For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragementâ€). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. – Acts 4:36 (NLT)
Have you ever had a nickname? When I met my wife at Youth Camp, she had the nickname “Kissiepoo.†I’ll let you ask her how she got that! When I was young, several of my friends called me “Skate.†I was short and quick, and someone made the comment that I moved on a basketball court like I had skates on. Nicknames are given for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they are given to be funny, and sometimes they are meant to be cruel. But often they are descriptions of the kind of people we are. They are a reflection of what we’re known to be.Â
Today’s passage reflects one of those. A man named Joseph was given the name “Barnabas†by the apostles. His name meant “Son of Encouragement.†And that he was. Barnabas had many gifts that are revealed in the Book of Acts, but it seems his greatest gift was the ability to lift others up. He rode shotgun on many of Paul’s trips. He helped with the teaching and used his many relationships for connections. But I think his greatest gift to Paul was probably stuff that was never recorded, such as doing things for Paul to make his work as the primary preacher easier and encouraging Paul after a long day of preaching the gospel or debating with other religious leaders.Â
Barnabas’ gift of encouragement showed up with John Mark. John Mark got homesick or discouraged on a trip with Barnabas and Paul one time and went home, but later he wanted to go with them again. Paul didn’t want him going, but Barnabas stood up for John Mark, probably reminding Paul that we ALL need a second chance once in a while. When Paul wouldn’t budge, Barnabas took John Mark with him and went to a different destination. Barnabas’ belief in John Mark paid off, because Paul later took him back, and John Mark is usually believed to be the writer of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament. A little encouragement can sometimes have BIG dividends!Â
That’s a great thought for us to keep in mind this week. My guess is that every single one of us is around SOMEONE every day that needs encouragement. They need someone to give them a pat on the back or a kind word. They need someone to tell them that they’re doing a good job. They need someone to give them a second chance and let them know that failure doesn’t have to be final. How about it? Are you ready to take a shot at getting the nickname “Barnabas?†Encouragement is something that ANYONE can do. Let’s be among those who become famous for it! That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/27/june-27-2023/ Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/27/june-27-2023/ Continue reading June 27, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “What’s Driving You?â€As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.†– Genesis 12:11-13 (NLT)
So, what’s driving you today, fear or faith? These two forces are constantly at war. Which one you let win will drive your thinking, determine your choices, and decide whether you will follow God or lead yourself. It’s not an easy battle to win. Our friend Abram is a good example.Â
Abram started out in faith. He heard the voice of God, and he followed the Lord—even though he had no idea where he was going. But no sooner had made itto Canaan than a famine set in. So much for a land of milk and honey! As he headed toward Egypt for food and refuge, he realized all the men were looking at his wife Sarai. He had only heard about what the people were like in Egypt, so his imagination got the best of him. “They’ll kill me to take my wife!†he thought to himself. So, he asked Sarai to lie and tell everyone she was his sister. Instead of trusting God for protection, he basically gave his wife over to be an adulteress. How could a man who was one of the great patriarchs of our faith do such a thing? Faith got tossed out when troubles and trials came. Fear was in the driver’s seat.
