Month: June 2023

One morning while we waited for Ricky to bring breakfast, I said to Stan, “You know, we live in a pretty wicked world where sometimes it’s really hard to live as a Christian.”

“You’re right,” Stan replied, “but I think it’s important to know that it has happened before and that God has shown us how to live in times like these.”

“How’s that?” I asked.

“Just like Noah,” Stan responded.

“Just like Noah? You mean the guy with the big boat?”

“That’s the one,” Stan replied. “I think he’s the perfect model for times like these.”

“How so?”

“Let’s take a quick look.  In Genesis, the first book in the Bible, it says that God saw the great wickedness and evil that was on the earth, but he also saw that Noah had chosen something different from what he was surrounded with.”

“Something different?”

“Yeah,” Stan replied. “It says that Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time, and that he walked with God.”

“He walked with God in spite of what surrounded him, wickedness and evil,” I said. “Is that it?”

“That’s it,” Stan said. “Noah did it because that’s what he chose to do. He chose to walk with God, and, it seems to me, we can make the same choice.”

“Even though we’re surrounded by a lot of bad stuff?”

“Exactly,” Stan replied. “Just like Noah!”

________________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9.

And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of the light of Jesus who shines into this dark world. Thank you, too, that you want me to be light into the dark world, knowing that your light is the only cure for that darkness. I confess that too often I focus on the darkness of the world rather than walking with you and shining light into the darkness. Please forgive that. Help me to walk with you always, regardless of what may be going on around me, just like Noah. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Are you walking with God in the sense you have accepted His free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him? If no, why do you want to continue to walk apart from Him? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with walking with God regardless of what you may be surrounded by in the world? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

It’s not uncommon to hear someone described as a “mature Christian.” Can that be an accurate description? Isn’t being called a “maturing Christian” a better description? The posting for November 3, 2022 (link below) focused on this subject. Take another prayerful look at this from the personal standpoint that maturing as a Christian is a life-long process that is to continue for as long as God chooses to keep us on this side of eternity.

Click here for linked posting.

“As I think I’ve mentioned to you before,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to take our breakfast orders, “the Book of James is one of my favorites.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “Lots of wisdom in that book.”

“Wisdom,” Stan said, “along with a lot of practical truth for living the Christian life.”

“Practical truth?” I questioned. “Is there such a thing as ‘impractical truth’?”

“Interesting question,” Stan replied. “I’m not sure about that, but I do know that there’s a lot of Biblical truth that people find to be inconvenient.”

“Inconvenient?” I said. “In what way?”

“Plural,” Stan replied with a smile. “There are many ways that people, especially me, find Biblical truth to be inconvenient to apply to their lives.”

“In fact,” he added, “earlier this morning, I was looking at one of those in James’ letter.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Where James wrote about not becoming a forgetful hearer, but being an effectual doer.” Stan replied.

“Being a forgetful hearer versus being an effectual doer,” I repeated. “You mean like forgetting what God has for you to do, rather than doing it. Is that it?”

“Afraid so,” Stan replied. “Sometimes I conveniently ‘forget’ what God has for me to do because it’s not convenient for me to do it.”

“What does convenience have to do with obedience?” I asked.

“That, my friend,” Stan replied, “is a great question!”

__________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. James 1:25.

If you love Me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15.

And why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for all you have to show and tell me about what you have for me to do for you and your kingdom. I confess that too often I am a “forgetful hearer” of what you have for me — and that too often I “forget” on purpose because what you have for me to be and to do is not convenient for me. Please forgive my foolishness and help me follow every step of your lead in hearing and doing all you have for me. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you heard about and accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him? If no, is it because you haven’t heard or because you haven’t accepted? If you haven’t heard, do you know how to hear about it? If you have heard, but not accepted, why do you want to remain separated from God? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with hearing and doing what God has for you while He keeps you here? If you sense the need to change from being a “forgetful hearer” to being an “effectual doer,” how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

The Christian life has a lot to do with following — following Jesus as a disciple, as well as following as the Holy Spirit leads us. The posting for October 28, 2022 (link below) focused on this subject from the standpoint of sometimes needing to pull over to get out of the way so the Holy Spirit can lead us. Take another look at this and spend some time talking with God about whether you may be trying to lead rather than following the One who is to lead.

Click here for posting.

“The other day,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring breakfast, “I saw again another one of of those instances where it looks like the Bible presents some people who might be good bad examples.”

“Good bad examples of what?” I asked.

“Let’s take a look,” Stan replied. “When Jesus was entering Jerusalem on the way to the cross, Luke mentions that there was a whole bunch of disciples there to greet Him. It’s those people who might be considered good bad examples.”

“Why? What’d they do?”

“It says that they were praising God for all of the miracles they had seen.”

“So?”

“Maybe they were praising the miracles, rather than the One who performed the miracles,” Stan replied. “I know from way too much personal experience that I can do the same thing.”

“Praise a miracle rather than praise God?”

“That’s it,” Stan replied. “It seems to me that I’m to praise God. Period. I am to praise Him for who He is, whether or not He performs any miracles.”

“If I’m only going to praise God for miracles,” he continued, ”that’s probably going to be some pretty shallow praise.”

“No miracles, no praise,” I commented. “I can see that needing a miracle in order to praise God is probably not a real good idea.”

“Probably not a real good idea?” Stan questioned. “It seems to me that it’s more than that!”

