Many people don’t know this about me but I have preached at a funeral before. When I was a senior in high school, my mom’s sister committed suicide just after New Year’s in 2001. My mom asked me to speak at the funeral. I was honored that my mom would ask me to do such a thing. But once the reality of it started to sit in, I was starting to wonder why I agreed. Just a little history lesson on my family: I don’t come from a strong religious or Christian family. In fact, my mom’s side of the family often mocked God when they had the chance. So here I was, an 18-year old senior getting ready to preach at my aunt’s funeral. As I prepared, I found myself struggling to find what words to say. Being a suicide, I thought I’d just speak on faith. As I preached, it started raining. I was still an amateur preacher then and it showed, as I said in the middle of my message, “You see, Aunt Karen is up there laughing at us right now as God is peeing on us.” You guessed it: everyone laughed. I felt like Daniel in the lion’s den. I’m sure you have your first-time-horror stories and they were just as bleak.
Saul had his. He was king over Israel and was going to battle with the Philistines. The Philistines destroyed Saul’s army, killing his sons in the process. As Saul looked on, he saw no positive outcome in sight and decided that it would be best for him to kill himself rather than letting the Philistines torture and mock him. He figured they’d kill him anyway so why endure all of that? I’m sure that’s how my aunt felt.
In this life, we face trials and struggles and circumstances that just weigh us down and from our human perspective, it’s hard for us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you’re a teenager, it could be in your school during that one class that you just can’t seem to ace. Or maybe you’re an adult and you’ve stumbled across this blog and your job isn’t going so well or money is tight.
Jesus says, “Come to me all those who are heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest.” Have you given Him your burdens yet?
How did the funeral end? Well, not only did I teach faith, I learned it. I went in inexperienced and afraid. But I spoke God’s Word and not only did the funeral go well (aside from God’s urine), but I was able to lead six of my family members to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior.
I learned something that day: Faith is something God gives us as we wait on Him to return from the bathroom.
-NW
Saturday, November 24, 2007
9.19.07 "Handicapped"
There was a kid in my class who was mentally handicapped and I was too immature to accept that. I had a pack of skittles during study hall and with all of my friends around, I asked the kid, whose name was Dustin, to pick a color as I showed a green and a purple in my hand. Thinking I was offering him one, he picked green. I then proceeded to quickly pick up the green skittle and toss into my mouth and selfishly enjoyed the deliciousness that is always in a green skittle. Then I heard my name screamed from across the room. The teacher saw the whole thing. As my friends all laughed at me, I was quickly kicked out and about three minutes later, was sitting right outside the principal’s office. Welcome to my world.
Handicapped people, whether physical or mental, are almost always picked on. In my case, I wasn’t trying to pick on Dustin but it was perceived that I was. Back in biblical times, crippled people were treated as scum or bums on the street. Society looked at them with no value and decided that they make no economical or social contributions to society (it’s amazing how much doesn’t change over the years).
In 2 Samuel, we meet Mephibosheth (Mephibo-who?), Mephibosheth, a crippled man. But he wasn’t just any crippled man, he was Jonathan’s son. But more importantly, he was Saul’s grandson. David was king of Israel during this time and he wanted to know if there were any descendants of Jonathan left. This was because he made a promise to Jonathan to take care of his family if he died. David’s officials found Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth feared for his life when he found out the king wanted to see him. He feared him because he was crippled and had absolutely no business being in the king’s presence. He also feared him because he was Saul’s grandson and he thought David was going to kill him because of it (back then, you were to kill off your enemy’s entire lineage). But instead, Mephibosheth found out that David wanted to give him his grandfather’s pension—the estate, servants and riches. But most importantly, he got a ticket to David’s unlimited dinner buffet every night.
That’s how God treats us. We’re all crippled because of our sins (Romans 3:23), and because of that, we deserve death (Romans 6:23). But God, like David did with Mephibosheth, loved us because of a promise He made with Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ died for our sins so that one day, we can eat at God’s dinner buffet every night in heaven (John 3:16). All you have to do as a crippled is confess with your mouth that you are spiritually crippled and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died you’re your sins and you will be saved.
Jesus, I’m crippled. And I can’t walk on my own. I have sinned against You and that keeps me from knowing You and I’m sorry. I believe You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place and He’s the only way to get to You. I ask that You that save me from death and I invite You, Jesus, into my heart to be my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.
-NW
Handicapped people, whether physical or mental, are almost always picked on. In my case, I wasn’t trying to pick on Dustin but it was perceived that I was. Back in biblical times, crippled people were treated as scum or bums on the street. Society looked at them with no value and decided that they make no economical or social contributions to society (it’s amazing how much doesn’t change over the years).
