30 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Imageo Dei" Genesis 1:26

30 August 2007 Devotion for Today  “Imageo Dei”  Genesis 1:26

 

            Yesterday I had a conversation with a dear man who has just been told he is dying of cancer.  He is emotional, but he is not bitter.  He seeks some resolution to his crisis but he also knows that there is no answer to the “why” question.  As we sat and shared together, for some reason, Genesis 1:26 came to mind where our Creator said: “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” 

 

            As we reflected upon that Scripture, there were several things about it that did not make much sense at face value.  The expression, the image of God means simply “made like God.”  Latin theologians styled this concept as the Imageo Dei.  At first, it seemed almost irrelevant to express to this man that he is created in the image of God.  To say this to a man who is dying of cancer is like telling someone they have a billion dollars but, after taxes, not only is your billion dollars gone, but you now owe the government two million dollars.   It doesn’t seem meaningful to say we are made in the image and likeness of God when we are condemned to death, and our likeness seems to change with every radiation and chemo treatment.   However, as important as these may be to us, these things are superficial.  Even though we are made in the image of God, we are not made completely like God.  Man is limited.  He is a physical creature (whereas God is spiritual).  Humans are created male and female and totally dependent upon God for the origin of his existence and for his continuation (Whereas God is sovereign, eternal, and self-sustaining).  Still, although we are unlike God in many important ways, man is like God because man is a person.  

 

            As spirit, God may or may not resemble us physically, but He does resemble us personally.  All the personal faculties that were present in Adam and Eve were and are present in God and are in us as well.  They had the capacity to love and reason; they were creative and artistic, they were moral and made choices- not to the extent that God does- but in a limited way.  So do we. 

 

One of the most important aspects to the Imageo Dei is the fact that God became incarnate and did indeed take on a body and human likeness and form, and entered into human personality And God,  in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son, now has the capacity to feel our pain and to sympathize with us, and entering into our suffering.  Christ was also stripped of His dignity upon the Cross to the same extent which we feel dehumanized when we enter hospice and cannot control our bodily functions.

 

At this point the man suffering from cancer asked me: “Yes, but did God ever come down with cancer?”  I said, “No, but He did experience death- death in a very slow and excruciating, agonizing way.  He suffered death for you, and He is going to go through it with you.  Most of all, He loves you and has promised never to let go of you or to leave you.”  

 

As I looked into his eyes, tears welled up and a light shone behind them.  Those few statements did not change the fact that he had terminal cancer, but they did change the way that he thought about himself, and caused him to reconsider something he had not taken the time in many years to reflect upon: the meaning of life and the meaning of his existence. 

If you are like me, concepts like these are a bit too weighty to digest early in the morning.  Like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet at 8 o’clock in the morning,  it may be leave you lethargic and hardly able to move.  Instead, process it through your day in smaller bites as you can absorb it.   If more people considered themselves in the Imageo Dei, so many of man’s personal problems could be overcome.

Have a blessed day!

 

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell

Salem Baptist Church

Elizabeth City, NC

jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com

Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

29 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Created to Grow" Acts 6:7

29 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “Created to Grow”  Acts 6:7

           

            The other day I stumbled upon a small tree planted in a flower pot which was given to the dads at church on Father’s Day in 2004.  That was over three years ago, I thought.  The tree is still living, inside that pot which I have never taken the time to plant because I would get busy and forget.  It sits there beside the back porch, reminding me to plant it, reaching out its limbs over the back steps almost as if to say, “Please plant me!”  Its roots have grown into the soil through the plastic pot.  I rationalize that I just might kill it if I should try to remove it.  Perhaps the tree is better off where it is.  But if it does grow there, I think, it could become a nuisance later on and may have to be cut down to keep from interfering with the house.   Why don’t I just throw it away?   It cost money and it would look beautiful if proper time would be taken to nurture it.  It really wouldn’t require a whole lot of attention.  Just did a hole, stake it up, and leave it.  What could be so hard about that?

           

            As I reflect upon that small pot-bound pin oak this morning, I am reminded how all of us can fall into that same predicament as people who, like the pin oak, are created for growth.  We are contained in many different types of pots, and those pots are called circumstances- circumstances that we did not have much to do with but seldom find the courage to grow out of them to enlarge ourselves or our world.  As confining as the pot might be, it becomes comfortable and life outside the pot becomes too frightening and overwhelming to conceive.  I have talked to many who do not advance in their careers they say “because they just don’t want the hassel,” when really they are frightened by the prospect of more responsibility.  Other hold back on educational opportunities because they fear failure in the classroom.  “Besides,” admitted one, “I am almost fifty- it wouldn’t be worth it to get an education now!”  Yes, but what would be worse- competing in the classroom at age 50 with students who are old enough to be your children, or competing in the workforce with those same students and find yourself out of a job because your employer can’t afford to keep you on anymore?

