Posted on April 12, 2022 by randscallawayffm

“I’ll believe it when I see it!”  We have heard this proclamation said of others to us.  We have probably said it ourselves from time to time. We say this, (or at least think it), when we don’t trust government politicians or certain businesses to follow through with what they have promised.  We say this about friends or family members who have failed to follow through in life or have personally broken promises to us.  Once trust is broken it is hard to trust again.  Right?

Hebrews is assumed to be written by Paul or someone trained by Paul.  The Hebrew Christians who received this letter were sorely tempted to return to the religion of their fathers. After all, any Jew could travel to Jerusalem and see the temple and the priests ministering at the altar. Here was something real, visible, concrete. When a person is going through persecution, as these Hebrew Christians were, it is much easier to walk by sight than by faith. But we’re not like that, are we?

Some of us have doubted the Lord under much less provocation than these people were enduring. So, let’s go over the basics today.  The central theme of Hebrews is the priesthood of Jesus Christ, what He is now doing in heaven on behalf of His people. Is the high priestly ministry of Christ superior to that of Aaron (Old Testament days of Moses) and his successors? Yes, it is, and the writer proves his assertion by presenting four arguments.

Jesus Christ Has a Superior Title (Heb. 4:14–16)

The name “Jesus” means “Savior” and identifies His humanity and His ministry on earth. “Son of God” affirms His deity and the fact that He is God. In His unique person, Jesus Christ unites Deity and humanity, so that He can bring people to God and bring to people all that God has for them.  Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God in the heavens as our Advocate the Father!  He is the One and Only High Priest who brings us freely to the throne room of God on our behalf.  That’s why Jesus is Savior and Lord, God’s Son, called to be perfect sacrifice for our sins and then…

“God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:9-11

Jesus Christ Has a Superior Ordination (5:1, 4–6) 

What is unique about Jesus is that He was, is and is to come, called of God to be our Advocate, Savior, High Priest, and Lord forever!  Old Testament high priest were called for a certain time period but Jesus is forever and forever will be our High Priest, Savior of all our sins.

FUN FACT:  Melchizedek is mentioned in only two places in the entire Old Testament—Genesis 14:17–24 and Psalm 110:4. His name means “King of Righteousness,” and he was also “King of Salem [peace].” But the fascinating thing about Melchizedek is that he was both a priest and a king! King Uzziah wanted to be both a priest and a king, and God judged him. Only in Jesus Christ and in pre-law Melchizedek were these two offices combined. Jesus Christ is a High Priest on a throne! The reason Jesus Christ can be “a priest forever” is that He belongs to the “order of Melchizedek.” Well, that’s cool!

Jesus Christ Reveals a Superior Sympathy (5:2, 7–8)

it is the spiritually minded person with a clean heart who sympathizes with a sinner and seeks to help him (see Gal. 6:1). Because we are so sinful, we have a hard time helping other sinners, but because Jesus is perfect, He is able to meet our needs after we sin. Our Lord was prepared for His high priestly ministry during His days of ministry on earth (Heb. 5:7–8). The phrase “while He lived on earth” means “when He was on earth in a human body.”

From birth to death, our Lord experienced the sinless infirmities of human nature. He knew what it was to grow and mature (Luke 2:52). He experienced hunger and thirst, as well as weariness (John 4:6–8, 31). He also faced temptations to sin (Matt. 4:1–11) and persecutions from the hands of sinful men.  “But there was no sin in Him” so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sin.

Jesus Christ Offered a Superior Sacrifice (5:3, 9–10)

This topic has already been touched on, and the writer of Hebrews discussed it in detail in Hebrews 9—10. Two important matters are involved.

The first is that Jesus Christ did not need to offer any sacrifices for Himself. On the annual day of Atonement, the high priest first had to sacrifice for himself; and then he could offer the sacrifices for his nation (Lev. 16). Since Jesus is the sinless Son of God, there was no need for Him to sacrifice for Himself. He was in perfect fellowship with the Father and needed no cleansing.

The second matter is that our Lord’s sacrifice was once and for all, whereas the Old Testament sacrifices had to be repeated. Furthermore, those sacrifices could only cover sins; they could never cleanse sins. It required the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God for sin to be cleansed and removed—forever!

Jesus is the sinless, eternal Son of God, and because He offered a perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ is the “author of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:9). No Old Testament priest could offer eternal salvation to anyone, but that is EXACTLY what we have in Jesus!

Now, we can read this passage with “solid food” knowledge of just who Jesus was, is and is to come with knowing what He has done and is doing for us now.  We do not have to see him physically to know, trust and believe in Him.

Jesus—Perfect Savior, Loving Lord of lords and Powerful King of kings!

Isn’t it obvious?

HEBREWS—OBVIOUS FAITH

Hebrews 5, The Message

1-3 Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the peoples’.

4-6 No one elects himself to this honored position. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!” In another place God declares, “You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek.”

