Who Are the Pharisees of Today?

 Mark 2:27-28

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

In Jesus' day, the Pharisees had some problems.  They could quote the Scriptures, but they didn't understand what any of it meant.  They thought they could earn their way into heaven with their works, by obeying the Law.  There is one big problem with this approach to eternal salvation: Nobody can perfectly obey God's Law.  The only person who could, and did, was Jesus because he is both true God and true man.  God's standard and expectation is pretty straight forward: Be perfect.  That is why the Pharisees hated Jesus so much.  He constantly exposed their hypocrisy publicly.  These men wanted to believe that they were perfectly obeying the Law of Moses.  They wanted everyone else to believe that as well.  When Jesus came teaching what the Old Testament Scriptures actually said and meant his teaching automatically exposed the arrogance and hypocrisy of the Pharisees.

That is where the passage from Mark comes in.  The Pharisees had added a bunch of extra rules to observing the Sabbath.  Rules that were not part of God's command to Moses and the Israelites.  The rules and traditions of men had become more important to the Pharisees than what Scripture actually said.  This is the big problem with work-righteousness: it always defaults into self-righteousness because the person who falls into this trap is looking to themself for salvation which means they have turned away from Jesus.  This was exactly the problem the Pharisees had.  They had their own perfection and salvation already worked out (in their minds), so they were only looking for a Messiah who would be an earthly king and end the Roman tyranny.  Sadly, by missing the point they missed everything.  Jesus, the Messiah, is so much more than just some earthly king ruling an earthly kingdom.  He is the King of kings, Lord of lords.  His Kingdom is eternal and all who dwell in it receive the gift of eternal life.

With that in mind, where do we see the Pharisees still practicing today?  

The Roman Catholic church for sure.  There the pope's decrees supersede anything the Bible says.  The pope is the god of Roman Catholicism.

We also see it in the Protestant church.  Any church that teaches Arminian and Calvinist theology (Pentecostal, Reformed, Baptist, etc.) are doing the exact same thing as the Roman Catholic church.  They give more authority to man's word than God's Word.  They reject the clear teaching of Scripture regarding important Christian doctrines and instead give more value to the false teachings of men like John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius.

What this teaches us is that Satan works hard on the church.  He does everything in his power to corrupt God's Word and lead people astray.  Every church body has to fight this battle.  Some just do a much better job of standing on the authority of God's Word over man's word.  Any teaching that contradicts what Scripture clearly says is man's own ideas, or more accurately, man's ideas influenced by Satan's lies.  Satan still uses the same approach with God's people that worked so well for him in the Garden of Eden.

The only way to combat this is to study God's Word everyday.  Read your Bible so you can recognize when someone is teaching falsely.  Read your Bible so you can grow in faith and understanding.  God has given us the precious gift of his Holy Word, read it.  Take God at his word and don't fall into the trap of trying to tell God what he meant to say, or should have said.  Listen to what he has to say and let him tell you what he means by it.  God is much wiser than any human being, regardless of last name or title.

God loves us so much that he has given us his Word.  Listen to him!

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Thinking & Preparing: How Often Do You Do It?

 Acts 8:1

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Why do you think it took these drastic events to get the early to church to start living out its Great Commission calling?  Jesus had told all the disciples, not just the apostles, to "go into all the world and preach the good news."  But they hadn't yet. It took the murder of Stephen and the persecution of the church in Jerusalem to motivate the disciples to leave Jerusalem and get out into the world.

Sometimes our situation needs to change drastically to motivate us to do the things we know we are supposed to do.  These events come in all different forms: a significant health scare, the loss of a job, the death of a family member, etc.  Why do so many of us wait for these big events to finally do what we know we should have been doing all along?  

Why do we wait for our health to fail before we get serious about our physical fitness?

Why do we wait to lose our job before we start pursuing our passion and calling in life?

Why do we wait for the death of a loved one before we get serious about our relationships?

Much like the early church in Jerusalem, the answer for us too, is Comfort and Familiarity.  We get into the groove of life and we just do what we do, day in and day out.  We don't need to stop and think all that often because we are dialed in.  We know how to do what we do and we have put life on cruise control.  So, just like that church in Jerusalem we need big events to wake us up.  We need a strong enough slap in the face to wake us up from our years-long slumber.

What have been some of your big life events?  What are some lessons you learned from them?  How have they helped to get you where you are today?

While there are some big lessons to learn from major life events, we don't have to wait for them before we take stock of our lives.  It is actually better to do something every day to prepare yourself for those events.  Even if they don't come, you'll be better off just for going through the exercise of thinking and preparing.  That is really the point of all of this: Thinking and Preparing.

I encourage you to take time every day to think through your life.  Think through your day and learn something from your experience.  Evaluate your life often.  Are you living your purpose, or are you just chasing a paycheck and health insurance?  This is ultimately how you prepare yourself for the storms of life.  Start preparing financially for financial chaos.  Start intentionally investing in your most important relationships.  Start exercising and eating better.  Today is the day to start doing all those things you keep telling yourself, "I really need to..."

The best way to start doing this is by developing the habit of reading.  Reading every day will help you to start thinking every day.  Reading is the easiest and, maybe, the most important place to start.  So get started.  Don't wait for the next storm to expose how much time you have wasted.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

How Do You Measure Up?

 Psalm 119:1,5-6

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,

who walk according to the law of the LORD.

Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!

Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

Unfortunately, too many of us believe that our ways are blameless, but in reality, we all know that's just not true.  We try our best.  We do what we can.  But no matter how hard we try we constantly fall short.  There isn't  a single person among us whose ways are blameless.  This is true even for Christians.  

This struggle is even greater for Christians.  As Christians, we want to obey God's laws.  We study his Word and try to walk in accord with his commands, but daily we fall short.  Christians see this gap because they understand God demands perfection and none of us obey him perfectly.  While the unbeliever goes about his day not even thinking about this.  He actually believes he is just fine because "he's certainly better than most."

Sadly, people who want to believe this will know the truth one day, no matter how much they try to deny it now.  On the Day of Judgment, everyone will know the truth of God's Word.  Everyone will know that Jesus is the Truth, the Way, and the Life.  On that day it will be too late for people to change their mind.

Thankfully, God has graciously given everyone the gift of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ (though many reject it).  Faith in Jesus is the motivation for the Psalm above.  It is faith in Jesus that makes us rejoice in God's decrees.  It is faith in Jesus that brings joy to our hearts, giving us the assurance that our sins are forgiven and we are saved by his blood.  It is faith in Jesus that motivates us to want to walk according to the law of the Lord.

This Christmas season I am thankful for two gifts that I received a long time ago: Jesus Christ, the One who died and rose again to redeem all people from the power of sin, death, and the devil; and the faith to believe it.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

God Tests His Children

 Genesis 22:1

Some time later God tested Abraham.

Why does God test us?  Why doesn't he just talk to us like he did with Abraham?

These are good and valid questions.  Questions that all of us have asked at different times in our lives.  The answers to these questions aren't always easy, or easy to hear, but we do have the answers to these questions.

Why does God test us?