           

            Circumstances can appear comfortable, but they eventually become the caskets in which most of us are buried unless we look to God to help us move beyond them. 

 

In Acts 6:7 it tells us “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”  Why did this happen?  Earlier in the chapter, however, the church stopped growing and started complaining.   The church grew rapidly in the early years but then leveled off in a pot or circumstances of trying to catch its breath long enough to absorb the truths that the apostles had been teaching them.  They had taught them to take care of one another; especially the unfortunate, the widows and orphans.  But the Greek widows were being left out of the food distribution.  A great deal of murmuring and complaining started to surface.  It required the apostles to stop what they were doing, fix the problem, appoint some men to address the need, and continue preaching and teaching the Word of God.

This might not be the best Biblical example I could give, but still the point is made.  Even churches can become root-bound by their own circumstances.  Look at your own circumstances today and see what pots need to be broken and thrown away.  What appears to be security to you may also be a cauldron of despair unless you look for a bigger pot to dwell in.  Ask God to give you guidance and direction in how to move out of the pot that you are in, and utilize the Holy Spirit to nurture you in the process.  Liberate yourself from your root-boundedness today.

 

Have a blessed day!

 

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

Devotion for Today "Sucker Thief" Luke 18

Devotion for Today "Sucker Thief" Luke 18

Once we had the opportunity to interface with people who lived on the various Army
posts in Germany. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were there, so was the representative for
the American Legion, various universities and colleges, recreation groups, etc.
People would pass displays set up on tables as representatives would introduce themselves
and hand out literature promoting their organizations.
My wife thought it would be good to place lollipops (the kind with the chocolate
center) on the table next to our church's brochure. This would attract attention
and promote conversation, she said, and she was right. I was grateful for
the contacts that were made. Several children were there, and they dragged
their parents over to the table and asked if they could have a sucker. This was
working quite well until a cute little four year old boy with glasses came
over not once, not twice, not even three times, but I think I lost count after
about the ninth opportunity he siezed to snatch my diminishing supply of tootsiepops
from the table. My bucket of suckers was depleting fast and what should I
do? Besides, I could tell that this sweet little child was about to
overdose on sugar. I was sure that his parents would not appreciate the sucker supplier
very much as the evening wore on. When I saw him coming, I tried to hide
them. But the little eyes under those round wire rimmed specks spied them
immediately, which evoked many questions, "Hey, where's the suckers. Can I
have a sucker? I want another sucker! Gimmee a sucker, please!" What were
we to do? . The sugar high had kicked into high gear which could have
provoked a full blown tantrum which would have given adverse publicity to not just
our organization but to the entire event. I gave him another sucker!
I had to admire his tenacity and determination. Besides, who could deny
such a sweet little face!

Later on, I found out who this little boy was. He was the young son of the
colonel who commands our local army post!

Our Lord Jesus told a parable about such a situation in Luke 18. The
comparisions do not run too deeply. However, the parable is about a widow
who had a case that needed heard by a judge. Her need for vindication from
her adversary was relentless, and she would persist and prevail upon the
judge until she got what she wanted. This woman was a widow. She had few
financial resources and her prestige before that judge was not very great.
She had no influential lawyers to represent her or prominent persons to vouch
for her. All this widow had was her persistence, and her voice, to get what she
needed. This was what it took to get the judge's attention. This judge had
a reputation for not being very scrupulous, nor did he care what people
thought about it. One thing he did understand, however, was that if he put this
widow off with an excuse or with a delay, she would be back. Better to just go
ahead and give the widow what she wanted.

Jesus tells us, however, that our God is not like that judge. He looks
for opportunities to serve us and to listen to our cries. "And shall God
not avenge His own elect who cry ot day and night to Him, though He bears long
with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." God stands ready
to hear us and to help us. But our persistence is valuable, not that we
will wear God down by our asking or manipulate Him in any way, but that we will
understand the seriousness of our need and to define our concerns very
carefully to Him.

What concerns do you have that you feel compelled to take to the Lord today? Be
sure that He wants to hear about them tomorrow, and the next day as well. Know that
He always stands ready to grant what we need. Jesus also said in Matthew 7:11
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how
much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask
Him?"