That’s exactly what happens to us. Many of us start out in faith. God makes promises, shows us visions, or guides us on a new adventure, and we’re right there with Him step-for-step. Much like Abram, we’re expecting lots of blessings, lots of open doors, and lots of paved roads. But when problems come…and they DO come, Fear takes the wheel and Faith is kicked to the curb. When Fear is driving, we’re not listening to God. We’re deciding for ourselves, and our panicked minds are not thinking clearly. We look for shortcuts. We look for ways out. If we’re scared enough, we do exactly what Abram did. We’ll compromise our integrity if we have to, in order to secure firmer footing. We forget God’s promises, and we develop a Fear Amnesia that forgets all that God has done. That leads us down a road that is often dark, tragic, and ultimately, a dead end.Â
So, I ask you again. What’s driving you today, Faith or Fear? I want to encourage you to remember what Abram forgot—that God will never lead you to any place where He won’t stay with you. Troubles, trials, and famines are a part of EVERYONE’S journey. Seems to me we’re better off staying WITH God in those times than bailing on Him at the very time when we need Him most. All Abram had to do was TRUST God in those challenging times. God would have seen him through. And God will do the same for YOU! That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/26/june-26-2023/ Mon, 26 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/26/june-26-2023/ Continue reading June 26, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “Meek Is Mightyâ€â€œBlessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.†– Matthew 5:5 (NLT)
One of the things Jesus was a master at is what I would call “upside-down†thinking. He said so many things that are the exact opposite of the way we normally think. Today’s passage is one of those. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.†That goes so against the thinking of our time. Meek sounds like “weak,†and weak people don’t inherit anything! But the word Jesus uses doesn’t mean “weak.†It’s a word that’s often translated as “gentle,†and it means “strength under control.†You can imagine in Jesus’ world where the Jews were looking for a Messiah who would lead them in war against the Romans, how out-of-place this statement must have seemed. But Jesus knew that power, aggression, and flexing your muscles are not the way to live a godly life or a blessed one.Â
So, what does “meek†look like in everyday life? It looks like not having to win the argument when you know the person you’re talking to has become unreasonable. You smile and walk away. It means not being rude to waiters, waitresses, or others who you know make their living by serving you. It means not powering up on subordinates at work to get your way. It means not rubbing someone’s failure in their face by reminding them that you told them this would happen. It means keeping your “inner jerk†under control and not saying everything that comes to your mind. Tough, I know, but it pays huge dividends in the long run.Â
Being meek means giving grace to someone when you have every right to enact justice. Being meek means giving someone another chance when they know you have the right not to. Being meek means using your confidence to help another person find theirs by being an advocate for them instead of an adversary or an antagonist. Being meek means being approachable and welcoming rather than intimidating. Being meek means letting people know you see their value rather than working so hard to make sure they know yours.Â
Do you know what happens when you do these things? People love you. People want to help you and bless you. People want to work for you and give to you. People not only respect you, they like you. At the end of the day when you look in the mirror, YOU like you—as does God. And you’ll know the meaning of being BLESSED. That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/25/june-25-2023/ Sun, 25 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/25/june-25-2023/ Continue reading June 25, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “How Big Is YOUR Heart for God?â€â€œShould people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,†says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! – Malachi 3:8-10 (NLT)
When Wanda and I were newlyweds living in Houston, a friend of mine invited us to a little getaway to a small town in East Texas. It was nice to get out of the big city for a few days. While we were looking around downtown, Wanda spotted a really pretty stained-glass nativity scene. Wanda had started collecting nativity scenes, and this one was unique. But there were two problems. One, the store was closed and wouldn’t open until Monday, and by then we’d be gone. Two, it was $35. Now, that may not seem like much, but my inflation calculator says that it would translate to $180 in today’s economy, and we were POOR. Wanda had just started working, and I was still in college, so we had very little (read: none) discretionary funds. So, she let out a sad sigh, and we kept on looking around the town. But I knew what I had to do.Â
I pulled my friend aside and told him about the stained-glass nativity scene. I asked him if he would do me a favor and get it for me when the store opened on Monday. I would pay him when he came back to Houston. He was more than happy to oblige. When we connected a few days later, I paid him the money and took the gift home to Wanda. She absolutely went nuts when she saw it. She knew it was both a gift of love and a gift of sacrifice. It was one of my finer moments in my marriage.Â
