Initiate meaningful conversation with your family no matter how long the commute with Joe White's age appropriate short talks on scripture, parenting, culture, and community.
Episodes
Saturday Dec 21, 2019
Saturday Dec 21, 2019
"We've got a little slogan at our teenage Kamp called K2 that I get to be a part of in the summertime and it's called FUAGNEM. It's not in Webster's. It just means 'Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute.' Basically it means the person who gives it all, all the time will end up winning the game."
Family Discussions:
- What does it mean to give it all to Jesus?
- What did the lesson of the perfume bottle teach you today?
- What do you tend to hold back for being a give-it-all Christian?
- Why is it so hard to have a FUAGNEM, as we say, Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute attitude when it comes to your faith in Christ?
Transcription:
00:13 Well, you talk about a hero. This verse today is really a hero. Maybe you would say one of the most insignificant people in scripture, but not so to Jesus. Jesus is in Bethany and he's at the home of Simon the leper. And as he comes in there, a woman comes up to him and she takes this bottle of very costly perfume and she anoints Jesus with the bottle of perfume. And some of the followers were indignant. You know, they were like, 'Hey, you know, you could take that perfume and you could, you know, sell it and feed the poor.' But Jesus says this about that woman. I think it's a great example to you and me today in our life for Christ. He said, "Hey, leave her alone. Why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to me for you always have the poor with you and you do not always have me. She's done what she could and she is anointing my body beforehand for the burial. He says, truly, I say to you, where ever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."
01:20 We've got a little slogan at our teenage Kamp called K2 that I get to be a part of in the summertime and it's called FUAGNEM. It's not in Webster's. It just means 'Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute.' Basically it means the person who gives it all, all the time will end up winning the game. I don't know the whole story behind this woman, but I imagine because she was probably very poor that she had been saving this perfume her whole life. Perhaps every birthday she had, you know, her parents would put just a little bit more perfume in the bottle. You know, in those days, that sort of thing was scarce and was very expensive. And I think Jesus basically was saying to her, you know what? Leave that girl alone. She has given me every thing that she had.
02:10 I'll never forget a Superbowl years ago that I paid close attention to because I'd been leading some Bible studies with one of the teams in the Superbowl. Well, they were beaten because the quarterback of the other team had said to his team, I will give it every cent I've ever made in the game for one Superbowl ring. That team went on the field and they creamed the team that I had been working with because they were willing to give it all. I remember my son Cooper when he was a sophomore, he was going to play high school football and in our little town that he played for sophomores don't play. And I said to him, I said, Cooper, don't expect anything this year on the varsity. They never give it sophomores. And he said, dad, I'll either get a brain concussion and I'll die or I'll start. Well, you know the end of that story after about four games, you know, they were starting him in the first playoff game. He got player of the game. Because you know what, when you want it bad enough, you know, it's probably, if it's a good goal, if it's a good incentive and God's behind it, then it's probably going to happen.
03:16 So here's the questions for today. It's one thing to give it all for Superbowls. One thing to give it all the start on your team, but what does it mean to give it all to Jesus? What did the lesson of the perfume bottle teach you today? And then the second question is this, what do you tend to hold back for being a give-it-all Christian? And then the third question is this, why is it so hard to have a FUAGNEM, as we say, Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute attitude when it comes to your faith in Christ? And the thought for the day is this. If Jesus was visiting your house today, would you give him your most prized possession whatever it is?
Saturday Nov 30, 2019
Saturday Nov 30, 2019
"I have a little friend, her name is Jenna and she's a hero. This precious girl for decades has suffered from deteriorating sinuses. She has probably not had a healthy day in her life for 20 years. In fact, on a regular basis maybe annually they have to come in and peel her skin down off her face and go into her sinuses and do work on her sinus cavities. And then to make matters worse, she has a horrible two year battle with hepatitis. And then she had a terrible personal, but terrible tragedy happened in her life. It was so hideous and so wrong. But every time I talked to Jenna, she's filled with joy."
Family Discussions:
- Can you recall a recent storm in your life and how do you normally act to the wind and the waves?
- Call attention to a fellow family member or to a friend who was faithful to God in a recent stormy period and compliment that family member or that friend for how they handled it.
- Why is faith in the storm so important for us to live and to learn?