7-10 While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do. Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.

Re-Crucifying Jesus

11-14 I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.

Hebrews 6:1-3, The Message

So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it!

Lord,

Make me what you want me to be.  Continue to help me grow in knowledge of you, realizing the full extent of your love for me.  This knowledge and understanding helps me to point others to you.  Growing in your love helps me to love like you do.  Growing in obedience to you generates extreme trust and propels my growing faith in you.  I do not have to see you to know you are here with me.  Thank you for your Presence in my life.  Continue to mature me so I will bear the fruits of your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

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FAITH AND REST

Posted on April 11, 2022 by randscallawayffm

When our kids run to us with excited chatter of what just occurred as an offense to them, we listen half-heartedly, sometimes with amusement with how they are telling it, because we have heard this over and over in the course of a day among siblings.  If the story is cluttered with all kinds of words of accusations and veers off the path, we stop them with, “Get to the bottom line.  What happened and what do I need to do about it?”  Children will draw that long sigh and then simply say, “It all started when he hit me back.”  Sigh.

We humans still argue and blame others for our own disobedience.  Our selfish natures lead to selfish ways of thinking and behaving.  God knows us well.  God knew from the beginning of time that we would need a Way to be saved from self and our sin that we succumb to when we are self-seeking.  When we self-seek, we lose all touch with our Creator, the One and Only, who has our best in His heart.  Do we realize how much God longs to be in a pure, holy, loving relationship with His creation?  (Read Genesis) But God cannot be where sin is so if we have not repented of our sin, a relationship cannot be had.  So, He designed a plan to reconcile our relationship to Him.  The Plan came with a Promise that is everlasting and eternal.  The Promise is Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

The writer of Hebrews gets right to the point, the bottom line, reminding us of the Promise.  God promised the wandering Jews in the desert, “I will be your God and you will be my people—if you obey.”  But they didn’t obey, so the promised rest in God was not available to them. They wandered around, constantly moving, camping from here to there, with no real destination, trying to solve their own problems, whining about God’s gracious provisions to them while consistently seeking self-gratification.  Ah, but we humans today aren’t like that?  Are we?

As a result of remembering the wanderings of God’s self-focused people, we find then, that a strong, growing faith in God, with gratitude for all He has done in our lives is the real motivator in obedience to God.  In other words, God’s promises are mixed with our faith and obedience to produce a growing, intimate relationship with Him!  Our obedience is a measure of our faith!

We also find that God’s ultimate Promise, that would solve our broken relationship with Him.  This Promise was a renewable, powerful, forever promise of salvation from self and our sin.  This Promise was Jesus.  Jesus is the bridge to God.  Jesus paid our debt of sin, so we could now freely come to God on our own, “coming boldly up to His throne” with requests for help.  Our part is to believe in Him, obey Him in faith that He will provide all we need for He is everything we need.  We are saved—all because of Jesus, the Promise.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

“Take the mercy, accept the help.”

HEBREWS—OBVIOUS FAITH

Hebrews 4, The Message

When the Promises Are Mixed with Faith

1-3 For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith. Remember that God said,

Exasperated, I vowed,
    “They’ll never get where they’re going,
    never be able to sit down and rest.”

3-7 God made that vow, even though he’d finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it’s written, “God rested the seventh day, having completed his work,” but in this other text he says, “They’ll never be able to sit down and rest.” So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:

Today, please listen,
    don’t turn a deaf ear . . .

8-11 And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.

12-13 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.

The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain

14-16 Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

Lord,

I repent of my sin and the results of my disobedience.  I accept, believe and want you to be in control of my life for you are Life!  You are everything to me.  You are the reason for living.  I trust you, dear Jesus, to be my only high priest to you, God, the Father.  I love you.  I love our growing relationship.  I accept the mercy and grace.  I ask and accept your help for living this life to the full!  I want to be “at rest in You” always.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

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THE CENTERPIECE

Posted on April 9, 2022 by randscallawayffm

In my past, I have organized and decorated for many dinners to honor and please guests who arrive and partake of food and drink along with stories and laughs together around the table.  As taught by the generations before me, it all begins with a beautiful centerpiece that attracts the eyes of guests without being too big or too small. The centerpiece of the table promotes friendly eating with enjoyable conversations.  A great centerpiece reflects who we are in a way and is the focal point for everyone who comes to sit at the table. 

For example, an elaborate, ornate centerpiece may reflect stuffiness and pride, trying to hard to show the appearance of being rich and powerful.  On the other hand, a simple, yet beautifully profound centerpiece that isn’t showy portrays an openness that leads people to the table with a sigh of relief knowing they do not have to be formal, have rank or power, or prove their worth to be accepted.  Simplicity can be a beginning point for discussion with people you don’t know well but would like to know and love.  

Yes, it’s all about The Centerpiece.