I thought of that story when I read the passage today. We shouldn’t give to God because we have to. We shouldn’t give to God because we think that if we do, He’s going to give us something back. Though He does. We should give to God because He has already lavished His love on us in ways we will NEVER be able to repay. In the Old Testament, tithing, or giving 10% was the law. Malachi was reminding the people that if they didn’t do the minimum, they were basically robbing God. But in the New Testament, giving takes on a whole new form. God gave us His ALL in Jesus, so we should lavish our love on Him in similar generosity. Let’s light up God’s Heart the way that I lit up Wanda’s heart with that nativity scene. Let’s give in a way that truly reflects our love for Him. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.†Let’s show God just how big our heart for Him is! That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/24/june-24-2023/ Sat, 24 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/24/june-24-2023/ Continue reading June 24, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “Pray More, Worry Lessâ€â€œDon’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.†– Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
Are you a worrier? I can be at times. I guess particularly as a pastor I feel a deep sense of responsibility for my church and our people. So, there are times when challenges or problems arise and I feel as if it’s my job to fix them. The problem is, there are some things (many actually) that I just can’t fix. That’s when I struggle to know where a sense of responsibility ends and worrying begins. Which is really dumb because my worrying doesn’t change anything—things I can’t fix are still things I can’t fix.Â
That’s how God is teaching me to pray more and worry less. He’s teaching me to stop trying to carry unfixable things on my shoulders and to bring them to Him, laying them at His feet. He’s teaching me that what I CAN’T do, He can. When I stop trying to be in control and trust Him to be in charge, it’s amazing what He can do!Â
I thought about that this morning as I walked and prayed. I was thanking God for His blessings and His answers to prayer that I’ve experienced over the last several months. As I began to name them, I became aware of no fewer than five BIG DEALS that I had a hard time letting go of that He took care of. None of them were things I could control. None of them were situations that I could fix. And in each situation, as I prayed and laid them at His feet, He answered. He answered them in ways that I would have never dreamed of, demonstrating a creativity that absolutely blows my mind. Not only that, but He answered them more fully, more completely, and with more abundance than I would have ever had the faith to even ask for. In fact, I laughed, thinking about one of them because I would have said that what He did was IMPOSSIBLE. But that’s God. He makes possible things that we think can’t be done.Â
Pray more, worry less. That’s what God is teaching me. Is that a lesson YOU need to learn, too? I don’t know what situations you may be facing or what circumstances you may be feeling responsible for. But I do know that many of us come to places where we have to do what’s really hard for us: Give up control. But we’re not really giving up control; we’re giving OVER control. We’re giving it to One who can do something about it. We’re giving it to One who is infinitely creative and can do more than we can imagine. We’re giving it to One who stands with open arms to do what we can’t. So read the passage for today again, and do what you know you’ve needed to do for a while. Pray more, worry less. That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/23/june-23-2023/ Fri, 23 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/23/june-23-2023/ Continue reading June 23, 2023 ]]>The Mirror of God’s Word – “Listen, Learn, and Love†“Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.†(Proverbs 18:2 NLT)
Have you ever wondered where the art of dialogue has gone? It seems that people don’t talk about issues anymore. They just debate them. There’s a big difference between the two. To dialogue means we’re seeking for truth TOGETHER. I bring my perspective, experience, and knowledge to the table, and you bring yours. Out of the richness of all that interaction, we discover what the truth is, as best as we can understand it. We still may disagree on some or even all conclusions. But there is respect. There is openness. There is a desire to learn. When we debate, we’re simply trying to defend our position. We’ve already concluded what the truth is, so we’re not interested in hearing another person’s ideas or perspectives. We’re only interested in seeing how we can convince them that they are wrong and that we are right. So, we attack. We mock. We belittle. We demean.
You know what’s really sad about all of this? We miss great opportunities. We miss the opportunity to grow. Listen very carefully to this next statement because it’s really important. EVERYONE is smarter than you in some area of life. You may be smart about finances, but they may be smarter than you about relationships. You may know more Bible verses than they do, but they may have had more experience with God than you. When we lean into each other, rather than away from each other, we grow. Add our combined knowledge and experience together, and we become geniuses!Â