Transcription:
00:13 Hey, this is an awesome devotional today from an awesome passage in scripture. This is just fantastic. This is a day when Jesus took his 12 followers, his disciples, on a little boat ride that they'll never ever forget. And as my friend and my mentor, Dr. Howard Hendrick says, "it's one thing to have the boat in the water, but it's something else to have water in the boat.' This was the day the boat was filled with water. We're looking at Mark chapter four verse 35. On the memorable date. He said, "when evening came, Jesus said to them, his disciples let us go over to the other side of the lake. So leaving the crowd, they took him along with them in the boat just as he was, and other boats were with him. And there arose a fierce Gale of wind and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus himself was in the stern asleep on the cushion, and they woke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we're perishing? And he got up and he did something amazing. He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, hush, be still. And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And Jesus said to them, why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
01:37 You know, I have a little friend, her name is Jenna and she's a hero. This precious girl for decades has suffered from deteriorating sinuses. She has probably not had a healthy day in her life for 20 years. In fact, on a regular basis maybe annually they have to come in and peel her skin down off her face and go into her sinuses and do work on her sinus cavities. And then to make matters worse, she has a horrible two year battle with hepatitis. And then she had a terrible personal, but terrible tragedy happened in her life. It was so hideous and so wrong. But every time I talked to Jenna, she's filled with joy. She's filled with peace. She's filled with happiness. I mean, what a blessing that girl is. And she's gone through more pain and more suffering than I think almost anybody that I know.
02:34 And so I called Jenna, said, Jenna, you know, how can you stay? How does your faith stay so strong? Why aren't you complaining? And she said this to me. She said, I have reckon my life is a fight. I can either fight God or I can fight to make good out of it. She said, I have chosen the latter. I consider the pain I face very small in comparison to the great things God is doing with my life. She says, my emotions make me mad or sad or depressed, but I've got to override my emotions and stop and think what is true. The truth is that my life is his and he is a faithful father no matter what. And I can always say every day, I love God. You know what? Jenna had one step up on the disciples the day they stepped into the boat with Jesus. You know, storms don't destroy a Christian's faith. They test it. They strengthen it. Thank you Jenna, for passing the test and showing us that no matter how big the storm is, that we find ourselves in, Jesus is always in the boat.
03:49 And here's the questions for today. Can you recall a recent storm in your life and how do you normally act to the wind and the waves? And the second question is this. Everyone, if you're in a family right now or your business location, wherever you are, call attention to a fellow family member or to a friend. If you're studying this together, a friend who was faithful to God in a recent stormy period and compliment that family member or that friend for how they handled it. And then here's the third one. Why is faith in the storm so important for us to live and to learn? And the thought for today is this. The family, the home is the place that if it's done, like Jenna, can calm the mini storms on this earth.
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
"Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world."
Family Discussions:
- What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus?
- What kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you?
- Describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to.
Transcription:
00:13 Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world. Well, guess what? You're a brochure too. In fact, you're a billboard. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians chapter three verses two through four. As people watch you as they drive by down the highway of life, it says this, "You yourselves are our letter written on our hearts known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ. The result of our ministry written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God. Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence is this is ours through Christ before God."
01:18 Isn't that great? You're a letter of Christ. You know, these huge lighted billboards that line both sides of the highways that lead into our highly traveled tourist town here in Branson, Missouri, number in the thousands. The billboards, literally thousands, the country music stars and they're elegant two to 4,000 seat theaters. Woo country music fans who travel here by the millions into their theaters with billboards, large enough to see from the moon. You know, marketing experts call it intercept marketing. As you drive down the road to try to make a last minute change in some travelers' schedule. They don't know which theater they're going to, but the billboards are going to get them to go to their theater on their country music, Branson vacation.
02:02 You know, the billboards are flashy. The billboards are glitzy. The billboards are attractive. The billboards are gaudy. They're catchy. They're nauseas. Believe it or not, you and I wear huge neon billboards around our necks on the front of our cars, on the backs of our cars, on the front doors of our houses and on the doorway to our own rooms in our house. Because as true believers, our billboards all displayed the same very simple but profound. Three word statement. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. You surprised? You know what? It's true. In the high school that you go to, in the university campus that your on, in the associates, in your place of business or ministry, in your family that surround you. Each and every day. Man, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you act, and the way you treat other people makes you a billboard. Either a repulsive sign that will cause your associates to reject the message with disgust, or you'll be the most attractive piece of artwork your friends will ever see. So you're a billboard of Christ.