HEBREWS—OBVIOUS FAITH

Hebrews 3, The Message

The Centerpiece of All We Believe

3 1-6 So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gets far more honor. A builder is more valuable than a building any day. Every house has a builder, but the Builder behind them all is God. Moses did a good job in God’s house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come. Christ as Son is in charge of the house.

6-11 Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this bold confidence, we’re the house! That’s why the Holy Spirit says,

Today, please listen;
    don’t turn a deaf ear as in “the bitter uprising,”
    that time of wilderness testing!
Even though they watched me at work for forty years,
    your ancestors refused to let me do it my way;
    over and over they tried my patience.
And I was provoked, oh, so provoked!
    I said, “They’ll never keep their minds on God;
    they refuse to walk down my road.”
Exasperated, I vowed,
    “They’ll never get where they’re going,
    never be able to sit down and rest.”

12-14 So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as God’s still calling it Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.

These words keep ringing in our ears:

Today, please listen;
    don’t turn a deaf ear as in the bitter uprising.

15-19 For who were the people who turned a deaf ear? Weren’t they the very ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who was God provoked with for forty years? Wasn’t it those who turned a deaf ear and ended up corpses in the wilderness? And when he swore that they’d never get where they were going, wasn’t he talking to the ones who turned a deaf ear? They never got there because they never listened, never believed.

THINK ABOUT IT—

What if Jesus truly is the Centerpiece of all we believe, think about, talk about and serve?

What if Jesus was our first thought in the morning and our last conversation before going to bed?

If Jesus is the Centerpiece, the simplicity of unconditional love, merciful forgiveness with undeserved grace; is He firmly placed at the center of our thinking and behaving? And wouldn’t more people want to come and sit at His Table if HE were the Centerpiece of our lives? 

People are attracted to perfect and simple love.  People are attracted to Jesus.  May Jesus be at the Center of all we are. 

Lord,

You have caused me to evaluate my thoughts and behaviors again today.  You are at the Center of all that is Life forever.  You are the Center of our salvation, the One and Only who offered freedom from our own sins.  You are Jesus, in charge of our being, the Temple in which you now reside.  You are at the Center of my thinking today.  I want what you want for your will is best for me. 

May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, in every detail called Today, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day all you know we need for that will be quite enough.  Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  Lead us not into temptations, but instead, deliver us from evil and evil’s tireless schemes to draw us away from our Center.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

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OBVIOUSLY, JESUS KNOWS!

Posted on April 8, 2022 by randscallawayffm

Sometimes we wonder if anyone really knows what we feel?  This feeling is followed quickly with does anybody really care?  Some people will listen for a nano second but always with their minds turning quickly with how they will answer in ways that will turn the attention back to them. We humans are like that.  Why does God bother with us at all?  But He does.  He sent Jesus, His Son, to earth to experience all of life as a human who would than die for our sins as the perfect, unblemished sacrifice for our sins.  Yes, before defeating death, he experienced life as we know it. 

Jesus cried with others who grieved.  His heart broke for those who turned their backs on a pure, loving relationship with God.  He felt righteous anger for those who made a mockery and circus of God’s Law by adding religious rights that promoted self with power plays—instead of seeking God in relationship.  Jesus’ mission was to come to earth, move into the neighborhood of humans, as a human born to a virgin.  Led by God, His Father, Jesus served humanity with healing, balance of grace and mercy, setting things right, changing human thinking, while teaching others to pass on the real Way to Truth and Life forever through believing and following Him. 

Jesus was the Word of God come down, walking among God’s created.  He knew what it was like to be poor.  He knew the struggles of a people oppressed.  But Jesus’ greater work was to defeat what we fear most—death because of our sins.  He completed this mission from God by taking our place as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, taking on all the pain from that act, as Son of Man.  He felt every slap, spit on his face, the jerk of the ropes that bound him.  He felt ever push and shove along with every fist to his face and sharp metal claws on whips that ripped open his flesh.  He felt ever nail that pierced his body strategically placed so he would hang on a cross for all passersby to see.  He felt it all—as a human. 

God cannot be where sin resides. God had to turn his face from Jesus, His Son, while the act of grace for all humanity took place, for at this moment all the sin of the world was placed on the body of our Savior. When it was finished—the punishment for our sin paid in full, death came—but not for long!  After three days, God unleased His resurrection power, raising Jesus back to life, forever defeating death and all sin that leads to death! 

The final act on earth of His love, grace and mercy was to appear physically to His disciples who were hiding out in fear.  Jesus showed them He was very much alive—in human form!

“… Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.”  Luke 24:36-49

Fear replaced with Hope!

Now, we come to this passage that reiterates the obvious faith we should have and hold tightly to, “keeping a firm grip”, knowing and believing that “by God’s grace, he fully experienced death in every person’s place.”  “It makes good sense”, the writer of Hebrews relates. “Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death.”

“It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed.”