We also miss the opportunity for connection. When we disrespect people because we’re trying to prove a point, even if we win the argument, we lose THEM. They are more important than winning the argument. You don’t have to admit you’re wrong, if you truly believe you’re right. But neither do you have to let them know how stupid you think they are just because they don’t see it the way you do. When we attack the person, rather than address the issue, we’ve not only left good reasoning behind, we’ve also left God behind. I promise you, God loves THEM more than He loves you belittling them to prove your point.Â
Try a different approach. Listen and love. Listen to people more than trying to think of what you’re going to say next. In the words of the great Stephen Covey, “Seek to understand before you seek to be understood.†Maybe if you really hear what they’re saying, you will find they actually have a good thought or two. Love people more than you love winning arguments. Your home will be better. Your job will be better. YOU will be better. God alone is All-Knowing. Unless The Trinity has become a Quartet, you are not God. That means there’s a whole lot you can learn from all those people around you. And there’s a whole lot of love you can spread while you do! That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/22/june-22-2023/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/22/june-22-2023/ Continue reading June 22, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “A Rich and Satisfying Lifeâ€â€œThe thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.†– John 10:10 (NLT)
It’s so funny to me how many people get this verse exactly backwards. When they hear about Jesus, their first thoughts are of a harsh, rule-following religion. They see God as someone who is out to enslave them to a life of deprivation. They see Him as someone who wants to steal their joy, punish their failures, and destroy their dreams. That’s why many people are attracted to the Enemy that I wrote about yesterday. His temporary “fun†or “pleasure†becomes a cheap substitute for what we’re really looking for in life—satisfaction, fulfillment, and meaning.Â
That’s why Jesus made His purpose so clear in our verse today. Jesus doesn’t offer you a boring life. He offers you a life filled with adventure and joy. He hasn’t come to beat you down or to tell you how bad you are. He’s come to help you become the very best version of yourself that you can be. He hasn’t come to put you in shackles of legalism or oppression. He has come to set you FREE! Free from guilt. Free from sin. Free from shame. Free from the snares of the Enemy. Free to be the man or woman God created you to be!Â
Jesus doesn’t want you to settle for just having “fun.†He wants you to experience the depths of pure JOY! Joy that isn’t dependent on your circumstances or your situation. Joy that doesn’t need chemical stimulation or superficial excitement. He wants you to know a joy that comes from within no matter where you are or what you are going through. THAT’S real joy! Jesus wants you to know the deep satisfaction that comes from having true meaning in your life. Not living for a paycheck. Not living for a higher position or a bigger office. Not living for a paltry 15 minutes of fame on a YouTube video. He wants you to know that indescribable feeling of being a part of something that’s big beyond measure. A work more significant than anything earth can offer. He wants you to live a life that has ETERNAL impact, not something that dies when you do. And Jesus wants you to know LOVE. Not infatuation that comes and goes. Not affection that is won and lost. Not being enjoyed one day and discarded the next. Jesus came to offer you complete, unconditional, endless love. The love that ALL of our hearts are longing for.Â
Open your heart to Jesus today. Embrace Him with all of who you are. Everything you’re truly looking for in life is found in Him. Don’t settle for superficial or temporary in your life when you can have deep, meaningful, and eternal. Jesus didn’t come to be a killjoy. He came to give you a “rich and satisfying life.†That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/21/june-21-2023/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/21/june-21-2023/ Continue reading June 21, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “The Cape Sundewâ€â€œThe thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…†– John 10:10a (NLT)
The Cape Sundew plant is a sneaky little thing. I watched a YouTube video of this beautiful little plant devouring a fly. It has these tentacles that produce drops of a sweet-smelling substance that looks like water droplets. Flies and other insects are attracted to it and land on it to quench their thirst. Unfortunately for them, the nectar that the Sundew plant secretes is also extremely sticky. The longer they stay, the more stuck they become. Then the Cape Sundew wraps itself around the fly and begins to drain it of life. What looked and smelled so wonderful ended up being their demise.Â
That’s exactly how Satan works. He attracts us with something that looks good. He shows us only the benefit and none of the cost. When we hesitate, he fills our minds with thoughts like, “What could it hurt?†Or “Just give it a try.†Or “Go ahead, no one will ever know.†Or “What are you waiting for? Everyone’s doing it!†All the while we don’t realize what his true desire really is. It’s not to cause us discomfort, frustration, or disappointment. He wants to destroy us. Just like the Cape Sundew, he tries to lure us in. Then he tries to get us stuck. After that, he just begins to drain us of life, hope, and faith. Some of you have been down that road far enough to know exactly what I’m talking about. If not for the saving grace of our God, many of us would still be wrapped in his grip of death.