03:17 And let me ask you these questions. You know what? The song says "They'll know we're Christians by our love." What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus? And second, what kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you? And then the last question is, describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to. Be sure and hug somebody today.
Saturday Nov 16, 2019
Saturday Nov 16, 2019
"walking into the ancient wall city of Rome, Italy alone, that 2000 plus year old original stone Laden Appian way is without a doubt, one of the most memorable walks of my life. It was on these very stones that the feet of Paul and the feet of Peter walked as they entered their final places of historical gospel spreading ministry. Before the crushing hand of Rome."
Family Discussions:
- Why is your witness on aroma of life to the believer?
- Why is that same aroma, the aroma of death to an unbeliever or to a scoffer?
- Compare the relative severity of the ridicule you might receive as your life bears the witness of your faith in Christ to the martyring that Peter and Paul and the other martyrs of Rome received in their triumphal march into Rome?
- How can you make your aroma stronger?
Transcription:
00:13 You know, I don't know that there's a candle in our whole office building or in our Kamp, but I feel like the most fortunate guy alive because there's a fragrant aroma everywhere I go. I get to work with the neatest people in the world. My little office. These people that I get to work with have this fragrant aroma and it's a fragrant aroma of Christ around them. And all over the sports Kamps. These guys and these women of faith that I get to work with, there's just this fragrant aroma of Christ that follows them every where they go. 2 Corinthians chapter 2:14-16 says this about that. It says, "But thanks be to God who always leads us in the triumphal precession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere. The fragrance of the knowledge of him, for we are of God, the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved. And among those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death, but to the other, the fragrance of life."
01:22 You know, walking into the ancient wall city of Rome, Italy alone, that 2000 plus year old original stone Laden Appian way is without a doubt, one of the most memorable walks of my life. It was on these very stones that the feet of Paul and the feet of Peter walked as they entered their final places of historical gospel spreading ministry. Before the crushing hand of Rome. The hedonistic Roman government rendered their relentless testimony of their risen savior. It became a national political problem and brought capital punishment upon them and their untimely final judgment. The Appian way also, if you've ever got a chance or we'll get a chance to walk it, was the main artery and it was the most powerful city in the world which the Roman armies would return in their infamous, they call it the parade of triumph.
02:15 Here, the proud Roman generals would display their troops and their captured throngs of slaves and condemned prisoners to the wildly cheering crowd that land the great walled thoroughfare into the heart of the city. You know, tradition held that burning aeromedical incense would accompany the chariots and officers that govern the parade. To the Roman conquerors, it was an aroma of life. To the prisoners, it was an aroma of death because like Peter and Paul, this would be the last walk upon which their feet would ever take them. In a matter of weeks, a cruel Roman death awaited them by Roman's favorite form of punishment, the same fate that was given to Jesus in the neighboring Jerusalem, crucifixion upon the Roman cross. So to some, the fragrant of life. To some, the fragrance of death.
03:06 And I think that tell-tale questions that hopefully will make sense in your life today is this, when you carry your Bible to school, or when you carry your Bible to work or you've live out and you speak out for the true trueness of the gospel of Christ, you know, while a scoffer will jeer you, why is your witness on aroma of life to the believer? And why is that same aroma, the aroma of death to an unbeliever or to a scoffer? And then secondly, compare the relative severity of the ridicule you might receive as your life bears the witness of your faith in Christ to the martyring that Peter and Paul and the other martyrs of Rome received in their triumphal march into Rome? And how can you make your aroma stronger? To some your the aroma of life and you know what? To some you are the aroma of death. But hopefully to those that will see the spirit of Christ in you and some of those that are dying would come to life because of the aroma of Christ was too much for them to ignore.
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
"I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I'd rather one would walk with me than merely show the way.
The eyes are better pupil and more willing than the ear.
Find council is confusing, but example is always clear.
and the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creed."
Family Discussions:
- Describe a family member that you know and admire who has walked his talk or maybe point out to a walking sermon quality that you see in each family member that you've got.
- Why is it so devastating for non-believers to accept Christ into their heart when they see a Christian who doesn't practice on Saturday night what that person sings about in church on Sunday morning?
- What is an area that kind of you've recognized in your walk where you need to walk your talk better?
