Growin' Up Gregory

One thing I have really enjoyed about this blog is the ability to look back for things I posted before.  Right now mainly my goals from 2016.  Looking back at previous goals and resolutions gives you a chance to re-evaluate yourself and the success (or failures) you experienced in the previous year.  But before we spend too much time on the past, we need to look at the future to determine where we're headed.  How do you set goals for next year and further in your life?  Let me offer an idea that may help simplify this process by breaking your plans down into four subcategories.  Most of us want to grow, develop, or get better at something in the coming year, but we wonder where to start.  Let's follow Jesus' model in Luke 2:52 - "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." First, he increased in wisdom, intellectually.  This is actually the last verse in the passage where twelve year old Jesus ...

Fourth Name - Christ "Assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he (Herod) inquired of them where the Christ was to be born" - Matthew 2:4.  Jesus is called Christ here, the Messiah, The Anointed One.  In Isaiah 9:6, the prophet tells us that Jesus will be a Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.  Let's look deeper at him being the Everlasting Father in the aspect of him being the giver of life. As we look at a few verses, when we see Jesus Christ, think life. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have" - What? - "eternal life." John 11:25 - "I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." John 14:6 - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." John 14:19 - "Because I live, you also will live." How did Jesus show us that he ha...

Third Name - King "Wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?" - Matthew 2:1b-2a.  So far we have seen Jesus introduced as savior, Immanuel, and now as king, even called a ruler in verse 6.  It is somewhat amusing that the wise men's question about a newborn king reaches the current king, Herod.  Herod is known for his paranoia as king.  His uncertainty is in his position is understandable since he is not truly a bloodline king, nor a Jew, and was merely placed in the position politically by the Romans.  Herod has a history of getting rid of people he perceives as a threat.  He drowned a high priest, and murdered his wife, mother-in-law, and three sons.  Then after hearing about the birth of this baby king, he plotted to murder all male children under two years old.  So here you have Herod, who's not a real king, not a of the royal bloodline, and not even a Jew, being asked, "Wh...

Second Name - Immanuel "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us) - Matthew 1:23.  This verse simplifies the definition of Immanuel but not the full meaning.  The full meaning and impact of Immanuel is an amazing Christmas truth at this time of year. The truth of Immanuel is that God became a man.  This child of Christmas is Immanuel and he's why we celebrate Christmas.  As humans, we are flesh and blood by nature.  But Immanuel was not, he became flesh and blood in order to die our death and pay the price for our sins.  Hebrews 2:14 reads, "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook in the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death."  God became man through his son, Jesus. But he didn't stop there.  He continued to become fully human in every way, becoming a priest to intercede for ...

How often do we allow ourselves today to miss the awesomeness of the true power of Christmas?  Think about it, what is the Christmas season like for most of us?  For my family, it's a few chaotic days of shopping, a couple parties, lots of eating, buying gifts, and just general busyness.  And don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy getting to see family and friends a lot more than usual.  But what is Christmas really supposed to be about it, where does the power that is the aura of the Christmas spirit come from?  We all love seeing lights, decorated trees, Santa Claus, and exchanging thoughtful gifts.  But what peace, power, or hope do they really offer us?  None.  The only true hope that comes from Christmas is the birth of a baby, Jesus Christ.  What is about Christ that gives us this peace, power, and hope that we as Christians get excited about this time of year?  There are four names, four titles, given to him in this passage ...

The Object of Worship We've looked at Mary's attitude of worship, but what is the object of her worship?  Mary's soul magnifies the Lord , and her spirit rejoices in God my savior .  All worship goes to God our father.  Luke 4:8 reads, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."  In order to worship him, he has to be your savior.  If God's not our savior, if he isn't all knowing, all powerful, all present, and if he hadn't saved us through Jesus Christ, why would we be worshipping him?  No one writes hymns about hell, judgment, and condemnation.  If God was not our savior, we wouldn't be worshipping, we would be hiding in fear. The Cause of Worship Why are you worshipping?  As one speaker puts it, what's your why?  We worship God because of what he does for us personally.  Mary says in verses 48 and 49 that "all generations will call me blessed", and that "he has done great things for me....

Mary's Worship continued... Humble Worship (4/4) True worship can come only from a humble heart, one that has no thought for itself.  Humility is being so focused on God that what happens to you is of little significance.  God gives grace to the humble so anyone who comes to worship him must come in humility.  In verse 48, Mary says that the Lord has "looked on the humble estate of his servant."  Mary finds it unfathomable that God would choose such a common girl as herself to be the mother of Jesus.  Mary didn't have thoughts of, "Well you know God made a pretty good choice in me," or "Certainly there are a lot of other women in the world but none as godly as me."  No, her initial thoughts were toward heaven.  Mary didn't even respond to Elizabeth's praises in the verses just prior to these.  She was overwhelmed by how God could possibly use someone as common as herself.  When Mary uses the term 'humble estate' she'...