In 2 Samuel, we meet Mephibosheth (Mephibo-who?), Mephibosheth, a crippled man. But he wasn’t just any crippled man, he was Jonathan’s son. But more importantly, he was Saul’s grandson. David was king of Israel during this time and he wanted to know if there were any descendants of Jonathan left. This was because he made a promise to Jonathan to take care of his family if he died. David’s officials found Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth feared for his life when he found out the king wanted to see him. He feared him because he was crippled and had absolutely no business being in the king’s presence. He also feared him because he was Saul’s grandson and he thought David was going to kill him because of it (back then, you were to kill off your enemy’s entire lineage). But instead, Mephibosheth found out that David wanted to give him his grandfather’s pension—the estate, servants and riches. But most importantly, he got a ticket to David’s unlimited dinner buffet every night.
That’s how God treats us. We’re all crippled because of our sins (Romans 3:23), and because of that, we deserve death (Romans 6:23). But God, like David did with Mephibosheth, loved us because of a promise He made with Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ died for our sins so that one day, we can eat at God’s dinner buffet every night in heaven (John 3:16). All you have to do as a crippled is confess with your mouth that you are spiritually crippled and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died you’re your sins and you will be saved.
Jesus, I’m crippled. And I can’t walk on my own. I have sinned against You and that keeps me from knowing You and I’m sorry. I believe You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place and He’s the only way to get to You. I ask that You that save me from death and I invite You, Jesus, into my heart to be my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.
-NW
Friday, November 23, 2007
8.29.07 "Circle Yes or No"
High school is basically four years of nothing but socializing. You grow more and more independent of your parents and you try to branch out and develop relationships outside of your family to prove it. As you do this, you develop friendships that last a lifetime and you start to get those “butterflies” for that special guy or girl until they are asked to “circle ‘yes’ or ‘no.’” Then you find out what they really feel and how they were only looking for that “one thing” and they stab you in the back and make you look stupid in front of all of your friends and go after Brock, the quarterback instead!
Oh, sorry. I thought I was writing in my diary for a second.
Relationships are all we have sometimes. Life gets tough and it’s easy to feel completely helpless. It’s those relationships that get us through those times. David had that kind of relationship. You see, when David was running from King Saul, he had an awesome friendship with Jonathan, Saul’s son. Their friendship was based on three things that allowed the relationship to work so well: sacrifice, loyalty and encouragement.
It was based on sacrifice because Jonathan was the “rich kid” who had everything but he also gave everything to David out of love, admiration and respect. He shared his clothes, his weapons, and eventually, his right to the throne.
It was based on loyalty because Jonathan had his own “circle ‘yes’ or ‘no’” moment: choose his dad or choose his best friend, David. Once he found out his father’s intentions on killing David, he sided with David and helped him escape Saul’s pursuit.
It was based on encouragement because David got tired of running and couldn’t figure out why Saul wanted to kill him. Jonathan stepped in and reminded David that the Lord was with him.
Good friends are hard to come by and in this life; we never stop making new ones. As those new friendships are created, base them on these three principles and watch how much easier life becomes.
Proverbs 17:17 states this: “A friend loves at all times…”
Looking for the ultimate friendship? Jesus came from heaven to earth to die for your sins because He loves you. He wants to have a relationship with you. All you have to do is circle “yes” or “no.”
-NW
Oh, sorry. I thought I was writing in my diary for a second.
Relationships are all we have sometimes. Life gets tough and it’s easy to feel completely helpless. It’s those relationships that get us through those times. David had that kind of relationship. You see, when David was running from King Saul, he had an awesome friendship with Jonathan, Saul’s son. Their friendship was based on three things that allowed the relationship to work so well: sacrifice, loyalty and encouragement.
It was based on sacrifice because Jonathan was the “rich kid” who had everything but he also gave everything to David out of love, admiration and respect. He shared his clothes, his weapons, and eventually, his right to the throne.
It was based on loyalty because Jonathan had his own “circle ‘yes’ or ‘no’” moment: choose his dad or choose his best friend, David. Once he found out his father’s intentions on killing David, he sided with David and helped him escape Saul’s pursuit.
It was based on encouragement because David got tired of running and couldn’t figure out why Saul wanted to kill him. Jonathan stepped in and reminded David that the Lord was with him.
Good friends are hard to come by and in this life; we never stop making new ones. As those new friendships are created, base them on these three principles and watch how much easier life becomes.
