Frank’s Reflections

Every encounter with Jesus is life-changing. 

The unnamed woman at the well had an experience of a lifetime. She was doing what she did every day — getting water for her home. It was an ordinary day until she engaged in a conversation with Jesus. It may not have been convenient, but she permitted the interruption. In her talk with the Lord, she offered excuses regarding salvation and the proper place to worship. But Jesus kept on talking about the Messiah. To make a long story short, she finally realized that Jesus was the Messiah, and she accepted Him as her Savior.

What if she had refused to talk to the stranger at the well? Would there be a portion of the Bible that would never have been written? If she refused to speak to Jesus, a whole city might not have been converted. What if a Jew, the Lord, refused to enter a town of non-Jews where no self-righteous Jew would appear, but Jesus did.

Sychar, the Samaritan city was on God’s target list. A list for spiritual conversions. A town in need of a savior.

People everywhere need a savior. At the well, McDonald’s, the grocery store, the gym, wherever.

One of the reasons why there are so few conversions in this world is Christians. Yes, Christians, many Christians are afraid of starting a conversation with a stranger. The world is full of strangers— literally billions of them. The one in front of you in a line is no accident. It may be a divine appointment. You and them. One on one. Prearranged by the Devine appointment Maker. 

Take a moment to ponder your steps. The ones ordained by the Lord. You’re standing in line, waiting to purchase your item. Why did God arrange that person to be there in that store at that specific time? The same time that you were going to be there. Could it be for you to share the Gospel? Could it be a divine appointment? You won’t know if you do not open your mouth. Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do. To unlock your mouth to speak about the Lord or His church. It is also the thing that you do the most. You open your mouth to eat, drink and talk. Some of us open our mouths to snore. My wife says amen,here. So, when the Lord places an opportunity before you, take advantage of it. It may make a difference for all eternity. It also may be the ONLY time that you will ever talk to that person.

All societies live on certain principles. They are the foundational support on which everything else stands or falls. They are the bedrock for that society’s advancement. When this basic principle begins to crack, it’s only a matter of time before that culture crumbles. So, what is the mainstay that societies need? In a word—truth!

It is the presentation of facts, not opinions. Understandable, simple, bare-bones presentation of collaborative information on which everything else rests.

There is only one truth in the universe—Jesus. Jesus revealed this great truth to Thomas, one of the 12 disciples, in John 14:6. In this verse, Jesus said, that He was the way to heaven, the correct standard for Godly living, and life ever after.

So how do we live according to this principle of truth? There is something within you that believes honesty is the best way to live. What that means is that you have a conscience. When the truth is not commonplace in your life and those around you, you know that something is not genuine. The truth is either accepted or rejected by man. There’s no discussion about it. Scripture does not defend itself. It can stand alone without any support.

God makes a simple statement in Titus 1:2, that lying is not possible with the Father. Jesus did not lie. The Holy Spirit could not write a lie.

God is always about the truth.

If God spoke one lie, then everything He said will be subject to doubt. Because God cannot lie, then everything written in the Bible is correct.

As a Christian, you have a spiritual heart that can detect a lie. There’s something inside of you that says that doesn’t sound right. That’s God, the Spirit, the third person of the Trinity speaking. Watch out! Something is not agreeing with the Bible. Remember the Holy Spirit lives within every child of God. That’s like having a heavenly radar system inside you warning you.

God wants His children to be more like Jesus, who is the Truth. It is what makes a better family, church and society. That makes the earth a little bit more like heaven.

The sad reality is, society is not about truth but personal gain at any cost. God knew that humanity would act this way. Jesus also knew that. That is why He went to the cross, paid our sin debt, and purchased our redemption. Those who accept His salvation will experience this truth for all eternity.

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. Romans 14:14 ESV

Who is the real you? Is it your personality where you work? Is there another personality that appears at a social event? The true you is the one who shows up when you are all alone, and no one else is around.

Each one of us has specific characteristics, some are public, and some are private. What is expected of us? Is it what we perceive to be accepted by a particular group of people? Our actions are usually those that are deemed necessary to gain respect and recognition. In other words, are we esteemed and valued by others? The question we need to ask ourselves is, is that the real me? What happens to our self-esteem when our actions are not acceptable? 

Can we live our lives regardless of the company we keep or where we work? Are we Christians at work and social events, or are we Christians just when we are at church, if then? Is our self-worth measured by the salary we make and the possessions that we have? Who we are is our reality. We can change and we are continually doing so whether we realize it or not. That change is never-ending, and our family, friends, and acquaintances are watching us.

In our heart of hearts, who are we? Only God knows for sure. Regardless of what is going on in our life, who are we? Events do not define our life. We are responsible for our life. Yes, circumstances and crises have an effect but, do those events control you, or do you control you?

If we let events and other people control us, then who are we? Are others our real judge? Every Christian will appear before our Lord, and we will answer for our own lives. What will He say? What the Lord says is the FINAL word. That’s all that matters. It doesn’t make any difference what others think. It’s what the Lord knows.