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

27 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Is Anyone Sick?" James 5:13-18

27 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “Is Anyone Sick?”  James 5:13-18

 

It was a sense of being in the center of God’s will that gave Luther his great boldness in prayer. In 1540 Luther’s great friend and assistant, Frederick Myconius, become sick and was expected to die within a short time. On his bed he wrote a loving farewell note to Luther with a trembling hand. Luther received the letter and instantly sent back a reply: “I command thee in the name of God to live because I still have need of thee to survive me. For this I am praying, this is my will, and may my will be done, because I seek only to glorify the name of God.” The words are almost shocking to us, as we live in a more sensitive and cautious day, but they are certainly from God. For although Myconius had already lost the ability to speak when Luther’s letter came, in short time he revived. He recovered completely, and he lived six more years to survive Luther himself by two months

 

I have to tell you, I am struggling to maintain my faith in the medical system as it is practiced in our country.  I have lived in other parts of the world where the cost of medicine is proportional to what the average person can afford.  People are scared to get sick.  What I mean is, people are afraid to be without medical insurance in the United States, and yet when someone gets sick and has to use it, the costs of the ten or twenty percent cause some to have to mortgage the homes they have been working for thirty years to pay for.  Then there are outrageous deductibles and drug costs.  When someone comes down with a disease- and it doesn’t necessarily have to be catastrophic- the thought that crosses many people’s minds, especially when they think of the costs to their family is this “Is it really worth it for me to stay alive?”  More and more people fear going to the doctor- not because they are afraid of hearing the news of some dread disease, but because they are afraid that once glance at the doctor bill will cause them to drop dead from a heart attack.  I wonder how many cardiac care patients got that way by opening up their statements from the insurance company?

 

In reality, Christians have the best medical care, life insurance, and disability plan all rolled up into one.  The problem is that we are so focused upon what the world offers that we seldom see what God has been offering us since the time of creation:

            13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses[e] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”  James 5:13-18

 

            Remember, these words were written millennia before there was medical insurance.  There were doctors, but only the top ten percent could afford them and even then the knowledge to prolong life was minimal.  When people got sick, many times they died.  That may sound horrible to our modern minds, but that is what we are returning to.  But there are worse things than dying.  There is living an existence with no life’s meaning or purpose- which is what people have outside of Christ.   There is living with the constant fear that one is going to be financially ruined for generations.   There is living with constant pain and agony.   But we have a resource of prayer that most people do not have.  In addition to our medical insurance, we can apply to the Great Physician to heal us and give us the strength and hope that we need .  Now, we may not always be healed, but we will with certainty be cured.  As Christians we have eternal life in heaven to look forward to where we will never have to pop another pill or go to the emergency room.  We will be with Jesus and will never be sick again.

 

It is never a trivial thing to call for prayer if you are sick.  Do not discount it.  Time does not permit me to testify of the remarkable or miraculous healings that have taken place because people took time to pray.  James says that effectual, fervent prayers are the ones that avail much. You may be suffering from no more than a sniffle.  Take time to pray for that, too! 

 

Have a blessed day!

 

*From Dec 7 2005)

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

23 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Who Will Make the Battle Ready?" I Kings 20:13-15

02 August 2006   Devotion for Today   “Who Will Make the Battle Ready?”  I Kings 20:13-15

            Do you recall a time, perhaps on the play ground, when a bully tried to “pick a fight” with you?  Perhaps it’s a very uncomfortable moment in your life that you would like to forget.  I certainly had my share of encounters-and most were met with limited success.   The best I could hope for was to stay out of the way, to pass by the bully or bullies unnoticed on my way home from school.  I remember being met with a challenge during lunch when a bully threatened me for not giving up my seat to him.  He got angry and pushed me.  I did not retaliate.  By then the attention of the entire table was aroused.  I got back up and sat back down on my chair.  Frustrated, he looked around, and noticed the glaring eye of the lunch monitor.  He pretended to drop a book from the table and onto the floor so that he could bend over and whisper to me, something about kicking a certain part of my anatomy on the way home from school.  Those words tore into my heart and I fretted about them for the rest of the day.  I tried to leave the school grounds unnoticed and thought I had succeeded until I cleared the crosswalk.  The taunting words of the bully ripped my heart open again as I heard his feet running down the sidewalk.  He ran up to me, but something told me to throw down my book bag and return the challenge by running up against him.  I figured I would lose the fight anyway, but if I was going to lose, I would not lose by not defending myself.  Surprisingly, when the bully saw me coming toward him he started moving backward and fell over his own books.  I slammed down on his stomach so hard that it knocked the wind out of him.  I got up, brushed myself off, picked up my books, and went home.  My heart was racing, my hands were trembling, but my self-respect was in tact and from then on I did not have any more trouble from that kid. 

            Of course, in this world of political correctness and zero-tolerance my actions would have gotten me suspended from school today.  In our Scripture reading for today, King Ahab, confronted the bully Ben Haddad of Syria, who threatened his kingdom and besieged Ahab’s city of Samaria until the prophet of God challenged Ahab to stand and fight.

            13 Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 14 So Ahab said, “By whom?”And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘By the young leaders of the provinces.’”Then he said, “Who will set the battle in order?”And he answered, “You.”15 Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand.”  (I Kings 20:13-15). 