Proverbs 17:17 states this: “A friend loves at all times…”
Looking for the ultimate friendship? Jesus came from heaven to earth to die for your sins because He loves you. He wants to have a relationship with you. All you have to do is circle “yes” or “no.”
-NW
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
8.22.07 "Rise From Grace"
Picture this: You do something that no one else could or wanted to do. Upon doing it, you land a white collar job which leads to endless fame and fortune among everyone in your entire country. Then the person that helps you get there turns on you and wants to kill you which leads to you running for your life and virtually disappearing off the face of the earth. To make things worse, you have the chance to kill that person two different times aren’t able to because you have a conscience.
Welcome to David’s life.
David killed Goliath and was put in charge of Israel’s army by King Saul. He was praised by Saul, loved by his people and arguably had the best life in the entire Old Testament. Just look at 1 Samuel 18:14, “In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.”
Saul grew jealous of David because he didn’t have what David had. But the real issue was that Saul didn’t seek God like David did. Saul tried to kill David but failed four different times. David escaped and fled from city to city to hide from the king. Eventually, David had two chances to kill King Saul but didn’t because David loved and respected the king since he was the Lord’s anointed. David didn’t necessarily serve Saul the king, but served God, the King. He knew God would deliver him.
Fast forward to 2007.
Our culture screams for us to seek out selfish pleasures and outdo your neighbor in success and do it for the sole sake of instant gratification. But I challenge you to take another approach—David’s approach.
1. Pursue God (Matthew 6:33)
2. Avoid jealousy (Proverbs 14:30, or do a case study on King Saul)
3. Wait for God’s timing (Habakkuk 2:3)
Do these and surely it will be said of you, “In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.”
-NW
Welcome to David’s life.
David killed Goliath and was put in charge of Israel’s army by King Saul. He was praised by Saul, loved by his people and arguably had the best life in the entire Old Testament. Just look at 1 Samuel 18:14, “In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.”
Saul grew jealous of David because he didn’t have what David had. But the real issue was that Saul didn’t seek God like David did. Saul tried to kill David but failed four different times. David escaped and fled from city to city to hide from the king. Eventually, David had two chances to kill King Saul but didn’t because David loved and respected the king since he was the Lord’s anointed. David didn’t necessarily serve Saul the king, but served God, the King. He knew God would deliver him.
Fast forward to 2007.
Our culture screams for us to seek out selfish pleasures and outdo your neighbor in success and do it for the sole sake of instant gratification. But I challenge you to take another approach—David’s approach.
1. Pursue God (Matthew 6:33)
2. Avoid jealousy (Proverbs 14:30, or do a case study on King Saul)
3. Wait for God’s timing (Habakkuk 2:3)
Do these and surely it will be said of you, “In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.”
-NW
8.17.07 "Stupid Cat"
I used to have a cat and his name was Peter. He always meowed and shed his long hair all over the place, which caused me to have to grab a lint brush in the morning before leaving for work. I’d find hairballs on the carpet for me when I got home from work or he’d scratch at my furniture. One time, he even made his way back behind the television where he managed to unplug my cable. This led to making my DVR unable to record my precious 24 episode (to this day, I swear he did it on purpose). Soon came the day when I gave Peter the boot. I had enough.
If you’re a Christian today, you can relate with this situation. At one point, you had enough of Satan and sin and how the combination of the two continually messed with your life. And you gave sin the boot when you asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and personal Savior. Unlike Peter, sin is able to find it’s way back into our lives and our hearts. But it doesn’t belong there anymore. The truth is, once your give your life to Christ, there’s no room for sin because God is big enough to occupy all of the space in your heart. However, we continue to let sin through the door.
Why? Because Satan is a jealous ex-boyfriend. We used to date him through sin but we broke up with him because we met a new Man. One who was able to provide for us and give us the love and attention we craved. Like so many other jealous ex-boyfriends, Satan wants to win us back. And he’ll do anything he can, even attack our new Man, to do it. He’ll lie and cheat, he’ll scheme and connive to turn our friends against us—anything that will make us leave our Man and go back with him.
Sure, that’s a silly way to picture it but it’s very true. Satan and our old sinful ways are “best buds.” And it’s a lot easier for us to hang out with them than it is to stay faithful to our new Man. That’s just how it is because that’s who we are: sinners. Or are we?
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” When you give up sin and take in Christ, you no longer live—you don’t exist. You don’t exist because Christ has taken over you.
So Christian, when you wake up every morning, be sure to “kick the cat out of the house,” and ask God to help you stand strong against your sinful nature—because that’s just Satan trying to get a date.
