ReMarcks

Luke 2:19 (NASB)
“But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

What did Mary know and when did she knnow it? (Questions that a prosecuting attorney might ask.)  Mark Lowery’s song, “Mary Did You Know?” asks many questions of Mary and how much she knew about her baby, Jesus. One thing we can be sure of is that she probably knew more than most people in her day.

Mothers are like that…they know their children pretty well … and still they love them.

God knows us completely and yet he loves us. Go figure.

Happy Mothers’ Day to all moms.

Matthew 22:21 (KJV) 
“Then saith he (Jesus) unto them, ‘Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.'”

Strongs’ Greek & Hebrew Dictionary says of the word translated “render:”
“from (apo) and (didomi); to give away, i.e. up, over, back, etc. (in various applications) :- deliver (again), give (again), (re-) pay (-ment be made), perform, recompense, render, requite, restore, reward, sell, yield.”

On April 15, some render (pay or re-pay) unto Caesar (IRS?).  The implication, if not explicit teaching, is that we ought to render (give) unto Caesar as we render (give) unto God and/or vice versa. Many of us have learned that giving to God is more desireable than paying God. We might do well to also learn to give to Caesar rather than paying Caesar. It won’t make any difference to the IRS, but it might make April 15 less painful for us.

1 Corinthians 15:10 (NASB) 
^” But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

Years ago, my insurance company told me I would die on January 8, 2026 at 4 a..m. from major cardiovascular disease. They based this on statistics and family history. I think their point was to buy more life insurance. Whether this will happen or not, I am not sure.

I am relatively sure, however, that I was born at Millard Filmore Hospital, in Buffalo, New York on July 8, 1948. (Yes, I’m 61.) My parents were Calvin and Jackie Gibson. I have six siblings – four brothers and two sisters.

So much of who and what I am, I have had no choice in – God chose. Therefore, He must have a purpose in all of it and I should live to fulfil that purpose. Evidently,  He will accomplish His purpose, and I can choose to cooperate completely. This pleases Him and brings Him glory.

My choices determine what I become.

1 John 1:9 (NASB) 
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Bill commented to Sam, “Oh, how I hate it; every time my wife and I have an argument, she gets historical.”

Sam questioned back, “You mean hysterical, don’t you?”

Bill quickly insisted, “No, I mean historical. Every time we argue she drags up everything from the past and holds it against me!”

Why is it that those who are so assertive that others forgive them so often forget the first part of this verse. God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins if we confess our sins.

Our being forgiven is intricately tied to at least three things:

1. our forgiving others of their wrongs against us (Matthew 6:14-15),
2. our confessing our sins to God (1 John 1:9),
3. Jesus’ atoning work through His death on the cross (Ephesians 4:32).

John R. W. Stott says in The Cross of Christ (page 90), “The crucial question we should ask, therefore, is … not why God finds it difficult to forgive, but how he finds it possible to do so at all.” We all tend to take forgiveness too lightly and for granted.

While we expect others to forgive us the wrongs we have done against them, we must confess our culpability in the wrong. Only God can forgive sins, but we are to forgive wrongs done to us.

John Oglethorpe once commented to John Wesley, “I never forgive.”

Mr. Wesley replied, “Then, Sir, I hope you never sin.”
 

Matthew 5:48 (NASB) 
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

In the movie, “The Patriot,” farmer Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) tells his sons to “aim small, miss small.”  Narrow your focus. Concentrate – not on the target, but on the bullseye.  

Don Shula, coach of the NFL, undefeated  Miami Dolphins, led his team to win every game in the 1972, said, “If you want don’t seek perfection, you can never reach excellence.”

The Apostle Paul said,  (Philippians 3:14) ^“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Getting close doesn’t even count in horseshoes if what’s needed is a ringer.

Aim precisely and you may not only hit the target, but you may actually hit the bullseye.

Matthew 5:16 (NASB) 
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Michael was on my softball team as a child. He seemed to love to grandstand a play. He would be in the outfield and jump for a waist-high catch. It may have looked good to those in the grandstands, but all the team knew it was an easy catch.

Some times as Christians we may present to the world that being a Christian is harder to do than reality. Maybe we think that will impress them. However, reality is that Jesus does all the hard stuff through us. Our job is to make sure He gets the credit.

Ephesians 2:18 (NKJV) 
^” For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”

Talk about 3-G! God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are available to us through Jesus Christ.

Many places today advertize the availability of a free WiFi connection – a wireless hotspot. There you can have wireless access to the internet.  Our church should be a “holy hotspot” where people can freely and more easily connect up with God.

However, whether it’s with a wireless connection or a wired, land-line, our access to God is through His Son, Jesus Christ.  By the way, the password is: “Jesus.”  (See John 14:13-14; John 15:16; John 16:23-26.)

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)
^“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Out in the ocean when the storms are tossing waves high in the air, just 50 feet or so down, the water is calm.

Some have learned to go deeper when the storms of life hit. However, the wise live in the deep and are not caught by storms in the first place.

The deep is where our trust is in God and not in self, others or the world. As we trust in the Lord, there is perfect peace and joy. Many fear the deep water because their focus is on circumstances and their trust is in themselves.  Like Peter, we don’t do so well when we live on the surface (Matthew 14:30).

Live in the deep with God and you won’t even be affected by storms of life.

Romans 8:14 (NASB)
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Ever try to steer a parked car? If it has power-steering, you had better, at least, start the engine. However, until you put the car in gear and turn the steering wheel,  it’s not going to change directions.

Our lives are like that. If you want to change the direction of your life, it’s better if you set it in motion. The Holy Spirit leads God’s children, but they must actually being following His leading. When you do, you find that turning and changing directions is much easier.

Everyone wants to end in the right destination, but only those traveling in the right direction get there.