July 2020 - ToddShupe.com

2020-07-212023-09-11

Do We Realize Who Is With Us?

“… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NIV).

Some of the rotten “fruit” of the enemy is fear and doubt. If we truly stopped and contemplated who is always with us, then fear would be defeated. Eventually, Jesus will return, and the enemy will be destroyed along with all of his weapons of spiritual warfare. In the meantime, we can exercise our free will to live in the dark or live in the light. The darkness is scary because our own vision is useless. I have always believed that we can learn something from everyone that we meet. Blind people each day are walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). If we chose to walk in the light, we are walking with Jesus. John 8:12 teaches us, “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

So, what is the right next step here? How do we actually walk with Jesus? We use our free will and our mouth and heart and declare Him our Lord. Paul teaches us in Romans 10:9-10, “… if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

So, how do we walk with Jesus? We stay in the Word. The Word became flesh when Jesus came (John 1:14). The Word remains with us in the form of the Holy Bible. The Pslamist writes in Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The Bible is an instructional manual for daily living. Note, the emphasis on daily living. God wants us to live for today and enjoy the blessings of today. Yes, we are to plan for tomorrow but not worry about tomorrow. Do you recall the words of Jesus when instructing his disciples how to pray? “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Please note the focus is on this day and not this week or this year. Now, check out the Scripture at the top of this blog from Matthew 28:20. Jesus is promising His disciples that he will be with them always. That promise and invitation is still valid for you and me – this day and every day.

Prayer: Dear God: When we live in the flesh, we walk using our eyes and do what is right in our own eyes. Help us dear Lord, to always seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. Thank you for loving us, walking with us, and being the Light that we so desperately need. Please continue to shape us as you are the potter and we are the clay. We could not be in any better hands. Amen

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Evil Can Occur During Church

“So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me”

(Romans 7:21 NIV).

I am angry about the continued shootings at our churches. Our churches are God’s house on earth. Psalm 46:1 teaches us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). I think we can substitute “church” for “God” in the scripture. As Christians we seek out His refuge and strength, particularly on Sunday mornings as we gather with the Body of Christ. This is a special, holy, sacred time. It should also be a safe time.

I understand that since the beginning “sin has been crouching at our doors” (Genesis 4:7). The Psalmist later wrote, “…Their evil imaginations have no limits (Psalm 73:7).

I stand on the words of Paul in Romans 12:9, and “hate what is evil and cling to what is good.” I hate church shootings (and school shootings, mass shootings, and all shootings). These attacks are pure evil and cowardly. A strong church (and strong families) are the greatest threat to the enemy and attacks on both are evidence that the both pose a serious threat to his plan.

So, “I cling to what is good.” I pray blessings for all those impacted in all shootings, including the victims, the entire congregation, family and friends of victims, and the pastor. I know that I am also called to pray for the shooter. We are taught in 1 Peter 3:9, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” On my own, I simply cannot pray for the shooters, but “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). So, with His help, I pray for the shooters too. They have sinned, but so have I.

All sin is detestable to God. The late Rev. Billy Graham was asked if all sins are equal in God’s eyes. His response follows. “It is always difficult and dangerous to attempt to list sins according to their degree of seriousness. In one sense, all sins are equal in that they all separate us from God. The Bible’s statement, “For the wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23), applies to all sin, whether in thought, word, or deed.

At the same time, it seems obvious that some sins are worse than others in both motivation and effects, and should be judged accordingly. Stealing a loaf of bread is vastly different than exterminating a million people. Sins may also differ at their root.

However, remember that whether our sins are relatively small or great, they will place us in hell apart from God’s grace. The good news is that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and the sins of the whole world at the Cross. If we will repent and turn to Jesus in faith, our sins will be forgiven, and we will receive the gift of eternal life.”

My church is now making plans for an active shooter situation. I am saddened that time and resources that could be spent on evangelism and missions are being spent on this, but I know it is necessary. Please pray for our churches. It really is important.

Prayer: Dear God, Please protect us at church and everywhere we go. Amen.

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The True Meaning of Salvation

The True Meaning Of Salvation

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12 NIV).

I had heard the term salvation for years, but was not entirely clear of its meaning. I have come to understand that salvation is “deliverance from danger or suffering.” To save is to deliver or protect. The word carries the idea of victory, health or preservation. Sometimes, the Bible uses the words “saved” or “salvation” to refer to temporal, physical deliverance — such as St. Paul’s deliverance from prison (Philippians 1:19).

Salvation is God’s gracious gift to us. Ephesians 2:8 teaches us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

St. Paul describes salvation in Romans 3:23-24: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

So what is it then to be justified? This means God treats us as if we were righteous. It is imperative that we remember that our righteousness comes from our faith in God and not our obedience to the Law (Philippians 3:9).

Jesus retreated from the crowds to find rest for Himself and His disciples. According to Mark 6:31, “Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.’” God wants us to life a joy-filled life. He also wants us to show His love to others. He realizes that we can do neither if we are worn out. If we recognize the true importance of our bodies as indicated in 1 Cor. 6:19-20, then rest seems more essential than a luxury. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

Moreover, St. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8, “it’s by His grace.” It has nothing to do with me; we are saved by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Redemption is simply a ransom that’s been paid for our sin and all of this is His free gift to us. Jesus equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-26). We are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.