Do we obviously have the faith to believe in the One and Only who saved us?

With this reading, along with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, it is obvious that Jesus really does know us by name along with knowing our pain.  He knows the trials we are currently going through along with all the “feels” of human doubts and fears that creep into our thinking.  He knows and He cares.  He is our Advocate to God.  And He is already at work before we even thought to ask for His help.  “Ask and it shall be given”—Jesus

Isn’t it obvious now that you and I were the very reasons that held Him to the cross that redeemed us from all our sin?  “It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip”…

HEBREWS—OBVIOUS FAITH

Hebrews 2, The Message

1-4 It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off. If the old message delivered by the angels was valid and nobody got away with anything, do you think we can risk neglecting this latest message, this magnificent salvation? First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him. All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit.

The Salvation Pioneer

5-9 God didn’t put angels in charge of this business of salvation that we’re dealing with here. It says in Scripture,

What is man and woman that you bother with them;
    why take a second look their way?
You made them not quite as high as angels,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light;
Then you put them in charge
    of your entire handcrafted world.

When God put them in charge of everything, nothing was excluded. But we don’t see it yet, don’t see everything under human jurisdiction. What we do see is Jesus, made “not quite as high as angels,” and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory “bright with Eden’s dawn light.” In that death, by God’s grace, he fully experienced death in every person’s place.

10-13 It makes good sense that the God who got everything started and keeps everything going now completes the work by making the Salvation Pioneer perfect through suffering as he leads all these people to glory. Since the One who saves and those who are saved have a common origin, Jesus doesn’t hesitate to treat them as family, saying,

I’ll tell my good friends, my brothers and sisters, all I know
    about you;
I’ll join them in worship and praise to you.

Again, he puts himself in the same family circle when he says,

Even I live by placing my trust in God.

And yet again,

I’m here with the children God gave me.

14-15 Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.

16-18 It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed.

Praying at sunrise

Lord,

You have made it more than obvious that you love us beyond our understanding and wildest dreams.  Jesus, You made it obvious that you died and rose again so that we would have full access to God, the Father.  It is also obvious that what you want most is an intimate, growing, holy relationship with me.  I want that more than anything else in this life.  Obviously, life forever with you is the final destination after our journey here.  Thank you, Lord, for plain teaching that leads to a growing, obvious faith in You!  I lay my life before you as worship to you again this day.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

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OBVIOUS FAITH

Posted on April 7, 2022 by randscallawayffm

“It seems odd to have to say so, but too much religion is a bad thing.  We can’t get too much of God, can’t get too much faith and obedience, can’t get too much love and worship.  But religion—the well-intentional efforts we make to “get it all together” for God—can very well get in the way of what God is doing for us.  The main and central action is everywhere and always what God has done, is doing and will do for us.  Jesus is the revelation of that action.  Our main and central task is to live in responsive obedience to God’s action revealed in Jesus.  Our part in the action is the act of faith.”  (Eugene Peterson, the Message, Introduction to Hebrews)

“But more often than not we become impatiently self-important along the way and decide to improve matters with our two cents’ worth.  We add on, we supplement, we embellish.  But instead of improving on the purity and simplicity of Jesus, we dilute the purity, clutter the simplicity.  We become fussily religious, or anxiously religious.  We get in the way!”  (Peterson)

“That’s when it’s time to read and pray our way through the letter to the Hebrews again, written for “too religious” Christians for “Jesus-and” Christians.  In the letter, it is Jesus-and-angels, or Jesus-and-Moses, or Jesus-and-priesthood.  In our time it is more likely to be Jesus-and-politics, or Jesus-and-education, or even Jesus-and-Buddha.  This letter deletes the hyphens, the add-ons.  The focus becomes clear and sharp again.  God’s action in Jesus.  And we are free once more for the act of faith, the one human action in which we don’t get in the way but on the Way.”  (Peterson)

It’s time we evaluate our hearts, minds and souls to see if faith in Christ alone is obviously expressed in our behaviors each day. 

  • Do we really believe in God? 
  • Do we believe in His Son? 
  • Do we really believe what God has done, is doing and will do in our lives or not? 
  • Do we really believe what we say we believe about God really real?  What is the measure of our faith? 
  • Is our faith growing or is it stagnate, only used when we come to the end our ourselves? 
  • Is our faith obvious to us and to others? 

This evaluative questioning is the path to getting out of the way but ON the way to Truth living.  God’s Holy Spirit will help us greatly in our evaluation of obvious faith in God, the Father, Jesus, Son of God, with obedience to His Holy Spirit.

HEBREWS—OBVIOUS FAITH

Hebrews 1, The Message

1-3 Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words! 

The Son Is Higher than Angels

3-6 After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God, far higher than any angel in rank and rule. Did God ever say to an angel, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you” or “I’m his Father, he’s my Son”? When he presents his honored Son to the world, he says, “All angels must worship him.”