There are several reasons that God tests us:

1. It's a way to help us refocus our attention on him.
2. It's a way that he hones us to develop and grow in character, patience, wisdom, etc.
3. It's a way that he snaps us out of arrogance or apathy.
4. It's part of what he uses to help guide us on our life's journey- opening and closing opportunities.
5. It's a way that God shows us to ourselves.  A test can help us recognize what we really want and what is most important to us.

These are some of the reasons.  If you think of one that I don't have listed share it in the comments section below.

Most of God's test in life are to remind us how much we need him.  They are designed to bring us back to him and refocus on him and his Word.  Throughout my life I can look back and see that the main reason I have been tested is to snap me out of arrogance or apathy.  When life is going well, I find that I tend to bounce back and forth between these two ditches.  It's funny, because usually for me tests are an answer to prayer.  I don't pray to be tested, but I do pray for more wisdom, or courage, or boldness.  Tests are the ways that God usually answers these prayers.  

God's tests are the ways that opportunities are created to grow and develop these traits.  Tests are also the way that your marriage gets better and stronger.  Tests open doors to increase your income.  Whatever you are praying for, and about, tests are often the way those prayers get answered.  But not always.  God can answer your prayers however he chooses.  Just don't be surprised or upset when your prayers are answered with a test.  Often, the reason for the test is so that you will pray more and continue to turn to God for help to get through this test.

God may not speak directly to us like he did with Abraham, but he does still speak to us.  He has given us his Word, the Bible, so he can speak to us every day.  Prayer is how we speak to God.  The Bible is how he speaks to us.  As you look for how to navigate your test in life make sure you spend time in God's Word every day.  God's Word is what gives us the guidance we need.  God's Word is where we find answers to many of our questions.  God's Word is the way to properly understand and navigate the tests of life.

God tests you because he loves you.  He wants you to turn to him and rely on him for everything, every day.  When you are faced with tests in your life, don't get frustrated get humble.

Psalm 46:1-3, 7, 10-11

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

What Leadership Looks Like

 Acts 6:3-5a

Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.  We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

This proposal pleased the whole group.

This conversation and decision was the result of the Greek Jews in Jerusalem complaining to the Apostles that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.  The Apostles realized that they didn't have the time to manage and focus energy on overseeing this ministry, so they wisely gathered all the disciples together and told them to appoint men to oversee this ministry.  The Apostles recognized they couldn't do everything themselves and they needed to stay focused on what was most important.  They needed to be doing the things that only they could do.

This is leadership.  You can't do everything yourself.  If you try to, eventually people are going to be unhappy because of everything that is getting missed, or done poorly.  You just don't have enough hours in a day to do everything yourself.  Even if you did, why would you want to?  How does your organization grow, and how do your people grow if you are doing everything yourself, all the time?

Also, look at what the Apostles did.  They didn't just turn this responsibility over to whomever was available to do it.  They put men in charge of it who were known to be capable and qualified to oversee it.  Actually, the Apostles didn't do the appointing.  They told the assembly to choose the men.  So the people who were complaining about the problem got to be the ones to decide who would be in charge of fixing it.  

That's another key point of leadership.  Let the people who are complaining about problems be the ones to come with the solutions to the problem.  You don't help people grow by solving all of their problems for them.  The Apostles simply listened to the complaint and them gave some guidance on how to solve the problem.  

I want you to take notice of one more thing from the passage above:  What was the qualifications that all seven men had?

They were full of the Spirit and wisdom.  All seven men were know to be full of the Holy Spirit.  Spiritual maturity was the #1 qualifier with wisdom #2.  It almost goes without saying that men who are full of the Spirit also have wisdom.  After all, true wisdom is a fruit of the Spirit.  This is important to note because the qualifications for these men had nothing to do with their technical skills.  Food Distribution experience was not a qualification that was even considered.  That wasn't really important.

What do you look at when you're looking to hire someone or add them to your team?  Are you too focused on technical skills?  If you tend to go through a lot of people in a relatively short period of time, you are way too focused on technical skills.  You need to learn from the Apostles of the early church.  The important "skills" are intangibles: wisdom, leadership, people skills, problem solving ability, conflict resolution skills, etc.  People with these skills can learn and acquire the needed technical skills.  People with high technical skills can learn these intangibles, but they likely won't if you don't have a leadership development program in place.  Most people will not seek out leadership development on their own.

The Apostles took this leadership approach because they wisely understood their mission.  Their top priorities were prayer and taking care of themselves spiritually, and preaching the Word.  Their main job was to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to the world.  They recognized their ministry wasn't about them, it was all about Jesus.

I encourage you to do the same.  Stay focused on your mission.  Don't get caught in the trap of always having to be "the guy".  Empower your people to do what they need to do so you can stay focused on doing the things only you can do.  Learn this lesson well.  It is what leadership truly is.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Think Creatively

 In the book, The Magic of Thinking Big, Dr. David Schwartz lays out six ways for you to improve your ability to think creatively:

1. Believe it can be done.
2. Don't let tradition paralyze your mind.
3. Ask yourself, "How can I do better?"
4. Ask yourself, "How can I do more?"
5. Ask questions, and really listen to people.
6. Stretch your mind.  Listen to people who think different than you.

In this article, I will say something about each of these.  To go deeper into any one, I encourage you to read the book and really think through each one on their own.

Believe it can be done.

Belief is where it all starts.  If you don't believe something can be done you won't put any effort into figuring out how it can be done.  If you don't believe there could be a better way to do something, you won't look for better ways to do it.  This probably seems obvious and like common sense, but most people don't think this way.  Unfortunately, most people that you work with and meet every day have a fixed-mindset.  They don't believe what I just wrote.  They believe "It is what it is."  They don't believe they can ever get better, that there might be a better way to do things, or that their life will ever be more than it is right now.

Do you see how both the fixed-mindset and the open-mindset begin with belief?  The only people who attempt to do anything are the people who believe that something can be done.  They are the ones who truly believe their ideas can be turned into reality.  If you want to accomplish anything in life, first you must believe that it can be done, and you are the one to do it.

Don't let tradition paralyze your mind.

This is a big roadblock for a lot of people and organizations.  The bigger the institution the more likely you are to hear, "This is the way we've always done it," or "This is just the way we do it here."

Phrases like this kill creativity.  This attitude is a deadly symptom of a fixed-mindset.  The real danger of allowing a fixed-mindset to settle into your organization is that it quickly goes from a Leadership culture to a Management culture.  The fixed-mindset of Command-and-Control Management is the death knell of creativity and productivity.  When this sets in it sucks to be a part of your organization.  Work becomes exhausting and drudgery.   

The way you avoid this disease is by making available a Leadership Development program to everyone in the organization.  The highest amount of creative genius in your organization exists at the lowest levels of the org chart- the people who actually do the work that makes your organization what it is.  These are the people who actually drive your business system.  If you don't believe that, give them all the next two weeks off, paid, so they come back when you realize the reality of your situation.  Leadership matters.  Developing leadership at every level of your organization matters even more.

I will never understand why every organization doesn't hire everyone at their entry level with the idea of moving them up through the ranks as they desire and are capable.  This is how you build an organization from the ground up, but it takes a strong commitment to leadership development.  If you're okay with mediocrity, just keep doing it the way you've always done it.  Don't worry about creativity and competing in the market place, you won't be in it for much longer.

Ask yourself, "How can I do better?"

