The Parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that if you see a need, do the deed. Jesus said that there was “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him (Luke 10:30; 33).”

WE live a world full of injustices. WE witness police brutality on national TV and people crying out to the ones who took an oath to uphold the law is now abusing the law. WE see oppression, racism, ignoring human rights violations, discrimination and human trafficking infesting the moral fabric and the decency of our nation. WE as Christians are called to not just spread the Gospel but to be the gospel. Proverbs 31:8-9 challenges you and I to “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

The term “Justice” is the protection of the weaker members of society from oppression by those more powerful.” Cornel West, who is a political activist, philosopher and the son of a Baptist minister said, “Justice Is What Love Looks Like in Public.” The Good Samaritan takes us to the place that reminds us that we have the responsibility to act on social justice and not turn a blind-eye on injustice. People in crisis surround us more than ever today than yesterday who might not matter to you, but they do matter to God. We have the notion that pursuing justice is only for politicians. Amos 5:24 makes it clear when he says, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” It’s one thing to pull someone out of the lake/river/ocean (charity). And, it’s another thing to figure out why the person was there in the first place (social justice).

The difference between charity and social justice is that charity assists those who are in need. Social Justice tries to assess why they are in need and tries to lessen the causes of need. What will you do, when you are called to be the Good Samaritan as you walk along this life’s road?

Serving the Lord With Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

There’s no other Savior

That we can compare

Who pours out His Love to those in despair.

There’s no other Love

In its highest form

That gives it so Freely to those who call Him.

There’s no other Savior

When storms come your way

Who will be with you till you meet Him one day.

My Kind of Savior

Is waiting to come in

Just open your heart and let Him in.

 

Written by Terri McFarlane

 

 

The book of Proverbs is known to be 1 of 5 Wisdom books in the bible. It provides us with practical daily living and gives us advice for living in this challenging world today.

In 1 Kings, we find Solomon asking God for Wisdom. “In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you. Solomon answered, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people to distinguish between right and wrong.” This kind of wisdom enabled Solomon to see through people’s lies and deceptions.

Everywhere Jesus walked, he was always called “Teacher”. He had more wisdom than the Scribes and Pharisees. In Matthew, 13:54, “people who heard Jesus’ teaching witnessed his insights and was astonished, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?”

In a world full of information and where there is an abundance of knowledge, still there’s seems to be little wisdom in the world today. Jeremiah 10:12 says, “God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.” It suggests that those who are “not” wise are the ones who reject the Wisdom of God. You don’t have to have a PHD to get the wisdom of God!

As leaders in the church, we should never get discouraged because God speaks to us through HIS Word and gives us wisdom by which he created the world, the universe and us. “If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5). God’s wisdom does come with a price. He will allow tests in our lives in order for us to see whether or not we are truly wise.

Why is getting wisdom from God so important in the life a believer? For one thing, its because he is the author of Wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Second, Proverbs 3:13 promises “Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man that gets understanding.”

Lastly, one of the first characteristics of a person who has wisdom is identified in Proverbs 9:10. A man/woman who fears the Lord is to be PRAISED. Wisdom is not something we are born with…. its something that God desires for us to ask for. This supernatural gift from God is waiting for you…all you have to do is ASK for it!

Serving the Lord with Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

 

Whatever life throws at you, as Christians, we are not to act or react like the world reacts in whatever situation we are in. This means that we are to live our lives like Jesus did. Jesus said, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.”

One of the first songs my sons loved to sing was Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the Wall came tumbling down. When Joseph brothers were cruel to him by throwing him into a pit and sold him as slave, he could have built a wall of bitterness towards his brothers. Instead, of building a wall that would keep his brothers out, he built a wall around his heart that kept them in. “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Heb. 12:15).” His wall was built with compassion, grace, hope, love and forgiveness. God is mighty and mighty in battle. He has the power to tear down the walls you and I build around our hearts.

 God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword and can tear down and penetrate any type of brick. In Ephesians 4:32, God said, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Whatever your reasons are for finding yourselves going into hiding behind your wall, ask God to give you the strength to tear down each brick of disappointments of guilt, shame, fear, unforgiveness and hopelessness. If your wall is filled with bricks of guilt and shame Jesus said, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22).”

Bricks of fear can be can be replaced with “Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident (Psalm 27:3).” I want to encourage you to replace your bricks of unforgiveness with Colossians 3:13, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” God is the “Master Wall Breaker” of what we have constructed in our minds to keep people out and He builds new walls to bring those same people back through our Faith in Him.