Mary's Worship continued... Habitual Worship (3/4) In the text we have been looking at, the verbs used are 'magnifies' and 'rejoices'.  There are present, ongoing tenses of these verbs.  If you know Jesus Christ as your savior, you don't rejoice only when you are saved.  Salvation is when you start rejoicing and then never stop.  Yes, bad things will happen to a Christian in your life, but our worship is to be consistent.  John MacArthur says, "Fluctuating circumstances do not impact true worship.  They don't affect it.  They don't have anything to do with it.  It flows uninterrupted."  When we truly start worshipping God our savior, it becomes a way of life.  It's constant and consistent because it's not fixed on the economy, our finances, or our successes, but it's fixed on God who never changes.  Christ never changes, salvation never changes, God's promises and covenants never change, and His spirit never leaves...

Mary's Reaction to the First Christmas In the first post about the true Christmas spirit, we looked at many people around Mary and Jesus to see their reaction.  But I'm pretty sure that most people will agree that the person closest to, and most impacted, by the birth of a baby boy is his mommy.  So let's look at what is revealed about Mary's attitude of worship in Luke 1:46-48. Internal Worship (1/4) Mary says, "My soul magnifies the Lord" and "my spirit rejoices in God my savior."  In the bible, soul and spirit are somewhat interchangeable and both refer to the inner being of someone.  So we see that Mary's attitude of worship is internal .  It come from the inside, from our mind, heart, and emotions.  True worship comes from within, and is not an outward performance of acts, songs, or words.  Going to church, singing hymns, reading the bible aren't forms of worship in themselves, they are the effects of a worshipping heart.  S...

What is the Christmas Spirit? As we approach Christmas and are smack dab in the middle of the Christmas season, let's slow down and take a look at a phrase that we hear every year about this time, what is the Christmas spirit?  For Mr. Scrooge, it was a ghost; for the liquor industry, it comes in a bottle based on their sales this time of year; for some people, it's a truce between family members during dinners or celebrations; or even an attitude of happiness at meals and parties.  However for some, Christmas can be a very sad and depressing time because of personal loss, or even an inability to give the gifts you'd like to give to others.  One poet put it this way:  "Christmas is a bitter day for mothers who are poor.  The wistful eyes of children are daggers to endure.  Though shops are crammed with playthings, enough for everyone, if a mother's purse is empty, there might as well be none."  Then ended with, "My purse is full of money, but I can...

"You're just John. You're just Daddy" - Thomas Have you ever been called 'just' something? You may have been just a high school athlete, or just a division two player, or just a minor leaguer. You may dream of having a huge impact on the world but you're just you. Well somebody was just a coach when Michael Jordan and Peyton Manning were kids playing ball. Somebody was just a teacher to Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison. Somebody was just a Sunday school teacher to A.W . Tozer and C.S. Lewis. So maybe you weren't good enough to make it to the pros, but you're coaching your kid's team. Maybe you don't have a patent worth a million dollars, but you're sharing what you do know with others. And maybe you're not the next great evangelist like Billy Graham, but you're willing to help in your church's Sunday school and children's classes. Maybe all you'll ever be is just you. But maybe it's no...

I read this article a couple weeks ago and felt like sharing it.  The writer is Matt Brown, founder of Think Eternity. God is always speaking to us through his word. But the Bible is clear we need special, God-given ears to hear him. “Don’t say God is silent when your Bible is closed.” I don’t know who said or shared it first, but it’s clear this simple statement resonates with many, at least it has with me. These 10 words rebuke our fear that God might be inactive or uncaring in the brokenness and messiness of our lives, and reminds us that he cares, he sees and he speaks. But too often, we’re just not listening. God is always ready to speak into our lives. We simply need to listen, tuning our ears and hearts to what he is saying in the book he inspired. When we open the Bible, we find more than 750,000 words breathed out by God himself for us. God Is Always Speaking Charles Spurgeon said, “No one ever outgrows the Scriptures. The Book widens and deepe...

Jesus has provided the disciples with the tools they needed, a purpose, and even provided instruction on what they didn't need.  So what else is left?  Here's the story again from Mark 6:7-13. And he called to the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belts - but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.  And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."  So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Jesus provided the disciples with success.  The last two sentences of the story read,...

We've looked at how Jesus provides us with tools and a purpose, so what's next?  Here's the story from Mark 6:7-13 again. And he called to the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belts - but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.  And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."  So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Jesus provides what we don't need.  "He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belts - but to wear s...

We looked at how Jesus provides us the tools we need to accomplish His will, so what's next?  Well once we have the tools, we need to know our purpose.  Here's the story from Mark 6:7-13 again. And he called to the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belts - but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.  And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."  So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. This story is actually in the Bible several times (which tells you how important it is) a...

If I came up to you, and gave you a brand new golf club, would you be thankful?  Probably so, even if you don't play the club may have some value if you were to sell it.  But what if I gave you the club and told you we were going to play tennis?  Or maybe I give you a brand new hammer, but then I tell you that you've got to use it to dig a hole?  These tools aren't quite as functional when being used for the wrong purpose and you're not quite as  thankful anymore are you?  Do you think that Jesus properly equipped his disciples and equips us today to do the job he calls us to do?  Let's take a look at a story in Mark 6:7-13 and see. And he called to the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belts - but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.  And he said to them, "Whenever you e...