This is an important question.  It puts all the focus on you and what you need to do to get better.  I would encourage you to ask yourself this question every day and give it serious thought.  

How can you do better?  What are some areas that you can improve in?  What are some areas that you need to improve in?

The importance of this question is that it keeps you from blaming others.  It helps you avoid the temptation to place "should's" on others:  They should do this, or they should do that.  Why didn't they...?

By asking yourself this question, you take responsibility to be the one the to grow and improve.  In the long run this attitude and exercise will be a huge blessing to you, and not just professionally but in every aspect your life.  Anytime you want something in your life to get better, ask yourself this question and work on getting better.

Ask yourself, "How can I do more?"

I'm sure you can see how this ties directly into the previous question.  The success principle from The Magic of Thinking Big is: "Do what you do better.  Do more of what you do."  Once you start doing what you do better, doing more of it is what compounds your efforts.  This should happen naturally once you get better at what you do.  Being better at what you do doesn't just mean being more competent, it also means being more efficient.  It is this combination, competence and efficiency, that empowers you to do more.  This is what truly makes you stand out among your peers.  It's both.  It's doing what you do better, and doing more of what you do.

These first four principles tie together and address your thinking.  They are really attitudes, how you approach your life and your work.  The last two hit more on the how, what are some ways you can actually start implementing these ideas?

Ask questions and really listen to people.

This is tough for a lot of people.  First, to ask someone a question you either have to be interested in them as a person, or you have to acknowledge that they know something that you don't.  If you have a tough time asking people questions, you need to get over yourself.  This is a sign of low self-esteem.  Get over yourself.  

Even if you already know the answer or how to do something, give someone the opportunity to show you what they know.  This is a key part of being a leader.  You need to empower people to solve problems and contribute their ideas.  If you want to improve your creative thinking and empower others to think more creatively, asking others questions is essential.  Make this a daily habit.  When you have a project that you are working on ask someone how they would approach it.  Even if you already know how you're going to do it this may give you some ideas down the road if you get stuck on something.

Humility is required to do this.  Humility helps you recognize that other people have value and they have something to contribute.  If they don't, why are they working for you?

Stretch your mind.  Listen to people who think different you.

This is the ultimate test of an open-mindset.  Can you listen to, and take ideas from someone who thinks different than you?  This isn't necessarily referring to someone who believes different than you, but it can mean listening to someone who sees things differently than you when it comes to your organization.  Maybe it's someone who has a different idea about the direction the organization should be going.  This could mean someone who believes different than you politically or religiously, but it doesn't have to.  Just think of someone who thinks different than you, whatever that means for your situation, and have a conversation with them.  Not a debate.  Not an argument.  Have an actual conversation with the.  Ask them questions and then listen to their thoughts and ideas.  Your beliefs and thoughts don't have to conform to theirs, but you need to respect them enough to at least listen to them so you better understand them, and why they think the way they do.

This is not liberalist tolerance and inclusion training.  This is leadership.  If you want to lead people you have to care about people, even the ones you don't naturally connect with or see eye-to-eye with.  This is how you care about people, respect them, and give yourself the best opportunity to influence them in areas where their thinking is flat out wrong.  

If someone's thinking is hurting them, or holding them back, wouldn't you like to be able to help them overcome that blind spot.  This is a big step in that direction.  It allows you to be a blessing in their life, and helps you recognize that they are a blessing in your life.

I hope this is helpful for your leadership journey.  I encourage you to get the book and study the entire thing.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Who Do You Turn To?

 Psalm 91:1-2

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

In whom do you trust?  Is it in the Lord Almighty, or is it in yourself?  Is it in money and financial security?  How about the company you work for or the government?

In whom do you trust?  Where do you turn for shelter?

If you are trusting primarily in yourself or earthly institutions for your rest and shelter, you are in trouble.  Both are too weak and too temporary to offer either.  How can you trust yourself when you daily have to battle your emotions to make logical decisions?  How can you find shelter and security in the government or your employer when both use you as a means to an end?  Your employer may not be as cold and callous as that, but if times get tough who is going to be let get go, you or the owner of the company?

I am not asking this to create distrust or animosity between you and your employer.  I pray that you work for a company whose leadership has impeccable character.  I truly do.  Don't miss the point, though.

Governments rise and fall.  Companies come and go.  Your abilities, understanding, strength, and beauty will all fade over time.  Do not fall into the trap of putting your trust in temporary things.  All of these things have their time and place, but none of them offers eternal rewards.  At the end of your life you will find that all of these things are temporary and fleeting, here today-gone tomorrow.

Take the advice of the writer of this Psalm.  Put your trust in the Most High God.  Turn to him for your shelter and security.  Only he can be a true "refuge and fortress."  As I have gone through challenges and struggles in my life (some of them recently), this truth and promise of God is reinforced every day.  When I look to the Lord as my refuge and fortress I find peace and guidance.  When I look to myself, a job, or my savings account; I only experience stress and anxiety.  When I look to myself and worldly things for security and peace of mind I never find rest.  I constantly worry about having enough and what might happen in the near future, as well as the long-term.

Only in the Lord God is there peace and sanctuary.  Only in the fortress of God is there true security and protection from the evils of the world and Satan.  Only the Lord's walls are impenetrable.  Only in the "shelter of the Most High" is there eternal salvation.   Turn from the false promises of this world and put your trust in the Most High.  He is the One who loves you and provides for your every need.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Quote of the Week: Woke, Inc.

      "Once corporations discovered wokeness, the inevitable happened: they used it to make money.

    Consider Fearless Girl, a statue of a young girl that suddenly appeared one day in New York City to stare down the iconic statue of the Wall Street bull.  It was apparently a challenge for Wall Street to promote gender diversity: the placard at Fearless Girl's feet said, 'Know the power of women in leadership.  SHE makes a difference.'  Feminists cheered.  The trick?  'SHE' referred not only to Fearless Girl but to the Nasdaq-listed exchange -traded fund (ETF) that her commissioners, State Street Global Advisors, wanted people to buy.  State Street was battling a lawsuit from female employees saying it paid them less than their male peers in the firm.  Instead of paying women equally, State Street made a statue for them.  Fearless Girl was a line item in an advertising budget."

(Woke, Inc., Ramaswamy, p. 5)

Buy this book today to understand how you are being attacked everyday by the Woke lie!! 
(#ad)

America: The Land of Fools

 Proverbs 20:3

It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

In our society, there are two platforms where this Proverb is played out every day: Politics and social media.  Both of these are built on slander and strife.  Politicians need it to remain in the public eye and feed their narcissistic shallowness.  Social media whores need it to give themselves a false feeling of significance and importance.  Look at what Solomon calls both groups of people.  They are FOOLS!

This does not mean every politician and everyone on social media are fools, but look at the qualifier- people who are quick to quarrel are fools.  They should be avoided.  Do you get sucked into arguments on social media as if you are actually convincing someone the rightness of your opinion?  I don't know if you've noticed yet, but social media is not solving problems...it is creating problems and making existing problems worse, that's what it's designed for.