            It turns out that Ahab was victorious in this battle, though Ahab was clearly shaken by the thought of going up against this bully king who had demanded tribute from him for years.  The king of  Syria is defeated and comes to Ahab begging for mercy. 

I realize that King Ahab- clearly one of the most wicked kings that Israel ever had- is little deserving of this victory.  In fact the King of Syria was probably more virtuous in character than the one who defeated him.  Ahab’s loathsome character was augmented by his wicked wife, Queen Jezebel- the one who caused Elijah to flee for his life.  Ahab was most of all a coward, who went to the prophet asking, “Who will make the battle ready?”  The prophet simply said, “You are!”  In other words, “Ahab, no one else is going to stand up for you.

            At least this once I am glad to see Ahab coming out on top.  But the counsel of this prophet was invaluable.  There are spiritual battles that rage around us all the time.  Now it may be advisable not to pick a fight with the devil.  But when the devil comes to you wanting to pick a fight, the thing to do is not to back down or to become intimidated.  Stand up to him.  Satan’s tactic is fear and if he can get you to “knuckle under” by running away from the challenge, then Satan wins without having to get his hands dirty.  However, the reason he uses fear is because he knows he is not that strong.  To have to overcome a godly man or woman of faith who will not back down is usually too much for him to deal with, and he will slink away and seek someone else to devour.

 Is Satan after you today?  Call upon the Name of Jesus!  Once he sees Jesus standing behind you, he will run.   Have a blessed day!

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

22 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Thorn in the Flesh" 2 Cor 12:7-10

22 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “Thorn in the Flesh”  2 Corinthians 12:7-10

 

            My wife is very allergic to poison ivy, which is a shame because she enjoys working in her flower bed.  We seem to be plagued by the stuff, which thrives in our boxwoods and throughout the shrubbery in its leaves of three (let it be!).  Along with that are the poisonous stalks of sumac that grow rampantly in this part of North Carolina.  Its inviting purple berries leave a nasty rash which will hang on for days.  Robin accidentally brushed some of it with her hand and then touched her eyelids while wiping perspiration from her brow.  Her eyes were sore for quite a while afterward.  For some reason, I have never had a problem with poison ivy.  I don’t ever recall becoming infected by it.   Last evening I scouted the flower bed for poison ivy while she pulled dew-grass from around her plants.  It appeared, however, that Robin had gotten in there ahead of me before I had a chance to pull the poison plants out.  I am afraid she will break out with sore blisters again.

 

            Poison ivy, thorns, and other unpleasant vegetation is just part of the result of the Fall.  Even if they did exist in Eden, Adam and Eve’s bare bodies would not have reacted to them as we do today. 

 

            I call upon you to consider the passage in 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul deals with this.  He had his own limitations, which he readily admits.  But this is how he dealt with them.  2 Cor 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

            What was that “thorn in the flesh Paul was talking about?”  It is obvious that he is not talking about a plant or vegetation.   It could have been a physical problem which theologians have speculated about for centuries.  It could have been an emotional thing, or even a moral thing.  IT doesn’t matter.  Praise God he doesn’t tell us.  Whatever it is it was something Paul gave over to Christ and told Him- Lord, I can’t do it!   Paul knew that his sufficiency would have to rest in Christ and in Him alone to overlook his limitations, scars, and flaws which he already admitted are too numerous to name.

 

            Are you overloaded today?  You have a way of escape.  Are you just about to the breaking point?  Realize that the limitations that you have upon you are not a curse, but they are a blessing.  They are God’s gifts to you to know that when you can’t get it done, or you feel you strive against too many “thorns in the flesh,” there is someone who loves you and says, “Its okay, my grace is sufficient for you!”

           

Have a blessed day!

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

21 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Limits" Philippians 2:5-8

21 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “Limits”  Philippians 2:5-8

            A typical living room in your house 15x15, can only hold so much furniture.  We might put 10 pieces of furniture in there.  Sofa, a love seat.  A couple of chairs,  end tables, coffee tables, TV set and stereo cabinet or entertainment center.  By this time, your living room’s getting pretty full, isn’t it?  Some might try to add 10 more and get a big shelf unit in there.  You might be able to go 20 pieces, but your’e not going to be able to put 100 pieces in there and still expect to sit in your living room with some modicum of comfort and watch TV- you can’t do it.   Imagine trying to watch “Wheel of Fortune” with Aunt Sally’s credenza sitting in the middle of your living room!