 As we begin another New Year, let us pray for those individuals you might know that have constructed a wall that is keeping them from coming to Jesus for salvation.

 What “Walls” needs to bring down in your life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are certain events in history that this world can never forget. The tragedies of wars, acts of terrorism, racism, the abuse of human trafficking remains in our memories because how it raises emotions in our hearts. Do you remember the first time you met your wife, your husband, your first boss who gave you a chance or even your first teacher? First encounters are essential in developing lifelong relationships. One of the most important person I have ever met, was the day I met Jesus. Sometimes, life will cause you to forget your first encounters. If we are honest with ourselves, there are times when we forget about what God said in His Word. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).” Jesus never forgets. He will bring to your memory the things we often forget.

Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that God will never forget about us. But in reality, it is us that forget about Him. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” When others have harmed you, and whenever you feel that life is tearing you down, I want you to know that God has sent His Son Jesus to set you free. Romans 8:1 say, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (NLT).” Jesus took the condemnations that we might be experiencing when He took up the cross for us. Remembering these words, allows us to close the doors of our past. It’s only through the power of His Spirit that gives us the willpower and the strength to not repeat our old habits and sinful ways.

When someone has sinned against you, let us not forget that Jesus forgave us when we were yet sinners. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph. 2:8).” God doesn’t forget about you when you are going through difficult times. He’s got you covered like an insurance policy! I want to encourage someone today, that whatever you’re facing, God will show up in your life when you think He has forgotten about you.

When you feel alone…remember Jesus said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” When you need guidance… “Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, lean not to your own understanding, in all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path (Prov. 3:5-6).” When your boss doesn’t acknowledge the work that you do, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58)”.  And when you need a friend, Jesus is the best friend you can ever have. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you (John 15:13-14).”

Let us not forget what Jesus did on Calvary. HE died on the cross for the remission of our sins. At The Lord’s Supper, Luke 22:19 reminds us what Jesus did and most importantly, what He said, “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”

What is it that God wants you to remember?

Serving The Lord With Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

As a child, I remember my parents saying to my siblings and I whenever we felt that we didn’t need to heed to their advice or instructions these subliminal words, “WHAT DID I SAY?”  If you listened to your parents or to those who were in authority, you were fine.

On the other hand, if you didn’t listen, you found out afterwards that you should have listened to their Advice, followed their Guidance, trusted in their Wisdom,“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of he holy is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).  Also you feared their consequences. “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” (Proverbs 20:11)

All through Bible, we find God saying these same similar words And Jesus said or And He said unto them  and/or But the Lord said to Him.  In Matthew 19:14, there were some little children brought to Jesus, that he should lay hands on them and pray. And scripture says that the disciples rebuked them. BUT JESUS SAID “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

This scripture implies that children need a Savior too! We are all born sinners, saved by grace. As parents, we must do all that we can do to train them up in the fear and in the admonition of the Lord. It is not our responsibility to save them, but it is our responsibility to expose them the Word of God! In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul told Timothy the importance of exposing children to the Word of God, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus became very angry with the disciples and gave them a harsh warning if they stopped children from coming to Him again.  As leaders , we too have the command to never put off our children regardless of their age. Take the time to ask them some pointed basic questions. For example, “What does it mean to be saved? What is sin? What is grace? Who is Jesus?

There are times in our lives when we lack confidence in ourselves. But God reminds us in his Word, “For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.” (Psalm 71:5)

In the Old Testament, Exodus 3:11, remember when Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? You don’t know what you are doing in Calling someone like me.” The problem with Moses is that his eyes were on himself, so he began to question his own confidence in doing what God has Called him to do.

But God Answers Moses in Exodus 3:12, “AND HE SAID” Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”

Excuses are usually derived out of fear. Many of us today, are using the same excuses that Moses used. If God is Calling you to do a certain task, what are you telling yourself? I want to encourage you with what God said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” God will demonstrate His power through you, all we have to do is be obedient and trust God.

Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them? They are going to question me.” And in Exodus 3:14, “AND GOD SAID TO MOSES, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.”(Exodus 3:15–22)

We might not have all the answers when we are confronted with questions we don’t have answers to. But one thing we do have is All of Jesus! Jesus promises to be with us, even to the ends of this world.

In another passage of Exodus 4:1 Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you. “Lord, why should anybody listen to me? I’m a nobody.”