Transcription:
00:14 Man, in the book of Romans. Awesome. This is a crate study today. It's in Romans chapter two, verse 21 through 23 and it says this, "You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal. Do you steal yourself? You who say that one should not commit adultery. Do you commit adultery? You who have idols? Do you rob temples? You who boast in the law though you're breaking the law. Do you dishonor God?" Mother Theresa used to say, "witness always and use words when necessary."
00:51 My daddy's favorite poem was this. It's called, "I'd rather see a sermon than hear when any day." It says:
I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I'd rather one would walk with me than merely show the way.
The eyes are better pupil and more willing than the ear.
Find council is confusing, but example is always clear.
and the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creed.
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn to do it. If you let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the sermons you deliver may be very wise and true.
But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding and how you act and how you live.
I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
01:42 What a great poem. Maybe you can memorize that too. And here's the questions for today. Describe a family member that you know and admire who has walked his talk or maybe point out to a walking sermon quality that you see in each family member that you've got. Everybody's got one quality like that pointed out. And then secondly, why is it so devastating for non-believers to accept Christ into their heart when they see a Christian who doesn't practice on Saturday night what that person sings about in church on Sunday morning? And then, um, take it home with this one. What is an area that kind of you've recognized in your walk where you need to walk your talk better? And here's the lifeline that Mother Teresa, it said so well witness always use words when necessary. Isn't that great?
Monday Oct 14, 2019
Monday Oct 14, 2019
"Years ago when my kids were small, I was at home alone. Debbie Jo was on a trip and the kids were sleeping in their room and about 2:30 AM I heard a thief in my kitchen and I jumped up out of bed and saw that thief running out the front door. And I chased that thief is as hard as I could. And you know what? It's a good thing he didn't have a gun. But when a thief comes into your house, you don't care, you'll do anything to get him out of your house and fortunately for him and me, he didn't come back. "
Family Discussions:
- What's your house doing to get ready for the coming of Christ?
- Personally in your heart knowing that the blood of the lamb on your heart is the only ticket, the only key to live with Christ forever. What are you doing with the lamp?
- What are you doing with Jesus?
Transcription:
00:13 You know, I can smile about it now, but I sure wouldn't smiling about it when it happened. Years ago when my kids were small, I was at home alone. Debbie Jo was on a trip and the kids were sleeping in their room and about 2:30 AM I heard a thief in my kitchen and I jumped up out of bed and saw that thief running out the front door. And I chased that thief is as hard as I could. And you know what? It's a good thing he didn't have a gun. But when a thief comes into your house, you don't care, you'll do anything to get him out of your house and fortunately for him and me, he didn't come back. But today we're going to talk about a thief and you know, a thief when he shows up, no one knows when he's coming. He doesn't announce his arrival. And so scripture says, the coming of the son of man will be.
01:05 We're in Revelation chapters 16:15, and we're in the middle of the bowls of wrath in the judgment of God. But he says this, "behold" Jesus is speaking through the angel to John. "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed it is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes so that he will not walk around naked and men will not see his shame." Jesus is certainly not the thief but he comes like a thief and that we won't know the day or the hour that is coming. Acts 1:7 makes it clear that only God knows the day and the hour of the coming of Christ. But Jesus said in Matthew 24 that the coming of the son of man will be just like it was the day of Noah.
01:47 He says, for men will be eating and drinking and marrying and giving into marriage. Before Noah entered the Ark and they did not understand until the floods came and swept them all away. He said, two men will be in the field, one will be taken and what will be left. Two women will be grinding in the meal, one will be taken, one will be left and I'm offering humor to about the two men who are standing there talking, the two women are out working. What are we doing men? Standing around talking. But no one knows when the thief is gonna come. In this case it's going to be anything but a thief. It's going to be Christ, but he gives us signs. He gives us signs. He said there'll be earthquakes like never before in the earth. There'll be wars and rumors of wars like never before in the earth.
02:26 There'll be false prophets running around the earth, getting followers, claiming to be Christ. The cults will be like never before. He said there'll be seances, a Satan worship of demons and demon possession and tarot cards and dungeons and dragons and satanic movies and music. It'll all be a part of the signs, but people won't heed the signs. Even though the signs are all over. It's the gospel that we preach to the whole world at that time. There will be a proliferation of the gospel like never before. Like we're seeing the day travel where we prolific like we've never seen before. Daniel said people will be moving from place to place. The second coming of Christ will have signs, but people will not see the signs. But like a thief, he will appear. And then the ones who follow him and love him sincerely will be taken away.