 You might be in good enough condition to swim the English Channel- several have done it. But you’re not going to be able to swim the Pacific Ocean.  You might be able to get buy on 4 hours sleep for a few nights, or go 1 maybe 2 nights without any sleep at all.  But sooner or later you are going to break the camel’s back!  Once we exceed those physical margins, fatigue sets in, followed quickly by exhaustion, and then collapse.  If you run, for example, or swim, you can continue to break old records nearly every year.  Runners keep running faster and swimmers keep swimming faster.  But sooner or later they are going to reach a saturation point.  We can’t run a mile in a second I don’t care how fast you are.    So it is in life.  You and I are not infinite. God is, but we’re not.  The day does not have more than 24 hours.  We do not have in inexhaustible source of human energy.  As I said last week, we can’t be running on the fumes.  Some will retort and use what Paul said in Philippians 4:13  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”  That might be so, but does this mean that you can fly?  There is an obvious limitation to this verse- and that is, we can do all the things Christ wants us to do.  Obviously Christ you go six months without eating?  We need to remember that Jesus emptied himself of much of his divine power and submitted to our human limitations- if He didn’t, we wouldn’t have read where He was sleeping in the back of the boat, or that He needed to eat, etc.  I find it interesting that while Jesus healed a lot of sick people, He did not heal everybody, or get rid of every case of leprosy in Israel.  It is God the Creator who made limits, and it is the same God who placed them within us for our own protection.  That is why He placed the Tree of Life in the Garden and forbade us to eat of it.  When we did, we exceeded our margins.  When we exceed our limits today, we still do so at our peril..

            In Philippians 2 Paul takes his lead from this attitude: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

            Even Christ had some limitations- limitations He obviously put on Himself.  We are born with limitations and the sooner that we face that fact, the better off we will be. 

None of us can do everything.  None of us can live long enough to accomplish what we would like to do.  But the way that we glorify God is that we do the best we can do with what we have and leave the results with Him, and accept in the mind of Christ what we are not able to do and be content in that.

            Have a blessed day!

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

20 August 2007 Devotion for Today "The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back" 2 Corinthians 10:13

20 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back”  2 Corinthians 10:13

           

Have you ever experienced overload?  You have all seen it! In Germany the standard electrical current there is 240volts, instead of 110 like we have here.  That means that the Americans who live over there who want to operate their American appliances have to use a voltage transformer.  But you have to be careful that you don’t overload those things.  I once attempted to operate a powersaw with one of those things.  At the same time, the refrigerator was plugged into the same transformer.  I thought, its not going to hurt anything… Boom!  Not only did the fuse in the transformer blow- so did the main circuit breaker!

           

Overload occurs whenever the requirements upon us exceed that which we are able to bear. The next thing you know, it caves in, blows up, disintegrates, or collapses because it just could not bear up under it.  We all saw the news two weeks ago where a very busy interstate highway bridge collapsed with several cars on it, sending about 20 people to their deaths in the Mississippi River. 

           

Overload can not only wear us out- it can be dangerous.  There’s a spontaneous tendency of our culture to inexorably add detail to our live:  one more option, one more commitment, one more expectation, one more purchase, one more debt, one more job, one more decision.  You get the idea.  What we fail to realize is that one can comfortably handle only so many details in his or her life.  Exceeding this threshold will deplete the margins in our lives.   You have no doubt heard of the proverbial straw which broke the camel’s back.  The camels of the desert are able to carry great loads.  If, however, a straw is placed on a camel that is already weighted down beyond its capacity, its back will be broken.  The back is not broken by the straw; it was broken by the overload.

           

Here in our text the Apostle Paul speaks to us about some things that most people easily miss or dismiss about the overload in our lives. Paul has discussing his missionary journeys and the problem that he has had with the early Christians accepting his apostleship in the church.  There were some who believed, for example, that since Paul wasn’t one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ, that he wasn’t qualified to be an apostle, much less the teacher and preacher of God’s word that he was.  Christ called and appointed Paul to be an apostle some time after Christ’s resurrection.  In this passage, Paul doesn’t defend himself, rather he transforms the conversation by pointing out the fact that no matter what expectations we place on ourselves or upon others- we all have limitations.  He says in v. 13: “We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you.”  I’m not going to exalt myself or take credit for anything, or boast in anything.  But I do recognize the limits wherein God appointed us and that also includes you- the church in Corinth.   I find it interesting that as far reaching as Paul was in his missionary journeys, his depth of knowledge and understand, his prolific ability to write (He wrote more material than all the other apostles put together), he was still able to acknowledge that he had limitations.

           

What are your limitations?  This week I want us to see that instead of grieving over the things we cannot do, that we might view limitations as gifts that God has given us instead of barriers.  There are limits that we strive to overcome, but there are other limits that define who we are and that we can even glorify God in them.  I will talk more about these next time.  Until then, be careful not to break the camel’s back!