By this definition, how many American politicians are honorable and how many are fools?  If it's honorable to avoid strife and quarrels then we would have to say most- the vast majority- of American politicians are fools.  In today's political environment one has to play the fool just to get elected.  The politicians are just a reflection of the people who vote for them.  That's a big reason why American politics has nothing to do with governing and solving problems.  The American people insist on their politics being nothing more than an absurd "reality" T.V. series.  Only a dumbed-down, uneducated, ignorant society would continue to elect buffoons to public office election after election.  The sad state of American politics is actually a sad commentary on the state of American society.  There is no honor among our politicians because there is no honor among our citizens.  Cry about it all you want on social media, but nothing changes until the citizens change.  An immoral citizenry will always elect immoral governors so they will legalize more immorality.  And then these same selfish and ignorant citizens will cry and whine when the immoral governors they elect turn around and take everything from them (the ignorant citizens) because they (the governors) are immoral.  There is no honor among thieves.  Immoral, selfish people will always abuse their power and authority to get everything they can for themselves.  This is why the Woke folks and Socialists are so stupid- they never get this, no matter how many times they are kicked in the crotch by it.

None of this is new.  And it certainly isn't news.  It is only new to ignorant fools who don't read and who don't study and understand history.  This is the nature of fallen, sinful man.  People who reject the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will always act this way.  It's not surprising.  It is to be expected, so there is no reason to get all angry when godless people act this way.  The big key is for you to stop acting the same way.  If you profess to be a Christian, then start acting like it.  You are called to be the salt and light of the world.  Stop acting like the world!  Stop playing the fool on social media by participating in the foolish quarreling.  Stop going through the motions of your life, and start living the life you have been called to live through the gift of faith in Jesus.  Every Christian has been given a Great Commission calling.  Yours is bigger than just living for yourself.  If you really want to make a difference in society, in the world, that is how you do it.  You aren't accomplish anything, and you aren't pleasing God, by being just another fool on social media.

This all starts by answering one simple question: Who are you living for?

If you are neglecting your Great Commission calling, then you are living for yourself.  

If you are living for others, then you are moving in the right direction, but you're not quite there yet.

If you are truly living for Jesus, then you've got it.  Jesus is more important than you.  He is more important than all the others.  Only Jesus is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life".  His plan for your life is the only one that matters.

It is time to stop playing the fool and start living your life with honor.  If you have no clue what that word means, start reading the book of Proverbs every day.  Solomon and the Holy Spirit will help you figure it out.

James 3:17-4:2

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don't get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God.

God bless 

Jason Fredrick

Live the Faith that You Profess with Your Mouth

 Acts 4:18-22

Then they called them (Peter & John) in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.  But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.  For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

After further threats they let them go.  They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.  For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

There's a lot in these few verses, but I want to focus on the bold sections.  They are significant.  They very closely match what is going on in our society, which only promises to increase persecutions for God's people and all who do right.  Not all persecution comes in the form of arrests and torture.  Sometimes it it shows up in more subtle ways like censorship and slander.  At a time when media giants like Google announce that they will increase censorship (especially against anyone who speaks the truth regarding the sham of global warming/climate change) and Facebook actively attacks the mental well-being of your children, many of the persecutions you are about to face over the coming months will not be from law enforcement dragging you off to jail on trumped up charges.

What is your response going to be in these dark times?  Will you just go with the flow so life doesn't get harder than you want it to be?  Or will you stand up and speak the truth louder and with more passion than ever?

Life is all about choices.  The choices you make over the coming months may be some of the most important of your life.  Are you prepared to make good choices no matter what the consequences may be to you personally?

This is the decision Peter and John were faced with in the days following Jesus' ascension into heaven and Pentecost.  Were they going to speak the truth in a society where political leaders didn't want to hear it?  Would they continue to speak the truth in the face of open persecution?

The answer is "Yes".  They spoke the truth about Jesus' death and resurrection at every opportunity, public and private.  In fact, they actually sought out opportunities to preach the truth about Jesus of Nazareth.  They knew they would be arrested and persecuted at times for their faith, but they did it anyways.  Out of love and obedience to Jesus they honored him above all earthly authority and all wicked persecutions devised by the devil to silence the message of Christ's gospel.

We should not be surprised when evil people, the children of Satan, act wickedly and with evil intent.  They truly are children of their father, Satan.  Who is Satan?  He is the "Father of Lies".

In John 8:42-47 Jesus explains the situation as it existed in his day, and still exists for us today.

"If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here.  I have not come on my own; but he sent me.  Why is my language not clear to you?  Because you are unable to hear what I say.  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!  Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?  I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?  He who belongs to God hears what God says.  The reason that you do not hear is because you do not belong to God."

Jesus knows your frustration.  Think of how much more frustrated he was.  He is the Truth yet people didn't believe his words.  He came to save every single person, yet they turned their backs on him and rejected him.  That is what the people of our day are still doing.  They have the plain truth of God's Word, yet they reject it and carry out the plans of their father, Satan.

Evil men will exist in this world until Jesus comes back again for the Final Judgment.  Don't let their wickedness frustrate you or intimidate you.  Like the Apostles, your job is to share the gospel of Jesus at every opportunity, with everyone God puts in front of you.  The more they make your blood boil, the more they need to hear about Jesus.  He died for them too.  It is time for God's people to lead with mercy and compassion.  We are the ones who rightly understand the terminal condition of those who are currently serving Satan and his schemes.  Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.  Love conquers all, not hate.  You will never win souls for Christ by returning hate for hate.

Have compassion on the lost of this world because "they do not know what they are doing."

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Quote of the Week: The Magic of Thinking Big

 And who hasn't heard the statement that "Success isn't worth the price," as if you have to sell your soul, your family life, your conscience, your set of values to reach the top.  But, in truth, success doesn't demand a price.  Every step forward pays a dividend.

(The Magic of Thinking Big, D. Schwartz, p. 3)

The True God is Faithful and Loving

 Exodus 17:2

So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."

Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me?  Why do you put the LORD to the test?"

How long do you think the Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness at this point?  One year?  Five years? 20 years?  

No.  It had not been nearly that long.  Exodus 17 occurs about two-and-a-half months after they leave Egypt.  Just two-and-a-half months.  Amazingly, this isn't even the first time the people grumble against Moses, and ultimately God.  They had actually started this sinful, selfish habit immediately upon their exodus from Egypt.  They began this behavior at the Red Sea, shortly after leaving Egypt, because Pharaoh and his army started to pursue them.  This isn't even the first time they complained like little children about not having water.  The first time is just two chapters earlier, right after they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, at the Waters of Marah.  

Yes, despite the Israelites having witnessed with their own eyes the power and love of God (the Passover, the plundering of the Egyptians, the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to lead them, etc.) they still grumbled and complained to Moses about just about anything and everything.  Truly these people showed themselves to be the children of Israel.

Unfortunately, as the spiritual children of Israel, we often display this same bad behavior.  We want what we want when we want it- Right Now!!  Yes, like the Israelites in Moses' day God has revealed his power and love to us; not in exactly the same ways, but he has none the less.  Actually, he has revealed it to us in a much more powerful way: Jesus.

While the earthly redemption of the Israelites in Exodus is full of symbolism that points to the coming Messiah, Jesus is the fulfillment of all of those promises.  In Jesus all people are offered eternal redemption from sin and death.  

The Israelites were saved on the night of Passover by the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.  We are saved by the blood of the Lamb of God shed on the cross.