03:14 On December 7th, 1941 there were signs, but our navy and our military didn't see the signs. And the next thing we knew, hundreds of Japanese planes were sinking our navy in Pearl Harbor. On 911, there were signs and we didn't see the signs. We didn't pay attention. Until the planes were flying into the buildings and terrorism struck the United States of America. Well today there're signs. It's December 7th. It's 911. There's signs everywhere. Christ is coming back and he'll appear like a thief in the night. So my question to you today is, is what are we doing? What are you doing? What's your house doing to get ready for the coming of Christ and personally in your heart knowing that the blood of the lamb on your heart is the only ticket, the only key to live with Christ forever. What are you doing with the lamp? What are you doing with Jesus?
Saturday Oct 12, 2019
Saturday Oct 12, 2019
"Are you like me? And you look books with a happy ending or are you like me and you like movies that end up and you walk out with a big old grin on your face? Well, this book has a happy ending even though the judgements of God are severe and God's wrath is absolute. "
Family Discussion:
- Are your knees bowing now and you're going to be there with the song of Moses in your heart or are you going to be wait and you're going to bow then with a song of death coming from your lips?
- What do you need today to get you there?
Transcription:
00:13 Are you like me? And you look books with a happy ending or are you like me and you like movies that end up and you walk out with a big old grin on your face? Well, this book has a happy ending even though the judgements of God are severe and God's wrath is absolute. In Revelation chapter 15, one through four, the ending takes on a smile. Listen to this, and Revelation 15. "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous. Seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name standing on the Sea of glass, holding the harps of God and they sang the song of Moses, a Bond Servant of God. The song of the lamb saying, great and marvelous are your works. Oh Lord God, the Almighty, righteous and true are your ways, king of nations. Who will not fear Oh lord and glorify your name for you alone are holy for all the nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed."
01:28 You're going to want to be there. This is the game. You're gonna wanna be there. You're gonna want to have a ticket to this one. Philippians chapter two said that at the end, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. You're going to want to be there. I mean, whatever it takes to be at this place, at this time, you're going to want to be there. I've seen as I've been able to share, you know, Christ, you know, around this country and around this world.
02:01 I've seen two presidents of United States. They wanted to be there and I've seen these two presidents glorify God. I've seen two Superbowl teams come to the cross. They wanted to be there. I've seen a basketball team go into the Final Four. They wanted to be there. I've seen tens of thousands of college students in campuses across this country to come to the cross because they wanted to be there. I've seen tens of thousands of students, high school students at events across the country come to the cross because they wanted to be there. I've seen hundreds of thousands of men come to the cross because they want to be there and you're going to want to be there too because at the end when we stand before the throne of God, it's the only game in town. It's the only thing that's gonna matter.
02:51 And those that bow now will be rewarded. Those that wait and bow then will be severely disappointed. You're going to want to be there and so my question to you today is, are your knees bowing now and you're going to be there with the song of Moses in your heart or are you going to be wait and you're going to bow then with a song of death coming from your lips? What do you need today to get you there? Jesus says, take me, love me. Give me your whole heart and you'll be there.
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
"I think about Cassie Burnall and the awful shooting of Columbine. This girl's witness was so strong that one of these boys that terrorize the school, I'm sure couldn't wait to find her and to point his gun at her head, and he said, Cassie, do you believe in God? And she said, yes, I believe in God. And the next thing she saw was the face of Christ as I'm sure he welcomed her home."
Family Discussions:
- What's your witness looking like?
- What's the picture that you want them to see of Jesus when they look at you?
Transcription:
00:14 Well burnt orange has never been my favorite color. And truly it's out of jealousy because this was the team that used to smoke, my little Dallas football team every single year. But you know what? Whether you like them or not, they're good. But when you ever, you wear a baseball cap of a school or you ever wear a tee shirt of a school, you're actually witnessing for that school. You're representing that school either good or bad. And so it is as a Christian. I wish I could say I like that hat. So it is as a Christian. Whether we're wearing a cross around our neck or not. Whether we're carrying a Bible or not. We are his witnesses and we're either witnessing for him for good or we're witnessing for Christ for bad. Today's passage in chapter 11 of Revelation is an interlude between the judgements.