That’s why I want you to take a moment and re-read our passage for today. I don’t want you to be fooled by what the Enemy is up to. Guard your heart. Guard your life. Stay close enough to God that you can hear His voice when He calls your name. When the Enemy dangles one of his Sundew temptations in front of you, remind yourself of these words of Jesus. And if you need a good visual of how the Enemy works, just pull up the Cape Sundew video and remind yourself. That fly could be YOU! That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/20/june-20-2023/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/20/june-20-2023/ Continue reading June 20, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “Even in Prisonâ€â€œBut the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love.†– Genesis 39:21 (NLT)
Andrew Stewart was only 16 when he and two friends were falsely accused of murdering a 14-year-old. Because of witnesses who did not come forward at the time and evidence that was not presented, Stewart and his friends were convicted and imprisoned—for 36 years. After a long, relentless pursuit of the truth, the three friends were finally acquitted in 2000, having been robbed of half of their lives. How would you feel or react if that were you? Andrew’s response to it all was amazing. He said that it was in prison that he learned the significance of faith and the value of a relationship with God. He also said that though he had given up hope of ever being released, he decided he would serve God there in prison, and he was going to keep praising God anyway. In spite of the injustice done to him, Andrew made an amazing discovery. God was WITH HIM…even in prison.Â
That’s the same discovery that Joseph made. Joseph was falsely accused, too. He lived a godly and upright life. But when he refused the advances of his boss’ wife, she falsely accused him of attempted rape. Joseph was thrown into prison as a result. He went from being the favored child of a wealthy man to being a convicted felon. He went from having everything to having nothing. But it’s when you’re at the bottom that you discover what faith really is.Â
You see, it’s easy to believe that God is with you when things are good. Like when you’re healthy. Or your job is going great. Or when you feel as if you’ve found the man or woman of your dreams. But how about when you get fired, your body starts falling apart, or Mr. or Miss Right turns out to be all wrong? Do you believe God is with you THEN? Andrew did. Joseph did. They both discovered that sometimes it’s when we think life is over that God does some of His best work.
So, if life has been unfair to you lately, I’m so sorry. Sometimes good people have horrible things happen to them. Sometimes godly people are dealt with in some of the most ungodly of ways. But that doesn’t mean that God is nowhere to be found. The same God who is right beside you when you’re on the mountain is right beside you in the lowest valley. God promises that He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. He’ll stay with you all the way. In fact, you may even discover that God can do more than just get you through. You may find out that it’s when life is darkest that God shows up most brightly. Even in prison. That’s God’s Word for you today.
]]> shartelchurch https://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/19/june-19-2023/ Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000 http://shartelchurch.wordpress.com/2023/06/19/june-19-2023/ Continue reading June 19, 2023 ]]> The Mirror of God’s Word – “Divine Whispersâ€â€œAnd the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.†– Romans 8:26 (NLT)
Our grandson is so funny. He came over to pick up his cat that we kept at our house while we were all on vacation. Having not seen us for a couple of days, he decided to hang out. He kept hinting that he thought he might like to spend the night, but he would never just come out and say it. Finally, we had to say it for him. “Maddox, would you like to spend the night?†Wanda and I just laughed because we don’t try to disguise it at all that we love him, and that we love having him around. We also almost never refuse his requests. But sometimes, out of their insecurity, kids just have a hard time putting their thoughts and requests into words. That’s why they need grandparents who can read their mind and say it for them! God’s like that with us as well. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have a hard time putting my thoughts and requests into prayers. Sometimes it’s because I’m not sure what I really need. Sometimes it’s because I’m not sure if it’s even okay to ask for some things that I want. Sometimes when I come to God, I’m just too confused or overwhelmed or my heart is too heavy to even find the words to express what’s going on inside me.Â
But God doesn’t need words. That’s the point Paul was driving home in our passage today. God hears our hearts. He hears the cries of our souls. As our spirit comes before His Spirit, there is a connection and a communication that goes way beyond words. God sees our needs. He hears our request. Even when the only sounds are the sighs from the deepest part of our being, God understands that language. Every tear we shed before Him is a divine whisper that only He can hear. And it moves His heart.Â
So come before Him today with whatever burden you’re carrying or need that you have. Unload your sorrows, make known your needs, and don’t hold back on your requests. Your God loves you more than you know and understands you better than you can imagine. If you can’t find the words to say what’s going on inside, that’s okay. Just let your tears and sighs be the divine whispers of your soul. It’s a language that only God can understand. That’s God’s Word for you today.
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