______________________________

Bible verses to consider:

And as He was now approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen. Luke 19:37.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. Psalm 48:1

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. James 5:13.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for all you have done for me in granting me salvation and redemption through the cross of Christ. Thank you that I can praise you for who you are and what you have done through your free and gracious provision. I confess that too often I condition my praise of you on what you do for me. Please forgive that foolishness. Help me to know that you are worthy of praise at all times and under every circumstance. Help me to know that and to demonstrate that in my life and in my relationship with you. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Can you praise God because you know you will spend eternity in His presence? If no, why would you not have accepted His free and gracious of salvation and redemption? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with your praise of God? Can and do you praise Him at all times and in all circumstances, or is your praise based on what He does for you? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

Stan’s main takeaway for each day this past week.

The full version of each posting can be found at www.waiting4thetrain.com

Note: Please forward this to friends, family, colleagues, etc. as a way to introduce them to Stan,  S. Tory Teller, and the conversations about faith, discipleship, and what it means to be a Christian.

Also, don’t forget that S. Tory Teller’s book, the 100-day devotional, Waiting for the Train — Biblical Food for Growing Before Going, is available from amazon.com, other on-line book sellers, and directly from the publisher at www.s-toryteller.com 

_________________________________

Monday, June 19 (Who was the first one?) — Peter was the first person Andrew told about having found Jesus. Who did you tell first? Have you told anyone?

Tuesday, June 20 (Who is this?) — The disciples asked the most important question about Jesus: “Who is this?” Have you asked that question? Are you helping others to ask so they will know?

Wednesday, June 21 (Just standing by?) — When Jesus was crucified, there were people who were just standing there, looking on. It’s the same today. 

Thursday, June 22 (Communicating with God) — What’s the purpose of prayer? Isn’t it so we will get to know God better by honestly sharing what’s on our hearts to know what’s on His?

Friday, June 23 (Good advice for making wine — and for making disciples) — What Jesus’ mother said to the servants at the Cana wedding is applicable to us. She said,”Whatever He says to you, do it.” How do we respond to what He says?

“The other day,” Stan commented one morning during breakfast, “I was reading in John’s gospel and saw some good advice from the mother of Jesus.”

“Mary?” I responded. “What was she giving advice about?”

“How to make wine,” Stan replied. “And, it seems to me, it’s good advice for making disciples.”

“How so?”

“Let’s take a quick look at what was going on,” Stan said. “There was a wedding. Jesus’ mother was there, along with Jesus and the disciples.”

“Is that where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine?” I asked.

“That’s it,” Stan replied, “but the part that’s important for me is what happened before then.”

“What’s that?”

“As you’ll remember,” Stan said, “they had run out of wine and needed some more.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I remember that. I don’t drink, so that wouldn’t have bothered me.”

“Same with me,” Stan said, “but, again, that’s not the point.”

What is?”

“What Mary said to the servants,” Stan replied. “And it applies to me and to each one of us as we pursue being disciples. Mary told the servants to do whatever Jesus said to them.”

“Oh,” I said. “Do whatever Jesus says. That seems like good advice, whether you’re making wine or making disciples!”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Stan replied with a smile. “Do what Jesus has for me to do in denying myself, taking up what He has for me to take up, and in following Him.”

“Wherever, however, and whenever,” I added, “which is to be always!”

_______________________________

Bible verses to consider:

His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:5.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15.

And why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20.

And He was saying to all of them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of life eternally with you through Jesus. Thank you for those who brought me to that truth so I could accept it. Thank you, too, that you want me to draw ever closer to you in a deepening relationship by knowing and doing what you have for me. I confess that too often I don’t do what you say to me. I do that because that is what I choose. Please forgive my foolishness. Help me to follow every step of your lead so I do all that you say to me. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him so you can have an ever-deepening relationship with Him based on hearing what He says to you? If not, why? What’s in the way? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with your obedience? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

Prayer is not just asking God for things we want. Prayer is designed for us to know God better. The posting for October 27, 2022 (link below) focused on being honest with God. He already knows what’s on our hearts, but He wants us to express it to Him so we can see and hear what He has to say about it. Take another look at this subject. Examine it to see if it changes anything about your view of communicating with God.

Click here for linked posting.

“The other day,” Stan commented one morning during breakfast, “I was reading in Luke’s gospel about some people who were just like I was at one point in my life.”

“Who was doing what that was like you?”

“It was right after Jesus was crucified,” Stan replied. “He was still on the cross. Luke records that there were some people who stood by, looking on.”

“So?”

“That was me,” Stan replied. “For a long time in my life, for way too long, I was just standing by and looking on. It seems to me that there are a lot of people today doing the same thing.”

“What same thing? Just standing there and looking on?”

“That’s it,” Stan replied. “And because I was helped and now understand what I was looking at, the salvation of God and the way to life eternally with Him, I know what I’m supposed to do.”

“What?”

“Help others in the same way,” Stan responded. “I didn’t know. They don’t know. If I don’t tell them, who will?”

___________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

And the people stood by, looking on. Luke 23:35.

Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:13-15.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus as the way to you for all who believe. Thank you for those people you sent into my life to bring me to the truth so I no longer was or am just standing by, not knowing of your free and gracious provision. I confess that too often I don’t tell others so they will know the truth and have the opportunity to accept it. Please forgive that foolishness. Help me to follow every step of your lead to help build your kingdom just as you want. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him? If no, why are you still standing by, choosing to be separated from Him? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with telling others what they don’t know about God’s provision for them? If you sense the need for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

At one point, the disciples asked the most important question we can all ask. About Jesus, they said, “Who is this?” The posting for October 25, 2022 (link below) focused on this. Take another look. Have you asked and answered that question? Are you helping others see the importance of the question and the necessity of having the right answer?

Click here for link to posting.