01:00 And at this point in the book of Revelation in the seven year period of the judgments of God, there's a tribute to two witnesses. And that's where we are today. God's tribute and the and the work of the two witnesses. Revelation 11:3-4 says this, "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees. And the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord of the earth." You know, uh, for 1,260 days, these witnesses prophesied and then these witnesses are killed. But after they are killed and they lay dead for three and a half days, the book says God will say, come up here and they will come and they will stand and they will be glorified before Christ. But I think about in practical application, the witness of you and the witness of me, and I think about the people that I admire the most, and I think about people that are witnessing for Christ, like these two witnesses in the midst of sometimes incredible persecution, they never stopped witnessing for Jesus.
02:11 I think about Cassie Burnall and the awful shooting of Columbine. This girl's witness was so strong that one of these boys that terrorize the school, I'm sure couldn't wait to find her and to point his gun at her head, and he said, Cassie, do you believe in God? And she said, yes, I believe in God. And the next thing she saw was the face of Christ as I'm sure he welcomed her home. As these two witnesses are welcomed home after they are killed in this passage. I think about Tony Cimarusti, one of my heroes, a hedge fund manager in Detroit. In the midst of a very chaotic life in the dog eat dog cutthroat business world that he lives in. He witness for Jesus every single day. He makes money to give money to take to Christian causes. He lives his life to lead people to Christ, leading Bible Studies, leading people to Christ, discipling people at raising his four boys and loving his wife as Christ loved the church.
03:10 You know, Christian witnesses, to me without a doubt, are the most attractive people on Earth. 2 Timothy 4:1 says, be ready in season and out of season because you're witnessing whether you think you're witnessing or not every day of your life. You're not just wearing the colors of your school, but you're wearing the colors of Christ. And so my question for you today is this, what's your witness looking like? And knowing that you'll be wearing his colors. You'll be wearing his baseball cap, whether wearing his colors on your head or not. People are going to be seeing Christ. What's the picture that you want them to see of Jesus when they look at you? And may you be encouraged to be that witness every day of your life.
Saturday Sep 28, 2019
Saturday Sep 28, 2019
"How do you like your tea? Do you like it hot or do you like it iced? I don't know anyone who likes lukewarm tea, but I know a lot of people who love it hot and a lot of people who love with cold and I'm one of them that likes it either way."
Family Discussions:
- What do you need to do to take a lukewarm heart and to make it a heart that's unmistakably red hot for Jesus in your school, in your place of work, and in your family?
Transcription:
00:13 How do you like your tea? Do you like it hot or do you like it iced? I don't know anyone who likes lukewarm tea, but I know a lot of people who love it hot and a lot of people who love with cold and I'm one of them that likes it either way. Revelation chapter three verses 15 and 16, talks a little bit about being lukewarm. In fact, it has a lot to say about being lukewarm. John is writing under the inspiration of God through the voice of the angel and God is speaking firmly to the Church of Laodicea. But I believe he's speaking firmly to me and speaking firmly to you. And he says this, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot, but because you are lukewarm and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."
01:02 And I believe some of the translations say I will vomit you. I will regurgitate you out of my mouth. It's a foreboding passage, isn't it? I remember coaching at Texas A&M. We had a player and this player was something else. He was big. He was strong. He was fast. I mean he exceeded his peers by light years. But he wasn't hot, he wasn't cold, he was lukewarm. And he drove the coaches crazy cause he had so much talent. But he gave, it didn't give terrible effort. He just gave pretty good effort and I don't think he ever started, although he was good enough to go in and play in the national football league. And that's just a small slice of what I believe God is saying here. And if this passage makes you tremble, it makes me tremble too because just as it is with tea. Just as it is with a good Dr Pepper, you know, hot is good. Cold is good, but lukewarm is just is just awful.
02:02 And that's what God is saying about my life and your life in Christ. You know, I think one of the tragedies of Modern Day Christianity is the tragedy of being lukewarm. And unfortunately, I believe that most of the standard of most of the Christians who claim the name of Christ is to be just a little bit better than the world is. You know, if the world is PG thn we're going to be G. But when the world became PG 13, we became PG. And when the world became R rated, we became PG 13 rated. And when the rural became x-rated, we became R rated. That's exactly what God is saying here. Keeping up with the Joneses, you know, comparing myself to other people and thinking I'm righteous just because I'm a little bit better than the Pagan who doesn't know Christ at all. Well God's word is clear in this passage.