7 Regarding angels he says,

The messengers are winds,
    the servants are tongues of fire.

8-9 But he says to the Son,

You’re God, and on the throne for good;
    your rule makes everything right.
You love it when things are right;
    you hate it when things are wrong.
That is why God, your God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king,
    far above your dear companions.

10-12 And again to the Son,

You, Master, started it all, laid earth’s foundations,
    then crafted the stars in the sky.
Earth and sky will wear out, but not you;
    they become threadbare like an old coat;
You’ll fold them up like a worn-out cloak,
    and lay them away on the shelf.
But you’ll stay the same, year after year;
    you’ll never fade, you’ll never wear out.

13 And did he ever say anything like this to an angel?

Sit alongside me here on my throne
Until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.

14 Isn’t it obvious that all angels are sent to help out with those lined up to receive salvation?

Lord,

May my own faith grow to be obvious to you, to others and to me.  You are the Way, Truth and Life.  You created all and you are in all.  Your plan to save us was also created from the beginning and completed in you, dear Jesus.  Thank you for saving my soul, transforming my behavior, helping me through troubles, while growing my faith—the only obvious way to walk with You.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen.  I believe.

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NO MORE A SLAVE, BUT A BROTHER

Posted on April 6, 2022 by randscallawayffm

Did you know that there is a line in the beloved Christmas song, “O Holy Night”, expressing social change as a result of believing and following Jesus?

“Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name”

This makes me wonder if the words penned in this beloved hymn were a result of reading the story of Philemon and Onesimus who became brothers in Christ, no longer slave owner and slave, changing their relationship forever!

Eugene Peterson writes, “Every movement we make in response to God has a ripple effect, touching family, neighbors, friends, community.  Belief in God alters our language.  Love of God affects daily relationships.  Hope in God enters into our work.  Also, their opposites—unbelief, indifference, and despair.  None of these movements and responses, beliefs and prayers, gestures and searches, can be confined to the soul.  They spill out and make history.  If they don’t, they are under suspicion of being fantasies at best, hypocrisies at worst.”

“Christians have always insisted on the historicity of Jesus—an actual birth, a datable death, a witnessed resurrection, locatable towns.  There is a parallel historicity in the followers of Jesus.  As they take in everything Jesus said and did—all of it a personal revelation of God in time and place—it all gets worked into local history, eventually into world history.”

“Philemon and Onesimus, the slave owner and the slave who figure prominently in this letter from Paul, had no idea that believing in Jesus would involve them in radical social change.  But as the two of them were brought together by this letter, it did.  And it still does.”

PHILEMON—JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING!

Philemon, The Message

1-3 I, Paul, am a prisoner for the sake of Christ, here with my brother Timothy. I write this letter to you, Philemon, my good friend and companion in this work—also to our sister Apphia, to Archippus, a real trooper, and to the church that meets in your house. God’s best to you! Christ’s blessings on you!

4-7 Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, “Oh, thank you, God!” I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which brims over to other believers. And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it. Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see your hospitality to fellow believers.

To Call the Slave Your Friend

8-9 In line with all this I have a favor to ask of you. As Christ’s ambassador and now a prisoner for him, I wouldn’t hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I’d rather make it a personal request.

10-14 While here in jail, I’ve fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter—Onesimus! He was useless to you before; now he’s useful to both of us. I’m sending him back to you, but it feels like I’m cutting off my right arm in doing so. I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I’m in jail for the Message. But I didn’t want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn’t willingly agreed to.

15-16 Maybe it’s all for the best that you lost him for a while. You’re getting him back now for good—and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That’s what he was to me—he’ll be even more than that to you.

17-20 So if you still consider me a comrade-in-arms, welcome him back as you would me. If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account. This is my personal signature—Paul—and I stand behind it. (I don’t need to remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?) Do me this big favor, friend. You’ll be doing it for Christ, but it will also do my heart good.

21-22 I know you well enough to know you will. You’ll probably go far beyond what I’ve written. And by the way, get a room ready for me. Because of your prayers, I fully expect to be your guest again.

23-25 Epaphras, my cellmate in the cause of Christ, says hello. Also my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. All the best to you from the Master, Jesus Christ!

WHAT DO WE LEARN?

We can imprison and enslave each other by our attitudes and behaviors.  We consistently rank and rate others in our world according to our selfish assumptions and presumptions about them.  We put people down, exclude them from our circles, or ignore them altogether.  But, when we believe in Jesus, our social being and outlook changes.  Jesus changes everything in every way, heart, mind and soul!  We discover and love that we are ALL brothers and sisters who believe and follow Him in His ways.  We are no longer slaves to this world, to sin, or to each other!  We are all set free by the blood shed for our sins—all sin! 