           

Have a blessed day! 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

16 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Shake the Dust Off" Luke 9:1-5

16 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “Shake the Dust Off”  Luke 9:1-5

            It wasn’t very long ago I took a jug of milk out of the refrigerator to pour myself a drink.   We had just come back from vacation and I thought- “I better drink that now or it will be spoiled soon.”  Too late!  If you have ever had a swig of sour milk, you know that every mucus membrane in your head is about to explode!  I spewed that stuff out in the sink just as soon as I could I mean it was coming up out of my mouth, my nose, even my eyes were squirting sour milk, I think.    I made no decision whatsoever about whether or not to hold on to it.  I did not stand there and think, hmm, maybe if I just give it one more try- it will taste better, maybe its an acquired taste!   Ain’t no way!  My body just took over for me and did what it was designed to do.  My entire system was involved to eject the toxic substance.  Every muscle group I am aware of was involved. 

            As I pondered that experience I wondered why is it that other decisions can’t be made like that?  Why is it that people have the tendency to hold on to bad relationships, bad jobs, friendships that are not good for them?  Because they can’t imagine their lives without them.  They fear the consequences more than the change for the better than can occur as a result.  Its not like we don’t know what to do or what is hurting us. So why don’t we fix it- especially when personal growth, or relationships are concerned.   Why do we stop doing what is natural? 

            Many times we stay the way we are because we fear someone’s anger, rejection, or hurt if we deal with the problem.  I’ve known people who stay in a bad church situation, for example, because their 97 year old mother still goes there and they don’t want to abandon them, even though they are not getting the spiritual teaching they need. What’s worse is, 10 years after mama died, they are still in that situation because they don’t want to betray her memory!   Often we fear someone’s judgment or disapproval when we deal with difficult things.  We fear losing the relationship itself, or losing love.  Sometimes we have guilty feelings when we confront someone or deal out consequences (that’s why parents have brats because they feel guilty when they have to punish them so they don’t do it, and then when those kids get older, they become even bigger brats).  Sometimes we just don’t know what to say or what to do or feel paralyzed when the problem person comes back at us.  Maybe we even blame ourselves and think we get what we deserve or we were the ones who caused it.    I know you may be afraid, like going to the dentist, but taking the step may be one of the most difficult things you have ever done.  Get Rid of it- just let it go. 

            In Luke 9 Jesus taught His disciples to respond in a very curious way when they encountered a certain amount of rejection for preaching the Gospel.

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” (Luke 9:1-5)

            Shaking the dust off one’s feet?  That doesn’t sound like Christ.  But He did say this and here is why.  Jesus wasn’t teaching His disciples to behave rudely or treat people with disrespect.  But here is the picture.  If they went to a town and that town or people rejected them, that was the town’s problem, not the disciples.  If the disciples did the best they could do, there was no reason to allow that rejection to tear them apart as they went on to the next place of ministry.   No need even to carry the memory of the dust from that place around with them.  It just wasn’t worth it.   Its better just to walk away from it then to expend so much negative energy worrying about what they did wrong, regretting missed opportunities, or how they could have done it better.   Just shake the dust off their feet and go on.  

            That is very difficult for some people to accept.  Often people choose to “hang out” in bad situations because they cannot accept the fact that the situation will not change, and they perceive themselves as a failure if they walk away from it. 

Back in my era, the 1970s, there was a great “theologian” by the name of Kenny Rogers.  He wasn’t really a theologian, but he was a good singer, and the lines of one of his songs really hits home when we are dealing with “shake the dust off your feet” situations:  He used to sing: “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run!”  You might not have thought of that song “The Gambler” as good theology, but it is.  Accepting what we cannot change is crucial to knowing who we are in Jesus Christ, and His ability to overcome our limitations and redeem them for His glory.  

Have a blessed day!

 

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

15 August 2007 Devotion for Today "Running on the Fumes" 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

15 August 2007  Devotion for Today  “Running on the Fumes”  1 Corinthians 9:24-27

            Have you ever had a car that has run out of gas?  It hasn’t happened very often because I am married to someone who constantly reminds me that we need to fill up.  I appreciate that.  Only once, very early in our married life- we’d been married for about a year or less when we were on our way somewhere.  This was west Texas where it gets 110 degrees in the shade.  The car ran out of gas and left us stranded along side of the road miles from anywhere.  I mistakenly thought that we had a couple more gallons of gas left in the tank when the fuel gage pointed to E.  We were almost to our destination right at the border of Oklahoma where the gas was much cheaper.  Little did I know then that we were running on the fumes.  We had to get out and walk about three or four miles in the hot sun to a gas station we could get some help.  From that time on, every time the fuel gage gets under half a tank, and if she is riding with me, she constantly reminds me to stop and fuel up. 