Our accumulation of things is just that—things. People are God’s creation, not cars and bank accounts. Where are we investing our lives, in things that are temporary or eternal? Who are we? Are our relationships based on possessions or character? If character, Godly character, then others will see and respect it. If possessions, they will be left behind for someone else to take care of, and we will enter eternity empty-handed. 

Remind yourself now and then, it is God that made us, and it does not matter what others think. It is what God knows! He knows who we are!

For we are His creation — created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 HCSB

Take a moment to think about each little phrase of the above verse. By doing so, you will recognize we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalms 139:14 NKJV The second thought seen in this verse is that God has a plan for every person.

Hopefully, each of us is on course for God’s plan. No, we do not know where the potholes in life’s road are. We do know that we are on His path. Not only that, but we are confident that He is with us. He is holding our hands, so we will not fall when we stumble. Even if we do fall, look up, and you will see His outstretched hand ready to assist you. He will pick you up and plant your feet on solid ground so you can keep on going for Him.

What does this verse say to you? First, each of us is His creation. That means we are His, made the way He wants our physical bodies to appear. That’s important for us to accept. It doesn’t make any difference if we are short or tall. Even the color of our eyes is His design.

Each child of God is designed to perform good works for Him. That eliminates all our excuses. When we feel unqualified or undeserving, that‘s not God talking to our hearts. Because He designed every believer for good works, he wants His children and His family to do good things for Him and others. We do not have the right to refuse Him. God has placed them before us to do them.

As believers, we are in Jesus. Consider the fact that of the billions of people on this earth, we could hear the gospel and accept Jesus as our Savior. What a privilege we have experienced. But the scripture doesn‘t stop there.

What a thought. Hopefully, there is a realization on our part that God knows all the events that will take place in our lives. He has equipped us with the resources to handle them. Stop for a moment. Take a deep breath. Realize that God is here. Right now. He arranged all of this. He wants you to be His hands and mouth. The Creator of all things has arranged all of this ahead of time. He is directing our steps. He knew these circumstances would coincide right now for His servant, you, to be here. If that doesn’t put chills up your back, then you aren’t listening to God.

Our all-knowing God arranges our lives this way for this time, for us to walk this road for His glory. Our obedience to His directions will bring about His desires for us and others. All it takes on our part is a willing heart to trust His leadership. God knows you. He has prepared all the events in your life ahead of time. He wants you to be a willing, obedient believer in saying yes. This YES will reap eternal dividends for His glory.

Do we want to be part of His glory?

Have you ever faced a Big situation? Maybe a seemingly impossible one. One that you had no control over. Nevertheless, the event would have a significant influence on your life. You asked for the opportunity, but it came before you were ready. If you were observant, you would have noticed that things were falling into place. That’s when the negative thoughts began to turn into the positive — seeing and believing the opportunity that is happening before your eyes can leave you breathless.

Breaking the mold of the past and plotting a course for the future can be exciting and overwhelming. Your dream was right in front of you. You didn’t see it coming. Boom, it happened. It was staring you in the face.

Now it’s decision time. Do you move forward or do you keep your foot on the brakes? New territory is just over the horizon. Hopefully, you put your foot on the accelerator, and you accelerate slowly. As you gain confidence, you press down the gas peddle a little bit more. Looking around, you realize you can handle this. God is giving you the direction for the journey. Now the scenery is good. Real good.

It is here you realize God has been preparing you for this. He has been working out the details. The Lord has been busy for months to get the circumstances in place. He had to get other people in the right place to help you to move forward. When you stop and think about it, God is an awesome God. He has been redirecting your vision, coordinating the help, and circumstances to make your dream come true.

Remember the verse, “all things work together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28 HCSB). The critical word — the action word — the foundational word is “love.” Loving God will help you get past the harsh and hurtful times.

The open door of opportunity is before you. You know that the all-powerful hand of God is leading you. It’s up to you to hold the hand of God and not let go for the new adventure that He has planned for you. The Big situation is in the controlling hand of God.

We do the same things day after day, we get up, get dressed, brush your teeth, and start the routine. It’s the same thing day after day. It’s the same old routine all week long.

What would it take to change the routine? Do you want to change it? Are you happy with it? Where does Jesus fit into your schedule? Does the Lord have a place? Would you allow Him a place in your tight-knit plan, or is He allowed to interrupt? What if He was first and your day started with the Lord. Would this be a radical thought? How can this happen?

First, it starts with a desire, a desire to put God first (Matthew 6:33). So how can that take place? One suggestion is to start earlier. I have tried every time of the day to spend time with God. Nothing seemed to work or to last. There was always something that interfered.

So, what worked for me? Finally, getting up and starting with God was my answer. The time begins with a prayer followed by reading the Bible. It took some effort to make this pattern part of my day. Before long, however, it became the most significant part of my day. Starting with God makes your day better. Somewhere along the way, you will notice your entire day is better. It is then you realize that God watches over you all the time. He guides you and your days are more productive.

The fresh start begins to change your outlook and your expectations. Then you start to think about what God can do through you. The only way to find out is to begin.

