Al Jennings II

Let's Get Out There!

Mark 2:15    Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.)  16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” 

Mark 2:17    When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

 

Jesus hung out with the type of people that the religious leaders did not think he should be hanging with. It's time that the church takes a serious look at Jesus's method of ministry. He clearly was an out of the box thinker. While the religious crowd spent almost all their time with each other, Jesus spent time with disreputable people. And the Pharisees didn't have a clue about why. But Jesus told them that healthy people don't need a doctor; sick people do. That was a foreign concept to the religious leaders of that day. They didn't eat with sinners and had no idea why they should. 

Sadly, there are still people in the body of Christ who don't spend very much time around the people who need the Lord in their life. How are we going to change the world if we don't spend time with the world. We can spend time in the world with the world and not be of the world. Does that make sense? Jesus said that we should be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). But saw doesn't do any good inside of the salt shaker. We are supposed to be the light of the world. Let's get out and shine our light on those who are living in darkness. Let's show them how a life with Jesus will make them free. 

Jesus told them that he didn't come to call those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. We need to get out among people who need the Lord and let them see how we live, not just what we talk about. Eventually, there will be those who want what you have and you will be able to disciple them and lead them to a ministry where they can be fed the Word of God. Let's get out there!

In Trouble? Heartbroken? God's Got Your Back!

Psa. 34:15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. 16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. 17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 

When you fear the Lord and do what is right in His sight, God will hear you when you call out to Him for mercy. If you need God to help you today, just call on Him and ask Him to help you, and He will. It's that simple. If you're in trouble, He will rescue you and bring you out. When you are brokenhearted or emotionally crushed, the Lord will hold you close and comfort you. Always know that God has your back!

Keys to a long & prosperous life

Psa. 34:11 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. 12 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? 13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! 14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

Here are some keys to living a long prosperous life

1. Speak good things

2. Tell the truth

3. Do good (be a doer of God's Word)

4. Seek and follow after peace

 

Simple isn't it. Some of the most profound things in life are simple.

 

Rest and Refreshing

Here's a story that illustrates how taking the time to refresh yourself will result ultimately in increased productivity and effectiveness. It will help the overall quality of your work to improve greatly.

The story is about two men who were racing each other to see which one could saw down their tree the fastest. We'll call them Charlie and Bob for the sake of discussion. As they began to race, both began to make significant progress. But all of the sudden, Charlie took a break from cutting his tree. But Bob would never take any breaks. He would continue to go after it, fast and furious. He went nonstop without taking any rest at all. On the other hand, Charlie continued to take his breaks at regular intervals. But Bob continued relentlessly without any breaks.

All of the sudden, Charlie's tree came tumbling down. He had won the race! In the meanwhile, Bob was still sawing away, but his tree had still not come down. Bob was puzzled as to why he didn't win. Because he knew that Charlie took breaks and he didn't. Bob actually had put more reps in with his saw.

So why did Charlie beat Bob? What was his secret? When Charlie took his periodic pauses, he  sharpened his saw! And for that reason, when he did resume his work, he was more effective because he was cutting with a sharpened saw. Bob on the other hand, was hard at work and never stopped sawing. But he was sawing with a dull saw. While Bob worked harder, Charlie worked smarter.

When you don't take the time to rest, you can keep going and going and going. But what will invariably happen is that you will be cutting with a dull saw. But if you take time off and rest on a regular basis, you will increase your effectiveness and productivity. You will be more focused and alert. You will handle your work with more precision and efficiency. You will think more clearly and be laser sharp. You will make better judgments and decisions.

So take at least a day off a week to relax and refresh yourself. Step away from all your work, you're not that important. The world will be there when you get back..

Taking time to rest is challenging for me because I love my work so much. So I get myself in situations where I'm thinking that I'm cutting with a sharp saw, but unbeknownst to me, I'm really working in actuality with a dull blade. It's not something I'm consciously aware of, but I have to consciously purpose to make myself aware. But I really don't want to have to think about or remember to do it on a regular basis. So what do I do? I'm going to consult with my wife (she is my helper by the way) and pick a day that will be my day off. It's not going to be easy, but I must discipline myself on that day not to do any physical work and to take my mind off of work. If you're doing this already, great. But if you're not, I encourage you to get started.

This blog is for me, but I'll let you in on it: REST!

Ex. 31:16 The people of Israel must keep the Sabbath day by observing it from generation to generation. This is a covenant obligation for all time.  17 It is a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.’”

Although we are not under the law of Moses, there are certain principles that were included in the law that didn't originate with the law and are good for us today. One of those is the Sabbath principle.  the Sabbath rest principle was incorporated into the law, but it did not originate with the law. It is a principle that God instituted after He finished creating this world.

Gen. 2:2 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.  3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. 

Even God took a day off to rest. To me, that's deep. So you mean to tell me that God needs rest? According to the Scriptures he does. If God took a day off to rest and be refreshed, who do we think we are (or as I should say, who do I think I am) that we don't need to refresh ourselves. When you refresh yourself you increase your effectiveness. Tomorrow in my next blog, I'll share with you a story that illustrates this.

Time and Knowledge

In the previous generation, the components for success and wealth was land, labor and capital. Today, the criteria for success and wealth is time and knowledge. Gain the knowledge you need to do fulfill your purpose and use your time wisely.

Fess up when you sin

 Psa. 32:1     Oh, what joy for those 

whose disobedience is forgiven, 

whose sin is put out of sight! 

2  Yes, what joy for those 

whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, 

whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 

3  When I refused to confess my sin, 

my body wasted away, 

and I groaned all day long. 

4  Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. 

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 

Interlude

Psa. 32:5     Finally, I confessed all my sins to you 

and stopped trying to hide my guilt. 

I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” 

And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 

Interlude

Psa. 32:6     Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, 

that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. 

7  For you are my hiding place; 

you protect me from trouble. 

You surround me with songs of victory. 

Interlude

Psa. 32:8     The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. 

I will advise you and watch over you.  

Listen, when you sin don't try to deny it or cover it up. That will only make things worse. Sin means disobedience to God or missing the mark of God. Confess your sin to God, and He will forgive you. But you first have to acknowledge your sin. Then, you must repent. Repent means to turn from the sin. Many try to move on prematurely without bringing closure on their sin.   

When you sin, the only way you're going to be free is to:

1. Acknowledge your sin

2. Confess your sins to God (I John 1:9)

3. Repent or turn from your sin

This is the only way you can move on. 

 

God won't abandon you!

Psa. 27:10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. 

No matter who leaves you; the Lord won't! He will never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5)!

Hangin out in Jax Beach

Here's a photo I took from my phone while I was walking the pier. This week I'm seeking some vision clarity. I miss my family, members, and friends; but not the weather. Although, I understand it's pleasant back at the Fort.

God's Goodness is Stored Up for You

Psa. 31:19   How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. 20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. 

23  Love the LORD, all you godly ones! For the LORD protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. 

Do you fear the Lord? Godly fear doesn't have anything to do with being scared of God. God doesn't want you to be afraid of Him in that sense. It means having a wholesome dread of displeasing Him. Do you have that? Ok, great! If you do, then get ready for His goodness that He's ready to pour out on you. And He's not going to do it just a little, but He's going to lavish it on you in abundance. Lavish means to bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities upon. It also means to cover something thickly. That's what God wants to do for you. And He's going to do it in front of the world's watching eye, including your critics and enemies. He goes on to say that He will hide you in the treasure of His presence. 

Love God and be loyal to Him, and He will protect you and return His favor to you in a big way.