Tag Archives: second chances

COULD BOTH BE RIGHT?…Acts 15: 36-41

Posted on by

Could both be right?  Paul and Barnabas have had a huge blowup over taking John Mark on their second missionary journey.  Mark had deserted them on the first one.  Left them high and dry, sailing back home.  Take him with us again?  ‘No way’, says the Apostle Paul.  ‘Let him grow up first’.  But Barnabas, the ‘Son of Encouragement’, wants to give him a second chance.  Who’s right?  Could both?  Does one necessarily cross out the other?

Let me apply this to my own life.  I’m thinking of when proverbial doors were slammed right in my face.  My job as pastor came crashing down all around me.  Devastating, and not only for me.  I imagine the Apostle Paul would have advised me to take time off.  Find a new career.  Cool your heels.  Check the pulse of what you really want to do.  Find out what the Lord wants for you.  Grow… before you go.  Get closer to Him after the doors have closed.

Paul would have been absolutely right.  After this happened, outside the four walls of a church, I began to grow somewhat by fits-and-starts.  Not an even path.  Never for the likes of me!  Slowly but surely(and don’t call me Shirley!), I was drawing near to Jesus.   Need time off and away?  To sit at His feet?  To hear Him… and to talk with the Lord?  Pray…read your Bible…heal?  Do it.  Take the time.

But Barnabas was right, also.  I thank God for those who gave me second chances…to serve the Lord Jesus.  Like a Roman Catholic priest, a local hospital chaplain and dear friend, who took some criticism for having this Protestant– me!– preach at the Catholic hospital service two weeks after exiting through the back door of my old church.  He told me to ‘get right back on that horse’!  He was Barnabas to me.  Gave me that second chance, when I never even asked for it.  I’m so grateful.

And the local Christian television station that hosted my weekly program of testimony and evangelism for over five years.  No longer bound behind four walls of a church, my ministry reached into two counties in our state.  And then, those fourteen years, I loved pastoring a church in that same town.  Now… a different person.  Now… preaching, teaching, encouraging missions and evangelism, Bible studies, prayer groups.  Now… sitting at the Lord’s feet.  All in that same town!

Grow in Him.  Give and receive second chances.  Do you wonder what the Lord can make of your life?  Wonder no more!  Grow in Him.  Get close to Jesus.  Watch the Lord open windows and doors for you…for others…for Him!

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, for second chances in life, and time to get close to you.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

READING ALL OF JONAH?…Jonah 1-4

Posted on by

Here’s a challenge for you.  Read the entire Old Testament book of Jonah.  Only 4 chapters.   A measly 48 verses.  Too much to ask?  I think not!  So, go for it!  While serving my second church, I was asked by a local radio station to tape four Bible studies for weekly broadcast.  The topic?   Any Scripture of my choice.  Really?  And me…on the radio?  Very thrilling, indeed!

Let me tell you why.  It was listening to Billy Graham’s radio program, ‘The Hour of Decision’, when I first heard about faith in Jesus Christ.  I responded ‘YES!’ to the invitation.  The message of God’s love was crystal clear to me.  I knew nothing about the Bible.  I was not from a family that often attended church.  God was rarely  mentioned in our home.  And He wanted to be in my life?  I was merely flipping the dial.  News programs?  No.  But the best news I’d ever heard.  Now, years later, I’m on the radio telling others that God loves them as much as He loves me.  All because of what His Son did on the cross thousands of years before.

What should I talk about?  I chose Jonah for my talks.  Why?  I identify with him…the reluctant prophet.  The one who says ‘no’ to God.  The presumptuous preacher, who would rather go as far away from God’s call as he possibly could.  He ships off to Tarshish, when God had clearly commanded him to bring good news to Ninevah, the opposite direction.  As if the Lord was telling you to preach in New York City, and you high tale it to Los Angeles.  That’s Jonah.   Rebellious.  Angry and bitter.

Not only Jonah.  That’s me… sometimes.  You too?  No, never!  This is an amazing story.  Chapter 3 verse 1–  ‘Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time…’   Not giving up on His prophet.  Or letting him off the hook, either.  God puts it right to him to do the tough work of God’s will.   The word of the Lord comes right at Jonah a second time.

There’s that word ‘again’ again!   God gives Jonah another shot at obedience.  I love that thought.  God majors in forgiveness.  He loves to give us His mercy… in spite of all our failures, our flippant and feeble excuses.  He comes alongside…a second time.  A third.  A fourth.  Again and again.  Not giving up on.  Thank God for second chances.  He’s done that for me many times.

Unfinished business for God in your life?   Is there not someone, whom you’ve been avoiding, running away from, who needs to hear the good news of Jesus?  And God says to go back.  Tell them of His love and about His Son.  Will you?  What will we do with God’s second chances?

Prayer:  Lord, for all your love and forgiveness, we thank you.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

THAT SPECIAL LITTLE WORD… Matthew 22: 1-14

Posted on by

I was reading the story about the wedding feast.  Reminded me that in April of 1994 (yes, I do know the date!), Sue and I got married and had a lovely reception.  Whoever was filming took pictures exclusively of the food!  Who cares about the people attending, especially that groom and his lovely bride!

Matthew, chapter 22– story of a king’s wedding feast for his son , with people making all kinds of excuses as to why they can’t attend.  Even murdered some of the king’s servants, who came bearing their invitations.  Can you imagine?

The king orders his remaining servants to hit the highways-and-byways inviting anyone they can find.  The high-and-mighty would be replaced by the down-and-out.   Now, let me step back for a moment.  Matthew, who is the only Gospel writer to record this particular parable, is a tax-collector.  Not an endearing occupation listed on one’s resume!

He had two names.  Matthew and Levi.  Lots of people had two names.   I have a few.  My classmates from school days always call me ‘Johnny’.  Relatives say ‘John Adam’.  Lots of men in my family were named John.   If my two names were said together, it helped identify me as the one in trouble!   No high marks for creative naming in our tribe!

Jesus has called lots of people to follow Him.  But a tax-collector?  That raises a few eyebrows!  Can you hear the behind-the-scenes mumbling?

Now, the Bible doesn’t say so, but I can picture Matthew Levi, having godly parents, who would have agonized over this son, who had gone astray.  Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons,  founded the priesthood.  They led all worship in the Tabernacle and Temple.  Was not his name a wish and prayer of his parents?  To grow up to be a godly, priestly man?   They would have made sure he received a proper education in the Word of God.  Obeyed God’s Law.  Celebrating all the holy days of the Jewish calendar and the Sabbath.

I wonder if his conscience didn’t nag at him something fierce.  So, when Jesus walks up to his tax-collecting table and asks him to follow Him(Matthew 9:9), there are no excuses given.  Not even a second thought.  Just ‘up and at ’em’ for Matthew Levi with the good possibility of being right with his God.  Yes!

What about that little word mentioned in today’s title?   It’s a tiny one.  Easy to skim over.  Here it is:  ‘again’.  Five letters.  That’s all.  But it makes a world of difference to someone like Matthew Levi.  To you and me.  Matthew writes that Jesus once ‘again’ tells the people a parable(Matthew 22: 1).  As in second chances.  Not giving up on us.   Even to tax-collectors.  God will find a way.  Keep praying daily that everyone in your family will come to know Jesus.  Keep at it.  Don’t ever give up!

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for all your help.   In Jesus’ name.  Amen.