The Israelites left a land of slavery for a land "flowing with milk and honey".  Christians will one day leave this land of slavery to sin and death for the Promised Land of heaven.

The Israelites were led by God's chosen prophet, priest, and king (Moses) to the Promised Land (Canaan).  We follow God's Prophet, Priest, and King (Jesus) to the ultimate Promised Land (heaven).

God is faithful.  He fulfills every one of his promises.  It may not always be the way we expect, or want, but he always does what he says.  He loves each of us more than we can imagine.  His ways are higher than our ways.  His understanding is higher that our understanding.  We can trust our loving God to do for us everything he has promised, because he has already fulfilled the most important promise: The promise of a Savior.  

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.- John 3:16

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Another Turn

 On Thursday September 9 my life took another turn (you may recall my article from last year, Turning Points: When Life Gets Real).  This is one I didn't quite see coming like I had with the Covid shutdowns back in January 2020.  This one caught me off guard a little, but I am not devastated by it.  

The "turn" that I have come to is my position at Chaplains in Schools was eliminated.  

Now I am faced with decisions, opportunities, and choices.  This is the challenge with some turns in life: I can't see what's around the corner.  This turn came up much quicker than I could have anticipated.  I look at potential options and try to navigate the next few weeks and months by asking myself some clarifying questions.  What do you do in times like this to figure out your next move?

Here's what I've been doing:

1. Praying.  I have been praying a lot asking God for guidance and patience.  
2. Routine.  I have taken this opportunity to rebuild my morning routine.  The foundation of this routine is daily Bible study and Catechism reading first thing in the morning.
3. Reading.  I have used my open days to read more than I have in quite some time.  I am rebuilding the habit of reading at least one hour every day.
4. Exercise.  Three days-a-week I work out first thing in the morning.  I am physically feeling better than I have in quite some time.  I am working to get my "Energy Pyramid" (p. 210, The Power of Full Engagement) back in order.

The great thing about Turning Points in life is that they don't have to be scary and stressful.  If you are learning and growing daily, turning points just open the door to the next chapter.  They help us to remember that, ultimately, we are in control of nothing in this life.  Turning points should remind you to turn back to the Lord and trust in him.  He is the One who's "Got this".

My hope is to take full advantage of this turning point.  I will keep reading, keep working, keep learning, and keep trusting in God.  I don't know where this one is going to lead, but I want to be prepared for wherever it might be.

Jeremiah 29:11-12

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Name Change

 Greetings faithful readers.

You have already noticed the name change of this blog.

As of Thursday Sept. 9, I am no longer part of the Chaplains in Schools and Christ for Disciplers ministry.

As I work to figure out what's next for me, I would appreciate any suggestions or feed back you may have.  Also, I am open to different ideas for the name of this blog.  Please share your thoughts.

I pray that I am able to continue to add value to your life and help you grow closer to the Lord.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

It's Time to Stop Complaining and Start Leading

 Exodus 1:8-10

Then a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.  He said to his people, "Look, the Israelites are more numerous and more powerful than we are.  Let's come up with a wise plan to prevent them from increasing in number.  Otherwise, if war breaks out, they would join with our enemies and fight against us.  Then they would leave the land."

This is an interesting cycle that repeats throughout history.  Unfortunately, in our fallen world, marred by sin, bad rulers are the norm not the exception.  You don't have to look very far back into our current history to see that this is the case.  You may even be thinking, "Tell me about it.  Tyrants rule most of the world today--including my city and my state."  That may be true.  It may not be.  But the reality is that without God and his Word, rulers will be wicked and oppressive.  The corollary is also true: Rulers who reject God and his Word will always be wicked, oppressive, and self-serving. 

I know you are already thinking of specific people who fit this description.  That's okay.  That's not sinful.  Recognizing sin our world is not a sin, but how you respond to it once you recognize it is the key.  If your response is to belittle and verbally attack your governors at every opportunity, then you are sinning.  That is breaking the Eighth Commandment: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor, and the Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.  Even if what you are saying is true, your motivation is to slander and destroy that person's name and reputation which makes it a sin.  Also the Fourth Commandment is the command to honor all those God has placed in authority over us in our lives.  Honoring people we don't respect, like politicians, can be tough.  That doesn't mean we have license to break God's commandments in this instance.  It is God's will that we obey all of his commands.  Even the ones that we don't like or the ones that are tough to live with.

God didn't give us his Law to make life difficult or boring or laborious.  He gave us his Law to show us what his expectations are, and so we understand how we honor him.  We honor God, and the First Commandment, by striving everyday to live according to his commands.  Obviously, we don't succeed at this any day, but out of love for our Lord we continue to strive for it every day.  That includes honoring those in authority--even when they are wicked and oppressive.

Why doesn't Jesus just come back to earth to rule as an earthly king like the Millenialists want, and falsely teach?

First, Jesus never promised to rule as an earthly king.  That was never the plan.  This is what so many missed in Jesus' day: His kingdom is not of this world.

Second, God has a plan for when all of the pain and suffering of this world will end.  It is called Judgment Day, and only God the Father knows when it will be.  For now, God is still exercising his patience with this world extending the time of grace for all who don't believe, and reject Jesus as their one and only Savior.

Finally, God has a plan for our world and he doesn't need our advice on how to carry it out.

Then the LORD answered Job out the storm.  He said:

"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?

Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.

Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations?

Tell me, if you understand.

Who marked off its dimensions?  Surely you know!

Who stretched a measuring line across it?

On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone--

while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,

when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,

when I fixed limits for it and set its bars and doors in place,

when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?

Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,

that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?

The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.

The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.

Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?

Have the gates of death been shown to you?

Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?

Tell me, if you know all this.

What is the way to the abode of light?

And where does darkness reside?

Can you take them to their places?

Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

Surely you know, for you were already born!

You have lived so many years!

--Job 38:1-21

This is only part of God's response to Job after much banter back and forth between him and his friends.  You can read God's entire response to Job, and his friends, in Job 38-41.  The point is: God knows what he's doing.  He is omniscient, not you.  Nothing that happens in our world takes him by surprise.  Much like he did with Pharaoh in the opening verses, God uses everything for our good, and to his glory.  Pharaoh's oppression of the Israelites would motivate them to want to leave Egypt and go back to Canaan, the Promised Land.  Likewise, God uses wicked and oppressive rulers in our day to motivate his people to get off their butts and start living their Great Commission calling!

When will you stop complaining and start leading with the power of the Holy Spirit living in you?

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Developing Discipline

How do you develop discipline?

What are some of the strategies that you use?

I don't know how often you think about your personal discipline, but you are affected by it everyday- for the good or the bad.  Discipline is something I think about constantly.  Part of this comes from setting goals, part of it is from trying to create new habits.  I tend to notice discipline the most when I fail to be disciplined: missing workouts, eating things I am trying to cut back on, not noticing an opportunity to serve my wife, etc.  These are the times when I notice discipline the most, because I recognize that I failed to discipline myself to do the things I know I need to do to get the things I want in my life.  Discipline is so important, but it is also so challenging.

We all know the negative consequences of a lack of discipline.  We feel it in every area of our lives: in our marriages, in our health and fitness, at work, with our children, in every area of life.  Lack of discipline is the culprit holding us back.  It keeps us from being the best version of ourselves, that ideal self we picture in our minds each day.  