If we feel there is someone unacceptable, unworthy or insignificant in our community, then we have missed the message of Jesus Christ.  Paul is articulate to point that out to his dear brother in Christ, Philemon with such a positive spirit of God’s love!  Since Philemon is now a devoted follower, Paul trusts that Philemon’s once slave will be welcomed back now as a brother, equal to him in every way, in God’s Kingdom.  What a lesson of changed hearts toward Christ!  Jesus, indeed, rocks our world and changes everything about us along with our perspectives in all our relationships.  We are not of this world, only temporarily living in it!  Live for Christ!

Be reconciled to God!  Then to each other!  Forgive and forever be saved by Jesus who forgave us!

Lord,

Social change begins with our hearts transformed by you.  Manmade laws do not seem to change hearts, only you can do that.  I pray that the world would fall on their knees in repentance to you so that one day all oppression will cease!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen, I believe!

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace…

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WHEN GOD STEPS IN

Posted on April 5, 2022 by randscallawayffm

What is different about him? He’s not as grouchy.  What has changed in her?  She smiles more! 

When God finally got total control of my life, life took on new meaning and became a different place to live and grow.  My thinking changed so my behavior began to transform and is still transforming by the grace of God in me.  I look back at the troubles I brought on myself by my own behaviors and revel in God’s work in me.  He’s still got a lot of work left to do in me but I’m closer to Him than yesterday. 

What is your testimony of what God, through Jesus our Advocate, is doing in you?

When God steps in and guides our thinking to higher places where HE resides in His thinking, life is different.  We have a new perspective about life that helps us see others through the eyes of Jesus instead of only our own eyes.  Our hearts become more tender to others’ stories about their journey which leads us to pray for them more lovingly and compassionately.  Speaking of love, knowing Jesus loves us so much and so deeply, he went to hell and back again for our sin, our love for others runs deeper still. 

We live this life together.  The Only Way to live life together well, in the most excellent way, is knowing, believing, realizing Jesus’ deep, out of this world love for each of us.  Living well means following Jesus who is Life, Love, Truth, the Redeemer of all Sin, the One sent to show us the Love of God, the Father!  Jesus is The Only Way to real Life.  Quarrels cease and become unimportant when we focus on Jesus!

Paul is relating to Titus how we come together as brothers and sisters all because of Jesus the One and Only who reconciled our relationship to God first and then to each other.  All because of Jesus.  We can count on Jesus!!  Jesus is our Hope forever!

These words bring new life and excitement with expectation this morning.  I will meditate on this passage in Paul’s letter all day long;

“…when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

TITUS—CONTINUED MENTORSHIP

Titus 3, The Message

He Put Our Lives Together

1-2 Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God’s people should be bighearted and courteous.

3-8 It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, easy marks for sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

8-11 I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It’s obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off.

12-13 As soon as I send either Artemas or Tychicus to you, come immediately and meet me in Nicopolis. I’ve decided to spend the winter there. Give Zenas the lawyer and Apollos a hearty send-off. Take good care of them.

14 Our people have to learn to be diligent in their work so that all necessities are met (especially among the needy) and they don’t end up with nothing to show for their lives.

15 All here want to be remembered to you. Say hello to our friends in the faith. Grace to all of you.

Lord,

May all our attention, focus and gaze be on You today.  When you step in, peace comes.  Right in the middle of troubles, you step in and change our perspective and thinking.  When you step in, love in us becomes greater still!  When you step in, new life begins!  For all of who you are in me, I give you praise.  I am grateful to know you and follow you in a humbled, intimate relationship with You.  Thank you, Lord.

In Jesus Name, For Your glory, Amen!  Yes, I believe!

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YOUR ONE JOB

Posted on April 4, 2022 by randscallawayffm

There are many memes that portray the failure of one who had one job and failed to do that one job.  You probably know what I am talking about.  How can one miss doing specifically what they were given to do?  It seems so simple.  Do this and what you are assigned to do will get done.  Ah, but we get so easily distracted as workers and fail to do that one job we are told to do.  The results can be disastrous, depending on the significance and importance of the outcome of the work given to us.

In Paul’s letter to Titus, it seems Paul is running out of parchment and ink while writing from his jail cell to his proteges!  He gets right to point quickly about the job given to Titus.  He was more detailed to Timothy who was been assigned to go to Ephesus.  But to Titus, assigned to the island of Crete, he passionately writes, “Your job is…”.  He writes specifically and clearly understandably, with the details of God’s work through Titus.  I can also hear Paul say, “You’ve got one job, do it well!” 

As a leader assigned to many tasks in God’s Kingdom over the years, I am driven by the words of Paul and the other Apostles and Disciples in a summed up prayer for living, “Lord, may we do your assigned work in your ways, in your timing, leaving nothing undone but done well in the most excellent way—by your love in us—done in your Name for your glory, Amen”  This prayer helps me to stay focused on the One for whom I work, knowing who’s work it really is, with the right motivation for the work given to me.   Even with this motivation of heart, mind and soul, I don’t always get it right.  I am easily distracted and miss a detail or selfishly overwhelm myself with extra work that was not assigned for me to do.  I think we all do this from time to time, don’t we?  “All have sinned and fall short…”  So, it is important to stay focused on the work God has assigned to us.