            There are many people, however, for whom “running on the fumes” is a constant way of life.  Most of the time it gets them going around the bend or to the next place, but sometimes it doesn’t.  When we dip into the tank for some physical energy, we all want the ladle to return with something in it.  Unfortunately for too many of us the tank dried up years ago and we’ve been running on the fumes.   Our physical bodies perform only as well as we maintain and take care of them, just like a car.  Some cars, when they are tuned up good, have good tires on them, etc can go for a long time on a tank of gas.  Others won’t.   You don’t have to listen to the news reports at least once a week there is a news story on that says that a large percentage of Americans are sadly out of shape and have diminished physical energy reserves because of poor conditioning.  Some, such as mothers of newborns and those who work two jobs, are chronically sleep deprived, and they are running out of gas.  Still others suffer from chronic biscuit poisoning.  Today I am going to touch on a subject that most congregations and especially preachers studiously avoid.  We’ve been looking at margins- and where our margins run especially thin is in the physical realm.  Most Christians concern themselves, or focus almost entirely upon their spiritual lives. But God has also called us to take in trust this physical body that He has given to us and to care for it.

 

The Apostle Paul makes these observations in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:

             “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

            You say, “If I wanted a sermon about my physical body, I will go to the doctor’s office!”  Friends, let me tell you something- everything about our soul, our mind, our emotions, our bodies, our spiritual life- they are all inter-connected.  What happens to our bodies also affects us spiritually.  IF we have worn down our physical margin, there will be no time or energy to pray.  When we have no energy to pray, we get further away from God. When we get far away from God, we just go through the motions.  We will grow very little, spiritually.  Christ gets pushed further away from the center of our lives because we work more and sleep less, eat more and exercise less that  we wonder why we start breaking down emotionally, becoming irritable, miserable, and unhappy and depressed.  Our physical health has a lot to do with that.  When we have no margin physically, we feel under-rested and overwhelmed.

            Its important to take care of our bodies as much as the spirit.  True, we are going to leave this body behind when we go to be with the Lord- but that doesn’t mean that we need to shed it sooner than necessary.   When we are “running on the fumes,” our bodies wear out much more quickly.   God has work for you to do for Him right now.  May we all do what we can- through good rest, nutrition and exercise- to be good stewards of the precious gift of life God has given to us.

            Have a blessed day!

 

 

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

14 August 2007 Devotion for Today "The Cringe Factor" Proverbs 22:3

14 August 2007 Devotion for Today  “The Cringe Factor”  Proverbs 22:3

            Let me tell you this morning about Prasad.  Prasad was a thirty-five year old Christian man from India I met about 18 years ago.  He came here on the premise of enrolling in one of our seminaries.  He said he was a pastor.  He had left his wife and three children back in India so that he could come to America study.  An elderly lady in our church had actually met Prasad and his family on a mission trip to his country.  The next thing she knows, Prasad is arriving on the doorstep to her senior-citizen cottage!  The only problem is, he can stay for a few days, but at the end of the week, the manager of the retirement home association is calling her and telling her he can’t stay there, so he has to leave.  Helen then calls me and asks if there is someone who can take him in.  I put the word out, but I get no response.  So guess what?  We have a houseguest move in with us.  My wife is having reservations, but I assure her that it’s all going to work out okay and that it will be good to help someone like Prasad.  “What would Jesus do?” I asked her.  Having guilty feelings, my wife relented.  The first week or so it is pretty good- in fact he is the perfect house guest- he’s cleaning the house and helping out around the house- he’s scrubbing floors and doing a lot of things.  I’m also working on building our new church building and he’s working on that all day long and doing a good job.  He’s helping with the baby, etc.  We can’t pay him, but he seems like he’s going to work out okay.  Robin says again, however, “Jeff, this is just not going to work.  I have a feeling that something is wrong about this whole thing.  I just don’t know why.” One week turns into a month, and we still can’t find a school for him to go to, because they all require him to have a student visa, which he can’t get because he needed to apply for it before he left India.  He wants me to sponsor him, but I tell him I can’t.  Sponsorship takes money, and neither I nor my struggling little church can afford to do that.  Then Prasad says “My wife is a nurse, you need nurses in this country.  If she comes then it will be no problem.” Yes but she needs to be certified in this country and the time and the logistics involved make it impossible to consider.  Soon, Prasad’s thirty day tourist visa is up, he says to me, “I need you to take me to Pittsburgh and see the immigration people.  We pay money maybe they let me stay!  I said, “Prasad, it don’t work that way in this country!  You don’t bribe public officials they will throw you in jail!”   After a while Prasad is getting sick with worry.  He is now talking about killing himself because nothing is working out.  I said, “Prasad, I’m sorry, this is it!  Its time to put you on a bus to New York so you can get on a plane back to India.” I never heard from Prasad again- I don’t know if he ever made it New York.  I don’t know if he ever made it back to India.  I rather imagine he has shown up on another doorstep somewhere with this sob story. 

I know that sounds heartless, especially from a Christian minister who is supposed to be like Jesus and helping people.  But something I had to learn, and still have to learn sometimes, the hard way.  Too many clinging vines can become a parasite that will sap you of all your energy, resouces, and spiritual resolve.  That’s what I meant when I referred to pulling the tooth a few days ago  If there is a problem, work through it, but if you can’t, its time to  get rid of it.  Problem was, I kept thinking its going to get better.  No, in most situations like this, it doesn’t get any better- it gets worse!