The positive side is also true.  Each of you has some area of life where you are disciplined.  The way to recognize where it is is by looking at where in your life you get  quality results consistently.  The reason you are getting good results in that area is because you have disciplined yourself there.  The good thing is, if you have disciplined yourself in one area you can discipline yourself in another.  Usually, discipline carries over.  If you are disciplined in one area, generally, it will spill over into other areas of your life.  That is why discipline is so important and impactful.  You can actually carry over discipline wins from one area of life into all the other areas of your life. Being disciplined with your fitness will help you be more disciplined in your marriage.

That is one of the great secrets and powers of discipline.  Discipline compounds upon itself and then spills over into your whole life.  That's why it is so important to pick an area and work to develop discipline there.  Pick the area of life that will give you the greatest leverage- the one area that will have the greatest impact on every other aspect of your life.

I don't know your specific situation, but here a couple of suggestions on where to start to discipline yourself:

1. Read your Bible at least 30 minutes every day.

        I recommend doing this as early as possible in the morning.  If you work out first thing in the morning then read right after your workout.  Developing this discipline has eternal rewards.  To keep our faith strong and growing we need to be in God's Word every day.  This will also have a significant impact on every area of your life.

    2. Exercise every day.

        This one is so important for your mental, emotional, and physical health.  I recommend exercising first thing when you get out of bed every day.  Your life is busy.  If you're like me, if you don't do it first thing in the morning you won't do it at all.  This may mean you have to change some of your current habits.  Do it!  If that means you have to get up 30 or 60 minutes earlier, then do it.  Turn off the T.V. and go to bed at a decent time.  You need to make exercise a priority in your life because your health and fitness have such a great impact on every other area of your life.  DO IT!

I won't go into how to set goals and develop the discipline you need in your life, but I will recommend some books to read to dive deeper into this subject:

1. Resolved- by Orrin Woodward
2. The Ant and the Elephant- by Vince Poscente
3. The Magic of Thinking Big- by David Schwartz

These three books will get you started in the right direction, and will help you build a strong foundation.  Keep reading.  Keep learning.  Keep growing.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Who Alone Has the Authority to Interpret God's Word?

 Genesis 40:8

"We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them."

Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God?  Tell me your dreams."

This question that Joseph asked Pharaoh's baker and cupbearer after they had their dreams while in prison is an important question for us still today.  The dreams these two men had came from God for a specific purpose: to reveal his power and sovereignty through Joseph.  Look at how Joseph approaches interpreting God's Word (the dreams).  He recognizes that only God is capable of interpreting his own Word, so Joseph lets him.  Joseph doesn't rely on his own feelings or ideas about what each dream might mean, or could possibly mean.  He looks to God for the interpretation.  The proof of Joseph's faithful submission to God in interpreting these dreams is seen in the fact that they came true, exactly as Joseph said.

This lesson is still relevant and important for us today.  As Christians, we don't have the freedom to interpret God's Word however we want.  The only right way to interpret Scripture is to let Scripture interpret Scripture; or said another way, to let God tell us what he means when he says what he says in his Word.  The mistake too many people make is to think they have the freedom, or the right, to impose their own thoughts, ideas, and feelings onto what God says in his Word.  The Bible is God's Word.  He takes it very seriously and so should we.  He gives multiple warnings about adding to it or subtracting from it (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-20).  This is why matters of doctrine in churches is so important.  What a church teaches must be supported by Scripture.  It can't simply be the pastor's own ideas or feelings about what society says Scripture should say.  No one has the freedom to impose their own thoughts and feelings onto God's Word--not pastors, not the media, and certainly not the selfish masses.  Biblical interpretation is not open to a democratic vote.  There is only one vote that counts: God's.

I will finish with a couple of quotes from David Kuske's book Biblical Interpretation: The Only Right Way:

        In interpreting written symbols of any kind, the interpreter's purpose must always be to determine the meaning that the original writer intended for the original reader--nothing more, nothing less.

        SAYS=MEANS

        This equation is a basic rule that must govern all communication; otherwise, what people said or wrote to one another would obviously be confusing at best.

        What is true for everyday interpretation is doubly true in Bible interpretation because we are interpreting what God says.  In the process of determining what the Bible says and means, the interpreter must be careful no to inject anything subjective into his interpretation.

--Biblical Interpretation, Kuske, p.13

God bless

Jason Fredrick

        

Be Faithful...Like Joseph

 Genesis 39:9-10

"No one is greater in this house than I am.  My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.  How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"  And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Have you ever done the right thing, and things still didn't go well for you?  What are some of the temptations that you face day after day?  Are you able to withstand them every day, or do you lose that battle some days?

Joseph was faced with constant, daily, temptations and attacks on his faith and faithfulness to God.  Joseph recognized the favorable position God had given him despite being a slave.  His response to Potiphar's wife shows a level of maturity that we wouldn't expect from Joseph at this point of his life.  In the previous chapters it seems like Joseph, a young man of 17, was a spoiled brat.  This response to Potiphar's wife reveals that Joseph had a level of maturity that his brothers lacked: spiritual maturity.

Despite Joseph's shortcomings as the "favored brother", it seems that he loved God and tried to live according to his commands.  He would have been well schooled in the covenant and commands that God gave Abraham.  He would even have been familiar with the history of Noah and Adam.  After all, they were his descendants.  His response to Potiphar's wife shows clearly the depth of Joseph's faith and his dedication to the one true God, because I don't know many 17 year-old men who would have turned down this opportunity.

How about you?  When is the last time you resisted temptation because you realized that to give into it would be to sin against God?  This response of Joseph is so powerful for us, if we will remember it and use it, because this is how we should answer every temptation that comes along.  All sin is wicked and it is something we do against God.  

Unfortunately, all of us sin every day.  We do not stand up to it like Joseph did in this situation.  Usually we are more like Joseph in Genesis 37:1-11, indulging our selfishness.  Thankfully, God knows that we can't stand up to sin and temptation on our own.  That's why he sent Jesus.  Jesus did resist every temptation.  Jesus lived the perfect life that we can't live.  He died the death we deserve.  And he raised from the dead, in the flesh, on third day to conquer death for us.  Because of Jesus we are no longer slaves to sin and death.  We have been redeemed by God through Jesus.  Therefore we have been reconciled to our heavenly Father for all eternity.  It is all because of Jesus.

Hebrews 2:14-18

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.  For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants.  For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Guard Yourself Against Negative Associations

Genesis 37:21-22

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands.  "Let's not take his life," he said.  "Don't shed any blood.  Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him."  Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

Have you ever been part of group sin?  It can be easy to get caught in this trap when a group of people decide together to do something wicked, illegal, or hurtful to another person.  

The time in my life when I was most susceptible to this was in high school.  It seems like those high school years are when most people have their worst ideas.  When I remember back to "going along with the crowd" and doing something stupid in high school, I also remember having the thoughts, "What are we doing?  Why are we doing this?"  Unfortunately, I usually didn't have the courage to speak up like Reuben and try to stop what was going on.