Paul mentors Titus the details of how to stay focused on the “one job” he has been given to do while mentoring others to do it, too!  What wonderfully simple, great advice that is full of God’s wisdom!  Teach the older ones how to live the Jesus life, modeling it for the younger ones!  You have one job—live a God-honoring life!  Shine in God’s character traits to others who are growing in His love, too!

And, by the way, writes Paul, Jesus IS coming back, you know.  So, in the meantime, we live for Him who “…offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.”

We who believe have this one job—let’s do it prayerfully, lovingly, graciously and energetically—in Jesus Name, for His Glory!  Can I get an Amen?!

TITUS—CONTINUED MENTORSHIP

Titus 2, The Message

A God-Filled Life

2 1-6 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.

7-8 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, trustworthy in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

9-10 Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.

11-14 God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

15 Tell them all this. Build up their courage, and discipline them if they get out of line. You’re in charge. Don’t let anyone put you down.

Lord,

Thank you for assigning me your specific work to do.  Help me to tell it, show it and live it courageously, and energetically!  Grow me still…

In Jesus Name, for YOUR glory, Amen!

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MENTORING MORE THAN ONE—

Posted on April 2, 2022 by randscallawayffm

God will show us people he wants us to come alongside and share what he has given to us, teaching them what we have learned, walking with them until they can walk with God as they mentor another.  Mentorship is the act of passing on to others wanting to know and learn what you know.  We need mentors in our lives to grow in our faith.  We also must mentor people who God puts in our lives so they can grow in their faith. 

Mentorship is one of the ways we obey what Jesus commanded; “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Mentorship is an act of service to God, in Jesus Name, for His glory.  Mentorship is a way of life for the believer who passionately wants others to know and follow Jesus who is the Way, Truth and Life.  Jesus was the Perfect Example of mentorship when he taught his rag-tag students from all walks of life in authentic, humble, servant way of living and leading others to Him, passing on what they know to others in His Name. 

Paul, “Christ’s agent”, picks up the pace of promoting the faith along with the other disciples as they develop groups of believers who mentor each other according to Jesus’ directions; “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”—Jesus, Acts 1:8 

The Good News of salvation for all who believe spreads like a wild fire!  The work of the church is going up against the enemy, who doesn’t like this attention drawn away from what he began centuries earlier—drawing people away from God completely to go their own ways.  So, troubles come, inside and outside the church, as Jesus predicted.  Paul to the Gentiles and Peter basically to the Jews are led of the Holy Spirit to mentor leaders based on what God wants—humbled holiness—in believing and in living.

Paul is passing on this holy information to the next generation who are called of God to lead the “church”—the Body of Christ with Jesus as the Head of the Church.  While Timothy was laboring in metropolitan Ephesus, Titus had his hands full on the island of Crete. Titus was a Greek believer who had served Paul well on special assignments to the church in Corinth. Apparently, Titus had been won to Christ through Paul’s personal ministry (Titus 1:4) as Timothy had been (1 Tim. 1:2). “As for Titus,” Paul wrote, “he is my partner and fellow worker among you” (2 Cor. 8:23).

We will learn more mentoring traits as we read Paul’s letter to Titus…

TITUS—CONTINUED MENTORSHIP

Titus 1, The Message

1-4 I, Paul, am God’s slave and Christ’s agent for promoting the faith among God’s chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it. My aim is to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end. This is the life God promised long ago—and he doesn’t break promises! And then when the time was ripe, he went public with his truth. I’ve been entrusted to proclaim this Message by order of our Savior, God himself. Dear Titus, legitimate son in the faith: Receive everything God our Father and Jesus our Savior give you!

A Good Grip on the Message

5-9 I left you in charge in Crete so you could complete what I left half-done. Appoint leaders in every town according to my instructions. As you select them, ask, “Is this man well-thought-of? Is he committed to his wife? Are his children believers? Do they respect him and stay out of trouble?” It’s important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God’s house, be looked up to—not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry. He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.

10-16 For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They’ve got to be shut up. They’re disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck. One of their own prophets said it best:

The Cretans are liars from the womb,
    barking dogs, lazy bellies.

He certainly spoke the truth. Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules so they can recover a robust faith. Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty-minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act. They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words. They’re real creeps, disobedient good-for-nothings.

WHAT DO WE LEARN?

A leader serves as Christ served, laying down His own interests for the interests of others.

A humble leader knows that God equips the called because it is God’s work they are being invited to serve.  God knows hearts and is the best judge of inner character in persons growing in His ways in their walk.  God shares that knowledge with leaders seeking to train other leaders.