Start and stick with the plan. It is one thing to start something. It is quite another to work the plan. For any undertaking to work, there must be follow-through. Lots of people start. It takes dedication and determination to be consistent in the follow-up. It is the implementation that gets you to the destination. Enjoy the journey and experience the ventures that God has in store for you.

As Christians, we look forward to our arrival in heaven. Everything will be perfect there. But what about life here and now? Is it just an endurance to get to your heavenly home? I hope not.

The Christian life, in a sense, is what you make it. Each day is another step towards eternity. Make it an adventure.

Remember your final destination. If you do, living here will not be Rutsville.

Puzzles are puzzling. You dump the box on the table and see it in a thousand pieces. They are all over your workspace. Where do you start? I begin by turning all of them right side up so I can see their faces. Next chore for me is to find all the edges. From there, I start to build the frame of the puzzle by looking at the picture on the box. That’s my beginning.

But how would you build this puzzle if there was no picture? That’s how life is. We can’t see the big picture. We do not know what belongs where. As for the picture, we start with the boundaries. The same principle applies to our Christian life. The boundaries that we know we start to apply to our personal lives. Our conscience reveals those initial boundaries. And if we are wise, we will watch certain people that we respect and do what they do. If we are smarter, we will start to learn our Bible (New Testament), God’s ultimate instruction book. This is the assembly book to a productive Christian life. As we progress, the picture becomes clearer and clearer. As we begin to see how it’s done, then we want to try it. The “how to’s” are right there. The Holy Spirit opens things for us to see. He will guide His children each step of the way if they are willing to listen. Much to our amazement, we realize the Bible is not just a book of knowledge. It is also an instruction book on how to live for Christ. Who would have thought that God planned all this an eternity ago.

The power of one never underestimates its strength. One can make a difference in almost anything.

You and God make a majority. You’ve heard that before. Often, we forget it. When a person agrees with God, that is all it takes for Him to work. Whether it is spiritual history or secular history, it takes just one to make the deciding difference.

Abraham decided to obey God and leave the Ur of the Chaldees. So, the nation of Israel began.

Moses in self-exile obeyed God and led Israel from the persecution of Egypt. Israel was then able to occupy the land that God had promised Abraham. That is the land that they possess today.

God honored Hannah’s prayer for a child. That child, Samuel, was one of the most significant spiritual influences in Israel’s history.

One stone killed the giant Goliath and freed Israel from being conquered by the Philistines.

One woman, Ruth a Moabite, honored her mother-in-law and went to a foreign land, Israel.  She became part of Jesus genealogy.

In the New Testament, one young virgin who trusted God gave birth to the Savior. Her husband to be was the one man willing to pray and followed the Lord’s leadership to mentor the human side of our Savior.

Peter was the one willing to stand up and preach on the day of Pentecost.

John, the Apostle, was the one who when exiled to the Isle of Patmos wrote the book of Revelation

Jesus was the only one, the Begotten Son of God, who could pay the price for our sins. And He did.

Today, God is still using one person at a time to do His work in your community. All it takes is one to listen to God and then obey His instruction. The next time you say to yourself, I can’t do it. I don’t know how? Who am I? Surely God is not talking to me — they are just excuses. If God challenges your heart, then you are the one, the one who can make a difference for all eternity for someone.

Conversations abound. Have you ever counted the number of chit-chats that you have in a day?  They can be verbal or texting.  The number may amaze you.  What were the results of these?  How many of them would be pleasing to the Lord?  Would ten percent of them even mention the Lord?

There was a Centurion, a Roman officer, who oversaw a hundred soldiers.  He had a servant who was close to death.  So, he sent word to Jesus, asking for help for this servant.  Jesus was almost there when He received a message from the officer.  The message said I am not worthy of You coming to my house.  Just say the word and my dear servant friend will be healed.  The Lord was surprised at the message!  It was a shock that a Gentile man of such authority would not want the Lord to be insulted by coming to his house. The officer knew that one of authority like Jesus could send someone else to do the healing instead of Himself.  The Messiah commented, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel” (Matthew 8:10 NKJV).

There is another example of faith that deserves our attention.  It is found in Mark 7:24-30.  This scripture presents a Gentile woman asking Jesus for help regarding her demon-possessed daughter.  The mother’s request was ignored by the Lord two times.  The Messiah suggested it was not right for Him to heal a non-Jew.  He was sent to bring Israel to repentance.  Her reply was Lord, that is true, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall under the Jewish dinner table.  This mother was asking for a healing crumb. The Lord’s response was “great is your faith, let it be to you as you desire” (Matthew 15:28 NKJV). 

The above two illustrations show the great faith of two people who were not in the established religious crowd.  Yet they believed Jesus could and would work in their lives.  Both requests were not for themselves, but someone else.

Think about this for a moment.  How many of our requests are for ourselves versus our requests for others.  What makes their requests an example for Christians today?  It was their faith.  The kind of faith that trusts in the power of God.  

Do we believe that God still performs miracles? Do we have the faith to believe in miracles or is that just idle talk?  Maybe the question should be, is our Christian walk filled with answered prayers?  If God isn’t answering our prayers, could it be that we need to get alone with Him and find out why?  Our fellowship with God should be so real that it is noticeable to others.