Reuben probably wasn't more forceful in trying to rescue Joseph from the schemes of his brothers because he knew how much they all hated Joseph.  He probably reasoned that they wouldn't listen to him and  they might even turn on him.  Despite being the oldest, he was probably right.  He knew what his brothers were capable of.  Jacob's sons were not delicate little flowers.  They were hardened vicious warriors.  That was necessary for them to survive and and thrive in the harsh climate in which they lived and worked.  If you want to gain a better understanding of Joseph's brothers read Genesis 34 and how they avenged their sister after she was raped by Shechem.  They valued vengeance above justice.

What about you?  Have you ever displayed courage in a situation like this?  Have you ever been part of a group that schemed to carry out some vile sin and had the courage to say something, or at least walk away from the group and not be a part of what they were planning?  (Share your experience in the comment section below.)

As you have grown up and become an adult, hopefully, you have chosen your friends with more discernment than I did in high school.  You probably don't have to think very hard to see how associations have influenced you in your life.  Both for good and for bad.  I encourage you to eliminate the associations in your life that are negative and destructive.  Sometimes this is difficult for different reasons:  they're your family, they're your coworkers, they're your softball team, you've been friends your whole life, etc.

If you have thought of someone who is a negative influence in your life, but they are also one of the people that I just listed above, you have some tough decisions to make:

1. End the relationship immediately.
2. Have a crucial conversation and change the nature of the relationship.  Become the influencer instead of being the influenced.
3. Stop going along with stupid ideas.  Take a stand and refuse to be a part of group sin.  Most people won't carry out stupid ideas without a partner-in-crime.
4. Apologize for the part you have played in enabling that person to indulge their sinful nature.  Then stop being that enabler.
5. Continue on the way it has always been and stay trapped in a life of sin and rebellion.

While some of your negative associations need to be ended immediately, not all of them do.  If you are courageous enough to have some difficult conversations and take a strong stand on not being a partner to willful sin, you can work to turn those negative relationships into great and meaningful friendships.  You have to lead.  You have to be the one who measures every idea and decision against the guage of God's Word.  You have to be the one who teaches others to think through their actions in the light of Scripture.

A good starting point is to be like Reuben.  The ultimate goal is to be like Jesus.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Show Us a Sign

 Matthew 28:42

"He's the King of Israel!  Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe."

This is what the Pharisees said to mock Jesus as he hung on the cross.  Their rejection of the Savior was complete.  Throughout Jesus' ministry the Pharisees kept demanding that he show them a sign, even though when he did perform miracles they got angry at him.  These men were so blinded by Satan that they didn't even understand what was happening despite knowing the Old Testament Scriptures as well as anyone in their day.  Jesus had even connected the dots for them many times.  Revealing to everyone how he was fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah.  Jesus had even promised them one grand sign that they would not be able to deny, even though they did: The Sign of Jonah-

        

        "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!  But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

- Matthew 12:39-40

This is the same sign that has been given to our generation.  As you know, we are living amongst a "wicked and adulterous generation".  People today still demand signs and "proof", even though the only sign needed has been given to us in God's Word.  All the proof needed to know the Bible is true is all around us.  Including the natural knowledge of God that exists inside every human being, even atheists.  Think about it.  If atheists really believed that there is no God, why would they spend their whole lives trying to convince you of that?  Why would they care?  They care because they are trying to purge the natural knowledge of God from their own hearts, but they can't.  So instead they join with Satan and attack God and his people

The reality is that Jesus is who said he is: the Son of God.  He proved that by being born of a virgin (True Man), living the perfect life that we can't live, dying on a cross to take the punishment for every sin (the punishment that we deserve), and then raising from the dead on the third day.  Jesus has given the Pharisees and us the Sign of Jonah.  His entire life is the only proof needed that he is the Savior of the world.  He has graciously revealed this truth to us in His Word, the Holy Bible.  You can reject it.  You can ignore it.  And all who do suffer the same judgment as the Pharisees: eternal death in hell.  

That's not what Jesus wants.  "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)  Jesus paid the price for the sins of all people.  He wants everyone to be saved.  He wants you to be saved.

At Pentecost, when Peter preached his sermon in Acts 2 the people asked, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

Peter responded, "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

This is what Jesus wants.  He wants everyone to repent and be baptized so they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  That gift is the faith to be able to believe in Jesus as your Savior.  Jesus died for you.  He wants you to be saved.  He loves you.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Are You a Sheep, Or a Goat?

 Matthew 25:40

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

When is the last time you helped out a stranger in need?  Have you ever helped a stranger?

This is an interesting section of Scripture for me to look at today, because I helped out a total stranger just yesterday.  I will probably never see that guy again, but I did what I could to help him out in a time of need.  As Jesus points out in this parable, it's irrelevant if I ever see him again.

One of the points Jesus makes in this parable is that we are supposed to help out those who can't do anything for us.  You're not being selfless if you only help people who can somehow pay you back or return the favor.  

Serving people in the way that Jesus is talking about here is to serve with no expectations.  It is serving others as a way to say, "Thank you," to Jesus for the free gift of salvation that he has given to all who believe in him- "the sheep".  Just as Jesus has freely given to us, we are to give freely to those God has placed in our lives.

Jesus gave all of himself on the cross to give us the greatest gift we could ever receive: Eternal salvation and forgiveness for all of our sins.  He gave this gift to us in our greatest hour of need.  He has never demanded that we pay for that gift or that we return the favor, but he has taught us how we can show our appreciation:

• Feed the hungry.
• Give something to drink to those who are thirsty.
• Show hospitality to strangers.
• Clothe those who need clothes.
• Look after the sick.
• Visit those who are in prison. --Matthew 25:35-36

Jesus wants us to show love to the people of this world.  He wants us to show love to each other.  Loving the unlovable is one of the greatest ways to share Jesus with the world.  There was a time in all of our lives when we were unlovable, and unloving, to God, yet he still chose to love us and redeem us from our sins.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.--Romans 5:8 

This is what Jesus told his disciples on the night he was betrayed:

"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."--John 13:34-35

God bless 

Jason Fredrick

There Is a Way That Seems Right to a Man

 Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

Worldly wisdom is no wisdom at all.  That's why it is so sad to see "great" scholars and scientists dedicate their entire life to trying to disprove the existence of God.  They concoct foolish schemes and theories to try to explain the world we live in, but without God.  As if God's creation could exist independent of him.  They close their eyes to the fact that we live in a complex, systematic world.  Our world could not exist for a single second if it was governed by random chance.  That kind of chaos would have torn it apart the very second after it came into existence.  Random chance and change leads to total chaos.  That is not what we see in our world.  We see order, logic, complexity, and systematization.  These things are in antithesis to randomness and chance.  It is the foolishness of human "wisdom" that led the Apostle Paul to write to the church in Corinth the following:

        

        Where is the wise man?  Where is the scholar?  Where is the philosopher of this age?  Has not 

        God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world through 

        its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached 

        to save those who believe.- 1 Corinthians 1:20-21

That's a pretty good explanation of what Solomon was saying in Proverbs 14:12 nine hundred years earlier.  

The bottom line, that most people don't want to accept, is that because of sin, we just aren't that smart.  We like to think we are.  We try to convince everybody else that we are.  But we aren't.  Sin has made us fools.  Faith in Jesus makes us fools to the world.  It is only through the gift of faith that we can see the foolishness of the world. 