At this time, Moses is about eighty years old and he still has some pride in himself. Moses cared more about how he looked and how he spoke. He wants the people to respect him.  Sometimes we reflect more about our image than spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unlike John the Baptist, scripture says, “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locust and wild honey.” (Mark 1:6)

All through the 66 books of the Bible, we read what “GOD SAID”. Scripture tells us in John 10:27-30, “My sheep hear my voice, and I them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

If we are honest with ourselves, even if we have been Born-Again Christians for years, we don’t always follow His Word perfectly. But Jesus provides His constant presence to us to assist us to do what we are incapable of doing on our own. He is our perfect Shepherd even if we are not the perfect sheep.

Reflect on His Word and His promises and allow God to use you.  Remember what He said in  2 Corinthians 12:9, “AND HE SAID UNTO ME, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Serving The Lord With Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

 

 

 

 

 

In Judges, chapter 6: 11-18, we find a man named Gideon.  God called him to be a mighty warrior. Yet, he was full of contradistinction. In chapter 6, we see him  leading a handful of warriors and in charge of a great army.  On the other hand, we see Gideon experiencing fears, doubts and making all kinds of excuses.

God called Gideon to be a Judge during a time when Israel felt hopeless. The nation was in trouble and going through trouble times and they literally thought that their lives would be destroyed.  And when Israel cried out to God,  they didn’t really believe that God would get them out of the situation they were in.

Even though it was over 200 years, since God saved and led Israel into the Promise Land.  Two thousand years later, Christians remember the departing of the Red Sea. God is still doing miracles today! God sent an angel to encourage Gideon and told him that “God would be with thee.”

Even today, we are also living in difficult times. We are living in days where we don’t know whether or not we’ll have health care that we all can afford.  There is an economic insecurity that has many people fearing that they will be forced into poverty. Our society has turned a deaf ear and become  increasingly resentful to the things of the Lord.

When God looks at us, he doesn’t see what we or others see.  He see’s way beyond what we see in ourselves.  Gideon didn’t see himself as a warrior, but God did. In 1 Samuel 16:12, we find David a small boy and in the eyes of Jesse, all he saw was a lad not worthy of being anything but a shepherd boy.  But God saw a king.  When God saw Moses, he didn’t see a man who stuttered. He saw a deliver. When God see that your spirit has been broken, God already see’s mended.

Sometimes we allow our inabilities keep us from serving where God wants us to serve. When God calls you to do a task, He will do what He needs to do in you, in order to mold you into what He wants you to be or for the assignment he has for you.

What excuses are you giving to the Lord? God is calling you to do His Will and purposes in you. All we have to do is found in Romans 12:1-2, (NLT) “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We can’t do nothing in ourselves, but we must believe that Jesus can do anything through us.  Philippians 4:13 reminds us, “We can do all things through Christ, which strengthens us.” Once you come to that place where you believe and trust that God is able, even if we are not, God will use you for His service!

Serving the Lord With Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

 

 

In 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) say, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” Every household decides what they will spend monthly and what they’re not going to spend. Either way, both requires a decision.

Devine giving begins at the heart but when it starts in our mind first, its an open door for conflict.  Colossians 3:15 say, “Let the peace of Christ be in control of your heart;” Paul is reminding us to let Christ’s peace be the controller of your hearts. When we give with our minds, conflict is right their to help you to decide what to give or whether or not to give.

Jesus reminds us that God is more concern about our attitude toward giving than the 10% (ten percent) He only requires of us to give. God loves it when his people go above and beyond to provide for the needs of His church. God wants all his believers in Christ, who confess to love “Him” with all your heart, and all your soul, and your entire mind, to also trust Him with all that you have.

Just like our households, every month churches get bills. Every week we see the needs of our churches and in our own families. But God wants your heart, more than your money. Proverbs 23:26 says, “My Son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” When it comes to our bank accounts, purses or our wallets, this is the one place that some of us don’t allow God to rule over nor do we submit them to the one we confessed to have made Lordship over our lives. God reminds us in Psalm 24:1, that “The earth is Lord and the fullness thereof.” He owns everything, even your bank account.