No one is perfect, only Jesus, but we are perfectly forgiven by Jesus.  Leaders’ belief in God, redeemed through Jesus, must match the behavior desired by God.   

Called of God leaders are responsible people.  They ask what God wants and obey God in Jesus Name, for His glory.

Called leaders serve others with loving hearts of welcoming hospitality.  They are “helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.”

Called leaders have a passionate desire to mentor others to do what God teaches, choosing those who will mentor others to mentor.  Exponential leadership development—Created by Jesus! 

Called leaders encourage!

Lord,

This is a tall order! This is necessary as we strive for do all you ask in the most excellent ways…with love, hope and faith!  The greatest way to serve is to love like you love us.  Continue to transform me daily, hourly if you must, until I am all you created me to be and do.  I know you are not finished with me, yet!  Thank you for loving us the way you do. Thank you for teaching us, sending others who love you to mentor us along the way.  Thank you for showing us your ways, now help us walk in them even today.

In Jesus Name, For Your glory, Amen

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A MENTOR’S LAST MESSAGE

Posted on April 1, 2022 by randscallawayffm

If you knew you were leaving the people you poured your very life into for a long journey, what would you say? 

If you knew you were leaving planet earth for heaven, what will you say to your loved ones? 

My mom knew in her heart and soul that her trip to the hospital would be her last.  After only a few hours of getting her settled, she took me aside, by myself, to leave her last message with me. Mom was a mentor to me in God’s work as well as my mom for all of life.  It was hard to hear, “I’m tired, you must let me go.” These words were followed by what dad and I call “the yellow pages”. 

In the days that followed, mom was given large amounts of oxygen.  She couldn’t speak so she wrote “final instructions” for us—mostly me.  She had spent years telling me much the same things, but she needed to say it one more time.  She would not settle down until she was given pen and pad.  The nurse found a yellow legal pad, so appropriate for this former executive secretary, a business woman for an oil company! 

Over the next few days; she wrote her messages.  She passed on her responsibilities to me who would take care of dad and manage what she used to manage—their possessions and assets along with final arrangements.  After she passed peacefully, my dad carried the yellow pages in his Bible.  He and I would read them from time to time, remembering how insistent mom was in instruction, smile at her intended jokes about the hospital, but we also marveled at the depth of love in her message to both of us.  I still possess the yellow pages. 

I worked hard to follow all the instructions because of the love in my heart I had for mom. I wanted to honor her with my obedience whether I agreed with the instructions or not.  She knew what would be best for dad.  She knew and passed on her knowledge to me.  A mentor’s message is not to be taken lightly, especially when given with extreme love, generous grace, with God’s wisdom flowing through the mentor to the student.

Paul’s is winding up his message to Timothy with his final instructions in much the same way.  I can imagine the feelings Timothy had when he read, “You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar.”   Through the tears, Timothy was encouraged with, “This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause!”

TIMOTHY—MENTORSHIP

2 Timothy 4, The Message

1-2 I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.

3-5 You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.

6-8 You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.

* * *

9-13 Get here as fast as you can. Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. Crescens is in Galatia province, Titus in Dalmatia. Luke is the only one here with me. Bring Mark with you; he’ll be my right-hand man since I’m sending Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the winter coat I left in Troas with Carpus; also the books and parchment notebooks.

14-15 Watch out for Alexander the coppersmith. Fiercely opposed to our Message, he caused no end of trouble. God will give him what he’s got coming.

16-18 At my preliminary hearing no one stood by me. They all ran like scared rabbits. But it doesn’t matter—the Master stood by me and helped me spread the Message loud and clear to those who had never heard it. I was snatched from the jaws of the lion! God’s looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven. All praise to him, praise forever! Oh, yes!

19-20 Say hello to Priscilla and Aquila; also, the family of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed behind in Corinth. I had to leave Trophimus sick in Miletus.

21 Try hard to get here before winter.

Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all your friends here send greetings.

22 God be with you. Grace be with you.

WHAT WILL BE OUR FINAL WORDS?

We’ll know when we know because of Jesus in us.  I pray that my final instructions to my children will be as powerful and significant as my mom’s message was to me, as Paul’s message was to Timothy, so they will know Whom I have believed all of my life.  That is the only message that matters!

For now, soak in the words of Paul, “Don’t ever quit. Just keep it, (the Message) simple.” 

Lord,

You teach us so well each day.  That’s why I love this time we have together each morning!  You help me remember my mentors and their messages and weave their testimonies into my life with You.  Thank you for continually transforming my life to be all you created me to be.  I’m still not there yet, but you are drawing me closer each day. Thank you, Lord.  Thank you for words of wisdom we gleam from our mentors.  Help us to be teachable, seeking mentors for ourselves, as we mentor others.  Help us to pass on what we know about you!  You are all that matters.  You are eternal life!

In Jesus Name, For Your glory, Amen!  Yes!

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