-NW
Dear Master, Savior of my out-of-control life, you desire and deserve all of me, so take my heart, Lord, take it. Let my old way of life by crucified with you and I will live by faith, responding to your love for me. Comforted by your peaceful stability, I fall in love with you all over again. Amen.
If you’re a Christian today, you can relate with this situation. At one point, you had enough of Satan and sin and how the combination of the two continually messed with your life. And you gave sin the boot when you asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and personal Savior. Unlike Peter, sin is able to find it’s way back into our lives and our hearts. But it doesn’t belong there anymore. The truth is, once your give your life to Christ, there’s no room for sin because God is big enough to occupy all of the space in your heart. However, we continue to let sin through the door.
Why? Because Satan is a jealous ex-boyfriend. We used to date him through sin but we broke up with him because we met a new Man. One who was able to provide for us and give us the love and attention we craved. Like so many other jealous ex-boyfriends, Satan wants to win us back. And he’ll do anything he can, even attack our new Man, to do it. He’ll lie and cheat, he’ll scheme and connive to turn our friends against us—anything that will make us leave our Man and go back with him.
Sure, that’s a silly way to picture it but it’s very true. Satan and our old sinful ways are “best buds.” And it’s a lot easier for us to hang out with them than it is to stay faithful to our new Man. That’s just how it is because that’s who we are: sinners. Or are we?
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” When you give up sin and take in Christ, you no longer live—you don’t exist. You don’t exist because Christ has taken over you.
So Christian, when you wake up every morning, be sure to “kick the cat out of the house,” and ask God to help you stand strong against your sinful nature—because that’s just Satan trying to get a date.
-NW
Dear Master, Savior of my out-of-control life, you desire and deserve all of me, so take my heart, Lord, take it. Let my old way of life by crucified with you and I will live by faith, responding to your love for me. Comforted by your peaceful stability, I fall in love with you all over again. Amen.
8.10.07 "Freedom!"
Ask any random person to quote one line from the movie Braveheart, they would most likely yell “Freeeeeeeedommmmm!!!!!!!!!!” or they may whip out some blue face paint and inspire you with “They’ll never take our freedom!” As awesome as that movie is and how it bathes you in goose bumps, this is how our Christian walk should be. We have freedom in Christ. He sets us free! He frees us from the penalty of sin—death (John 3:16) and frees us from our everyday worries and burdens (Matthew 11:28).
But it’s amazing at how many Christians (including myself) often forget or never realize this truth. We get bogged down by sin, doubt, worry, fear and despair and we buy into Satan’s lies that that is how it’s supposed to be and there is no way out! When we do that, we spiritually chain ourselves to our sin, guilt and shame and swallow the key. We then struggle through the rest of our day or week as the weight of those chains get heavier and heavier with each step.
This is not what God has intended. God wants a relationship with us—a real, forgiving, confident relationship that is based on love, grace, mercy and hope. But don’t take my word for it, sometimes I’m more chained up than anyone. Check out Romans 5 (man, I love Romans!)
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:1-8 (NIV), emphasis mine.
Christian, if you’re chained up by your pride or guilt or sin, let the love and forgiveness of God unlock those chains and free you from Satan’s lies and shout a cry of “Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedoooooommmmmmmm!!!!!” Because that’s what you are! Free!
If you’re trapped and imprisoned by sin and shame, and you’ve never experienced the love of Jesus and asked for forgiveness from God, take a moment right now and ask God for help. Not only will He forgive you; He’ll free you—forever and ever.
-NW
But it’s amazing at how many Christians (including myself) often forget or never realize this truth. We get bogged down by sin, doubt, worry, fear and despair and we buy into Satan’s lies that that is how it’s supposed to be and there is no way out! When we do that, we spiritually chain ourselves to our sin, guilt and shame and swallow the key. We then struggle through the rest of our day or week as the weight of those chains get heavier and heavier with each step.
This is not what God has intended. God wants a relationship with us—a real, forgiving, confident relationship that is based on love, grace, mercy and hope. But don’t take my word for it, sometimes I’m more chained up than anyone. Check out Romans 5 (man, I love Romans!)
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:1-8 (NIV), emphasis mine.
Christian, if you’re chained up by your pride or guilt or sin, let the love and forgiveness of God unlock those chains and free you from Satan’s lies and shout a cry of “Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedoooooommmmmmmm!!!!!” Because that’s what you are! Free!
If you’re trapped and imprisoned by sin and shame, and you’ve never experienced the love of Jesus and asked for forgiveness from God, take a moment right now and ask God for help. Not only will He forgive you; He’ll free you—forever and ever.
-NW
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