As we've studied through this story of what it's like to become a disciple of Jesus, let's recap some of the bigger picture applications in this story from John 1:43-51. One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip there and said to him, "Follow me."  Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip:  "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael:  "How do you know me?" Jesus:  "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael:  "Rabbi, you are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!" Jesus:  "Because I said to you, I saw you under ...

We've looked at this story and seen Philip's reaction to Jesus, Nathanael's reaction to Philip, and now we'll look at Nathanael's reaction to Jesus in this story in John 1:43-51. One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip there and said to him, "Follow me."  Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip:  "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael:  "How do you know me?" Jesus:  "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael:  "Rabbi, you are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!" Jesus:  "Because I said to you,...

Last time, we looked at what it's like to become a disciple and we saw how Philip reacted after his encounter with Jesus.  Here's the story again from John 1:43-51 for you. One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip there and said to him, "Follow me."  Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip:  "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael:  "How do you know me?" Jesus:  "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael:  "Rabbi, you are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!" Jesus:  "Because I said to you, I saw you under t...

Disciple is a word that many in the Christian community throw around sometimes without really letting others know what it is.  Basically, a disciple is a follower of Jesus.  So how does someone become a disciple?  What happens when you begin to follow Jesus?  Let's look at a short story found in John 1:43-51 and see. One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip there and said to him, "Follow me."  Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip:  "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael:  "How do you know me?" Jesus:  "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you....

I've made some mistakes, and done some things I really wish I hadn't done in my past, maybe even this weekend.  How do I become a good person?  How do I get right with God?  Does this sound like you, or someone you know today?  Please allow me to offer a brief answer, and some encouragement. There was a man in the Bible named Saul.  He was persecuting and even killing Christians.  I'm sure most of us aren't that bad, hope not anyway.  But when he had an encounter with Jesus Christ, his whole life changed direction.  He went from attacking Christians, to spreading the Word of Christ.  How does that happen?  It's a miracle, a gift of salvation.  Saul, who then became known as Paul, was justified before God immediately upon his conversion.  He had not yet done anything good for the Lord, but he had placed his faith in Him.  "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through fai...

I've prayed about this and thought about it, and still am unsure if it's worth posting or not.  But these are my thoughts and feelings on the current elections and questions on my sample ballot.  That's the first thing, please take a look at what all will be on your ballot BEFORE you go to the polls, or at least before you step into the booth to cast your vote.  These are important decisions and can sometimes require much thought and understanding before you can accurately cast your vote the way you intend.  Let's start at the bottom of the ballot and work up to the top.  - Must a one percent sales and use tax be levied in Union County for the purpose of allowing a credit against a taxpayer's county and municipal ad valorem tax liability and for the purpose of funding county and municipal operations in the Union County area?  You will then either vote in favor of (yes), or opposed to (no). - My thoughts.  I'm in favor of a sales tax increa...

Don't do this long, because I don't want anyone to blame me for bad eyes one day.  But when you turn a light on some time today, take a good, quick, look at the light bulb itself, like directly at the bulb.  While the light is on what can you see?  I couldn't see much.  The actual pieces of the bulb that produce light are masked by the glow while it's burning.  But when the light is on, I can see many things around it.  Lights make it so we can see in a dark room, drive down a dark road, and go any number of places with the ability to see things around us. The Bible tells us that as Christians we should be lights.  "You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who ...

We've looked at three steps to success found in the story in Luke 5:1-7, but now let's see what that success is, and better define a win.  The story is below again if you'd like to read back through it. On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.  There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land.  And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.  Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your word I will let down the nets."  And Simon had done this, they caught a large number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking.  They signaled to their partners in the othe...

We've already looked at two steps to success, being in the right place for the right purpose, and obedience, that are found in this fishing story in Luke 5:1-7.  And there is one more step to success we can see here.  The story if below if you'd like to read it again, or hop on down to the points. On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.  There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land.  And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.  Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your word I will let down the nets."  And Simon had done this, they caught a large ...

My last post was about step 1 to success found in this story, being the right place for the right purpose.  So let's take a look at the next step.  The story from Luke 5:1-7 is below if you would like to read it again as well. On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.  There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land.  And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.  Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your word I will let down the nets."  And Simon had done this, they caught a large number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking.  They signaled ...

I enjoy fishing, and want to be successful.  So let's see what this story found in Luke 5:1-7 can teach us.  As you read through the story, think about the goal of those in the story, our goals as individuals, and our goals as the church. On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.  There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land.  And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.  Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your word I will let down the nets."  And Simon had done this, they caught a large number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking.  Th...

Jonah has had a rough time of it lately.  He's run from God, been tossed into the sea, swallowed by a fish, but finally prayed to God and has now been thrown up out of the fish onto dry ground.  So let's look at where he goes from here. The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you."  So Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord.  Nineveh was a very great city, three days journey around.  Jonah went into the city a day's journey and called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"  And the people of Nineveh believed God.  They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.  The word reached the king of Nineveh and he removed his robe, covered himself in sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  He issued a proclamation throughout Nineveh, "By decree of the king and his nobles:  Let n...