Tithing through the heart of Jesus, will break your self-centered naturedness.  Giving through the heart of Jesus becomes less painful once you realize that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. (James 1:17) If you want to be a reflection of God’s giving, ask God to enlarge your heart. Because the bigger your heart becomes, the larger your hands will become. Eventually, you’ll find yourself giving sacrificially.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:21) Tithing through the heart of Jesus will begin to increase your intimacy with the Lord. In Acts 20:35 say, “It is better to give than to receive.” Malachi 3:10 challenge all of us to, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Tithing through Jesus’ heart and through reading God’s Word, encourages us to give out of gratefulness and gratitude of what the Lord has already given you. Every time God gives you grace to give, I pray that through faith and trust in Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, will inspire you to freely and willingly “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)

Serving the Lord With Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

Regeneration is a term used by baptized Born-Again believers. True conversion, is living a life of turning to God when confronted with sin. True conversion is an inward change that takes place in our hearts, in our attitudes and a change from serving the world to now giving our lives to the service of the Lord. Scripture shows us a number of conversion experiences in the Bible.

For example, in Acts chapter 9, we read about Saul’s conversion on the way to Damascus Road to execute Christians. But God had other plans for Saul that day. Little did he know that he was going to be confronted with Jesus Christ himself. After that supernatural encounter, Saul’s life was never the same and God even changed his name to Paul. Our lives should no longer be the same after our conversion experience with Jesus. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

God will break into your lives in ways we don’t understand. When Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus, scripture said, “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?” (Acts 9:4) Saul began to tremble and scripture said he feared God. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

In Acts 8:5-12; we find another conversion experience of the people in the city of Samaria. In this text, we find Peter and John being sent to preach in Samaria to find out whether or not they were becoming true believers. It was there, that both Peter and John witnessed the Holy Spirit moving throughout the city of Samaria.

Also, there was a woman named Lydia (a prominent business woman) found in the book of Acts 16:13-15, who also had a conversion experience in Philippi. It is here where Paul whose name is now changed from Saul, made his first evangelistic journey to a group of women in Macedonia. Scripture says that Lydia was one of the first to believe and the power of the Holy Spirit converted her whole household. They repented of their sins and gave their lives to Christ and they were all baptized.

True conversion begins with repentance. True conversion in a person is when the Holy Spirit is dwelling in them. Jesus says, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:9)

Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament and whose life was a witness of what “True Conversion” looks like. Can you truly say, like Paul?  “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Serving The Lord With Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane

There are parts of the earth where they experience the four seasons such as Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. And just like the weather, that changes every 3-4 months, there will be seasons of lives that will change as well.

Solomon’s message in Ecclesiastes 3, sends a powerful charge to all those who have confessed Jesus, the Christ as their Lord and Savior. In this poem, we are reminded that this is God’s world and our responses to the things of this world, whether good or bad, we can always find God’s Will and Purpose for our lives.

We serve a Sovereign God who made time and motion, cause and effect and is a God of perfect order and consequences. In Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” There are no surprises in the eyes of God. Our greatest witness to those who don’t know Christ is to trust Him in everything and in every situation. God has a perfect plan and purpose for every cycle of life and has created His perfect balances with the things of this world that will never fully conciliate us.

Everyone who enters into this world will eventually go through this season, “A time to be born and A time to die (Eccl. 3:2).” Without Jesus who gives us the peace that passes all understandings, we would never discover God’s plan or accept and recognize His perfect timing when unforeseen tragedies and triumph we face in our lives. We cannot fully explain to others why God allow things to happen us. But we can ask God to help us to embrace Ecclesiastes 3 ingredients according to His Will and His purpose in your everyday lives. Pray that through His life lessons, we will seek to act responsibly, especially when we face of life’s uncertainties and the storms of life. He will turn your mourning into laughter but not until you and I realize and accept that God is above time and is the owner of time.

Our hearts knows what seasons we are in. But our minds can’t comprehend the seasons you’re in until it connects with the heart. This is where you’ll experience and become aware of God’s presence, purpose and plan for your life. The heart is where your faith and trust in God’s only begotten Son Jesus will grow your relationship with Him. Timing is important to God and some of the experiences that are written in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 will have a time and place in each of our lives.

What season are you going through? I want to encourage you today, whatever your season is, know that Christ presence is in every Born-Again believer’s heart. He promises to walk beside us in every shifting patterns of our lives. Trust God through the seasons of your life. Be a witness to those around you while you’re going through life seasonings according to Ecclesiastes 3. Whatever season you’re in, enjoy where God has placed you and believe that He is still God and He will deliver you in His perfect timing.

Serving the Lord with Gladness,

Deacon Terri McFarlane