It's kind of like living in The Matrix.  Most people walk around thinking they have life all figured out, relying on their own wisdom and understanding.  Then we come along- sharing our perspective and worldview, and the world doesn't even understand what we are talking about.  They look at us like we're speaking a completely different language.  Faith inspired wisdom is foolishness to the world.  It is just as foolish to unbelievers, as their worldly "wisdom" is to us.

If that's the case, why does the way that seems right to men lead to death?

God gave us the answer to this question way back around 1500 B.C. when he instructed Moses to write:

        The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every 

        inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.- Genesis 6:5

It's also in the explanation from Paul in 1 Corinthians above.  Because of sin, man left to himself does not know and believe in God despite all the evidence God has given to everyone through his creation and our consciences.  But even when people do understand that there has to be a God through the natural things God has used to reveal himself to people, no one can ever come to a knowledge of Jesus on their own.  Jesus doesn't make sense to worldly minds.  He is counterintuitive to worldly wisdom.  That is why a man's own way only leads to death.  His own ideas and wisdom will never lead him to Jesus.  Notice in the 1 Corinthians passage above Paul talks about "the foolishness that was preached".

There are only two ways people can learn and know about Jesus: reading the Bible themselves, or having someone share God's Word with them.  It all comes down to God's Word.  The Bible is where Jesus has revealed himself to us.  It is only through that revelation in the Bible that we can know and believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world.  It is only through God's Word that the Holy Spirit works faith in hearts.  This is why Solomon's wisdom is just as true today as it was the day he wrote it.  A man's own way leads him away from God and his Word.  And that is why it leads to death.  Spiritual death is eternal separation from God, and left to our own "wisdom" we will always go our own way.

That is why Paul continued on in this passage from 1 Corinthians:

        Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified:

        a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both 

        Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God

        is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

        -1 Corinthians 1:22-25

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

        

It Was Not This Way from the Beginning

 Matthew 19:8-9

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.  But it was not this way from beginning.  I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Moses allowed the Old Testament Jews to divorce because their hearts were hardened to God's Word.  It was not this way from the beginning.  Divorce is a by-product of selfishness.  Selfishness is a by-product of sin.  When God created Adam and Eve there was no selfishness in the Garden of Eden until Eve listened to Satan.  It was ultimately selfishness that Satan used to lure Eve into sin and away from God.

When Eve listened to the devil, and then enticed her husband into sin, Adam and Eve's perfect marriage was ruined forever.  Their sin has damaged every marriage since then.  Now, the challenge for every marriage is trying to overcome sinful selfishness.  This is what Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees in this section of Matthew 19: Moses allowed them to divorce because of their hard-hearted selfishness.

People in our culture don't want to hear this anymore than those Pharisees did.  In America, and countries around the world, people selfishly throw away marriages every day.  Why is that?  It's because they have hardened their hearts to God's Word.  God created marriage.  He hates divorce (Malachi 2:15-16).

Marriage is a commitment.  Whether you're a Christian or not, marriage is a life-long commitment to another person.  This is why it is so important to choose wisely, and not rush into it.  When two people get married they are committing the rest of their lives to each other- for better, or for worse.  Guess what?  The "for worse" will come.  It's not a question of if it will come.  It's a question of when, and how often?

The storms of life are inevitable.  Sadly, too many Americans have created the habit of quitting in their lives.  Quitters quit everything.  It shouldn't surprise us that mothers quit on their pregnancies (abortion) when their parents quit on their marriage (divorce).  Quitting is the legacy of the Vietnam generation.  Quitting is a generational plague just like poverty.  Quitting is a learned behavior.  None of us is born a quitter.  The fact that we exist is evidence of that.  The sperm that fertilized that egg that ultimately became you had to compete with a million other sperm to get their, and get their first.  Nobody is born a quitter.

Unfortunately, our society-and especially schools- enforce the habit of quitting.  In a society that encourages people to just quit if it gets too tough, we shouldn't be surprised that people quit on their marriage.  People quit on themselves every day.

This is not how it was at the beginning.  God did not create people to quit.  Quitting is weakness that is a by-product of sin.  Quitting comes from a lack of faith in God and a weak character.  God did not create Adam weak.  He created Adam perfect.  This is why you can break the habit of quitting of it plagues you.  You can start today by apologizing to someone you have quit on in your life, and then commit to stop quitting.  If you have quit on a marriage, you can't go back and undo all the damage that has been done; but you can repent, apologize, and ask for forgiveness.  You can work to rebuild and repair those damaged relationships with your ex and especially with your children.

Thankfully, Jesus has given us the example of the perfect husband.  He loved his bride (the Church) so much that he sacrificed himself for her.  Jesus is the perfect, selfless husband.  He died to take the punishment for all of our sins of selfishness and quitting.  Jesus is the reason we have the power today to stop quitting and recommit to living the life that he has called us to live.  

Husbands: Love your wives as Christ loved the Church.

Wives:  Respect and submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

God wants your marriage to be a blessing.  God wants to bless your marriage.  Don't quit on it!

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Stay Focused on Your Calling

 Matthew 17:25-26

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak.  "What do you think, Simon?" he asked.  "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?"

"From others," Peter answered.

"Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him.

In this short section, Jesus is making an observation about earthly governments that still exists today:  When government is involved, there will be special deals for select groups of people.  It may be worse today than it has ever been, but it certainly is nothing new.  Historically the most obvious special deals were for the family of the ruler, or the ruling class.  Today, in the United Stated and elsewhere, it certainly extends beyond just the ruler's family.

Today the additions to the families of the ruling class that benefit from favoritism are Special Interest groups.  These groups include, but are not limited to, Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter, and the LGBTQ.  (I'm sure you can think of a dozen others.)  Notice just in these examples that these groups don't add any value to society, instead that are constantly working to undermine and destroy society.  I will let you decide what their motivation for that would be, but the reality is that that is what Special Interest groups do.  They lobby and fight for government favor to fund their personal, political, and social agendas.

In this section of Matthew we once again see Jesus honoring the ruling authority by paying taxes.  When the Bible tells us to honor the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7) it doesn't give conditions of when this applies.  It  always applies, even if your government is evil and oppressive.  We are commanded to honor those in authority, because there is no authority on earth which God has not established (Romans 13:1).  

The Bible doesn't say we have to like our political situation.  It doesn't even say we have to like the current rulers.  But it does say that we must honor them.

Jesus and St. Paul were very well acquainted with oppressive rulers and ruling classes.  They were both tortured and killed by the ruling class of their time.  If Jesus willingly submitted himself to an oppressive ruling class, then you have no excuse for not doing the same.  It is not our responsibility to determine who should be ruling where.  God already has a plan for that.  It is our responsibility to submit to the governing authority and carry out our Great Commission calling no matter what the political environment may be.  All we have to do is trust God's plan and his faithfulness.  Nothing that we go through is a surprise to him.  He already has it worked out how our trials and challenges are going to work out for our good.

God is faithful.  He never forgets his children.  He already has his plan all worked out.  You can rest assured that the evil things in our society that make you angry, make him angrier.  Lets let God be the judge, and we can focus on doing the work which he has called each of us to: the proclamation of the gospel to all nations (Mark 16:15-16).

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To him be honor and might forever.  Amen. -1 Timothy 6:11-16

God bless

Jason Fredrick