02:58 You know what a little of selfishness is too much. A little bit of greed is too much. You be hot, that's good. You be cold, then you'll be food for the devil. But you'd be lukewarm. And it literally gags God. And I don't know about you, but this scripture fires my engines and it causes me to look very firmly in the mirror and say, "Joe White, which one are you?" And I hope you're saying the same thing today. So the simple question today to discuss with yourself in prayer, to discuss with the people that are with you is where are you today? And what can you do? What do you need to do to take a lukewarm heart and to make it a heart that's unmistakably red hot for Jesus in your school, in your place of work, and in your family? What do you need to do to have a heart that's red hot for Jesus?
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
"If you're an OU fan - an Oklahoma University fan that is - in the last few years, you would probably join many others and say that your favorite player was Sam Bradford. What you would remember of Sam would be the touchdown pass every touchdown pass championship after championship. What you'll try to forget about Sam is the first play of his senior year when he was after yet another Heisman trophy."
Family Discussion:
- When the earthquakes around you at school or at work, or your marriage or in your family, what are you going to do to build a solid foundation under your feet?
Transcription:
00:14 I don't think there's anything more helpless than being in the middle of an earthquake. I've never been in one. But my friends in Haiti have. All the kids in the schools that we've gotten to adopt and take care of over the years. What a horrible thing it must have been to be in schools and watch those schools caving over their head. But I see so many people. I meet so many people who have earthquakes every single day and just like those schools that unfortunately because of their poverty, we're not built on solid foundations. So many friends that I have their lives are not built on a solid foundation. I'll watch them crumble and fall in sports and in Hollywood and in Wall Street and in schools all across this country. This verse right here should help if you feel like the earth is trembling under your feet today we're in first Peter Chapter two verse four through six.
01:04 Let this build a foundation for you. And it says this, this is awesome. It says, "and coming to him as a living stone, which has been rejected by man, but it's choice and precious in the sight of God. You also is living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, which is a Jesus Christ for it is contained in scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in him will not be disappointed." If you're an OU fan - an Oklahoma University fan that is - in the last few years, you would probably join many others and say that your favorite player was Sam Bradford. What you would remember of Sam would be the touchdown pass every touchdown pass championship after championship. What you'll try to forget about Sam is the first play of his senior year when he was after yet another Heisman trophy.
02:01 He gets injured the first game and can't play the whole year. But Sam had a foundation. He found that foundation at home. He found it in his church and he found it at Kanakuk Kamps as a teenager where he came to these Kamps. Sam had a foundation and he came back from that injury and he ends up becoming the number one draft choice that year in the NFL draft. And then if you're from Texas, probably one of your favorite player of recent years would be Colt McCoy. I met Colt as a sophomore at a college event and watch Colt humbly affirm his faith in Christ because his daddy had built a foundation. His family had built a foundation. His church had built a foundation under his feet and then did an event his senior year with Colt and watched this man grow and mature in Christ.
02:49 And once you walk out on that stage with 2000 students, admiring, not the guy who threw touchdown passes, but the guy who threw touchdown passes for God, literally that campus had changed in those four years. Uh, that Colt was there playing varsity football. And then in the championship game where the National Championship and the Heisman trophy was on the line and Colt gets hammered early in the game and a nerve is damaged in his shoulder and he can't play the rest of the game, lose the championship. And after the game they ask him, you know, how did he make it? He said how to make it. He said, my faith in God was unwavering cause Colt had a foundation under his feet and his foundation was Christ. And then my hero, Jim Welch. The guy who led me to Christ when I was a Kamper at Kanakuk Kamps. You know, one of the greatest speakers because he was just so on fire for God.
03:42 Harvard Grad, great man, great athlete. He picks up a hitchhiker and the hitchhiker slits his throat from ear to ear and cuts through his voice box. You could barely hear him speak, but what does he do? Does he give up? No, the best days of his life were after the hitchhiker that cut his throat. Just like the best days of Sam's life are the best days of Colt's life were after that because he had a foundation under his feet. And you know what the Scripture promises that in Christ, you can build that same foundation under your feet. And that's why we do these devotionals together every single day. This is the cornerstone of your life. And here's my question for you today. When the earthquakes around you at school or at work, or your marriage or in your family, what are you going to do to build a solid foundation under your feet? So that window earthquakes around you, you won't fall in the earthquake.