            I went to a pastor friend for help on this matter, because I was feeling guilty for having to make my friend go back home.  You know what he said, “I am old enough now and have enough experience that I just don’t do anything or work with anyone where the cringe factor is involved.  I’ve learned so many lessons the hard way- I just won’t do it anymore.  My rule is this: anytime I have to cringe or take a big gulp to agree to do anything substantial with anyone, I just don’t do it.  If I pray about it and don’t have a good feeling about it, I won’t do it.  That especially includes lending money to relatives, finding somebody a job- whatever- it usually blows up in my face!” 

            If you ever have to deal with a situation that you know of up front that there is a cringe factor involved, don’t do it!  That is the cringe factor?  That is the big gulp you take to agree to do anything substantial with someone, whether to hire him, work with him, buy a car from him, or appoint that person to a committee nominate him to do something when you know that perhaps you shouldn’t do it.   God gives us a little voice down deep inside- its called discernment- that tells us “Don’t Do it!”   We need to listen to His voice when it says, “This doesn’t feel right.  There is something phony about all this.  I really don’t feel comfortable doing this or agreeing to this.  This is not what I want.  I don’t like what I am agreeing to.  This violates an important value.  I am really going to be sorry I did this.  I wish this were not happening.  This feels the same like it did last time he promised me he would pay it back!”.  Again, listening to what Solomon says in Proverbs 22:3  A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.   More Christians would be more effective if they would just pay attention to this gut-instinct that God put there.  But being the sweet people that we are, we feel like we have to rescue everybody, or feel sorry or compassionate with someone who has a problem.  The next thing we know we are way in over our heads so deep we can’t see our way out.  Don’t do it!

            Have a blessed day!

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday

 

Devotion for Today "Binds up Wounds" Psalm 147

Devotion for Today  "Binds up Wounds"  Psalm 147

This month (March 2001) has set an all-time record, I think, for visits to the 

doctor.  It because with a case of strep that developed into bronchitis,

and then last week, an infected cuticle sent me back in fear that I

would lose a finger. I did not want to go, in part because I feared the

poking and prodding on it would really hurt, and in part in fear for 

what the doctor might have to tell me.  As I sat in the examination seat,

I grew nervous and winced in pain as the physician, unusually

gentle and kind for the experiences I have had, lanced the wound with

a syringe and drew out the infection.  He glanced down on his desk

where, next to me, I had laid a book I am reading entitled: "The Man

God Uses," by Henry and Tom Blackaby.  He was very intrigued with the

title and asked to see it.  This was something I was not expecting, 

because "Herr Doktor" was very busy that morning, with patients waiting

to see him.  As he leafed through the pages, he said, "I know that this

is something I need to read for myself, as well as the Bible.  But just

how does one find the time?"  I pointed to the swollen finger that he

had just worked on.  I asked him, "Herr Doktor, what do you think would

have happened to my finger had I not come in to see you today?"  He

smiled and understood my meaning, "I thinks you vould have maybe lost

your finger.  I might have had to cut it off altogether."  Then I said

to him, "That's right and I would have spent my whole life thinking,

'why did I not go to see the doctor sooner.'  I have a wound that was

serious, but you took care of it because I could not do anything about

it or know how to make it better.  Each of us has a spiritual wound 

called sin that has infected us, and if we do not take it to the Great

Physician, we will die and be separated from God forever.  In eternity

ahead we will be thinking, 'why did we not get this taken care of sooner!"

The doctor smiled again and got my point.  I was going to ask him if he

had ever asked Jesus in to his life, but the receptionist/assistant

came in to ask some questions about the next patient and then ask him

to take a telephone call.  Upon departing he winked and said, "Shall we

talk of this some more when you come back next week?"

The psalmist makes a statement in our Scripture reading today that is

reminiscent of the experience I had at the doctor's office.  He

says: "The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts

of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

(Vv. 2-3).  He does not say specifically what all the wounds are, but

the psalmist does say that the Lord is uniquely qualified to take care

of what ails us; especially the wounds of the heart.  When our heart-

the seat of our emotions, mind, and will-is infected with sin, only

Jesus Christ can remove that infection and apply His blood for the 

cure that we will not die in our sins and go to an eternity in Hell.

Are you aware of an infection in your life today?  Give it to the

Great Physician, Jesus Christ.  Let Him take care of it today.  Do

not delay lest you wait until it is too late.  Have a blessed day. 

 

From 14 March 2001

 

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

 

Church website:   http://25621.lifewaylink.com
Devotion Archives: http://www.msnusers.com/DevotionforToday