We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel — the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe — fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19) and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13). Then as part of the Body of Christ, our service flows. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26) so I encourage you to accept this free gift and life everlasting. Stay in the Word and the Word will stay in you! Be blessed.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the free gift of salvation due to the Blood of Jesus. Amen.

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Grace Upon Grace: An Exploration Of God’s Love And How To Receive It

“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace”

(Romans 6:14 ESV).

We are created with a deep need to be loved. There are two radically different kinds of love: conditional and unconditional. Conditional love involves bargaining and there are conditions that we must meet in order to receive love from others. Such conditional living is exhausting, involving a treadmill of constant doing in order to earn and maintain love.

Unconditional love is radically different, involving a conversion of our motives. The Christian dynamic is “not that we loved God, but that He loved us” (1 John 4:10). Unconditional love is a gift in which the initiative is God’s — and not ours. Human love always expects something in return, yet God’s love does not. Grace is the name for God’s incredible love. God loves us because of who God is; not because of who we are or what we have done.

There is nothing we can do to earn or lose God’s grace. It is freely given. In fact, God has given us an abundance of grace. “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). This grace is so large that “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:35-39). This is astonishing, and I encourage you to pause and think about this.

Now that we have received God’s grace, what is our response? First, never let your hearts be troubled. Be confident and courageous and know that God’s favor is upon you. Second, extend grace to others. A few examples are teaching Sunday school, be involved in Christian service, give a full tithe to your church, pray for your pastor and the church, witness your faith and be engaged in the Bible daily and show compassion to the hungry.

Whenever you help the poor, incarcerated, homeless, and marginalized, you are helping our Lord. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40). Go with the knowledge and confidence that God’s grace is forever upon you. Be blessed.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for pouring out grace upon grace upon us even though we do not deserve it. Help us to realize that Your grace is not to kept to ourselves but to share with others. Amen.

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The Great Question: Where Is God?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV, emphasis added).

The Bible teaches us that self-control is essential to living a Christian life. We must exercise our self-control or we become controlled by our weakness. Our weakness may be food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. The enemy knows our weakness better than we do ourselves and will encourage us to go to it rather than God in times of need. Our lives can soon be dominated by our weakness and we are living completely in the flesh rather than in the Spirit. Self-control is the very essence of “dying to self” and living in righteousness with God. Our righteousness cannot — and will not ever — come from ourselves, but only as a means of grace from God as a result of totally surrendering yourself to His will and becoming His disciple.

If you are struggling with self-control, then first begin with prayer and ask God for His help. Then, go into the Bible and study and memorize some particular verses that speak to you and your particular situation.

For me, my go-to verse in times when my patience is growing thin is Proverbs 29:11. It reads in part, “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.” We must remember that all wisdom comes from God. So how does one obtain wisdom? James 1:5 tells us, ^“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

The exercise of self-control will not only keep us away from our temptations but will allow us to be a powerful witness for God. You may ask, “How can I be a good witness for God by exercising self-control?” The best witness is one who demonstrates his faith with his actions. St. Francis of Assisi encouraged people to speak the gospel wherever they go and use words when necessary.

Self-control will allow you to remain silent when verbally attacked. It will allow you to respond with love when confronted with hate. Self-control will also keep you pure when you are alone. Self-control will also keep you sane in times of great adversity, such as a flooded home, divorce or loss of a family member. We freely and willingly yield control of ourselves to God and instead of worrying about what will happen, we stand steadfast in His promise of Romans 8:28. The passage reads, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Self-control does not mean that we are to go it alone. Life is tough and we need fellow Christians for the journey. We need accountability groups that are small, honest and safe so we can be vulnerable and encouraging to each other. Christ encouraged us to come to Him with our burdens and He will give us rest. Read Matthew 11 and then fasten your yoke to a friend!

Prayer: Dear God, May the Fruit of self control be a blessing to us and a witness to others of Your grace. Amen.

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Significance of ‘Sheep and Goats’ Passage

“He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (Matthew 25:33 NIV).

I have talked to many Christians who believe they are destined for heaven because they have been a good person, attended church, contributed money and even helped their neighbor a few times and participated in committee meetings at church. They are essentially saying that they have “earned” their way into heaven. They may admit to believing in some sort of “higher power” and call themselves “spiritual.” They may even know some Scripture regarding God’s love and the miracles performed by Jesus. My heart goes out to these people because they are deceived.

This notion that Jesus will accept everybody into heaven is false. On Earth, He calls us into a relationship with him. He offers His yoke to carry our burden. He offers the living water from Jacob’s well. He even offered His own body for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus told us that no one comes to the Father except through Him.

The Bible instructs us in Matthew 7:13-14,“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” I believe the life that He is referring to is a life in Christ in which He dwells in us and we in Him. We no longer seek earthly pleasures but rather seek to build His kingdom on earth. We find a peace that surpasses all understanding and are content in all circumstances. To truly accept Jesus we are called to “die to self.” This means our old self-centered desires are gone and we now have an outward focus to our desires. We are seeking His face and acting as His hands and feet.

In my opinion, the heart of the Gospel is Matthew 25. This contains three parables and all are warnings to us. The last parable is that of “The Sheep and the Goats.” This parable is rarely preached in church, but is essential for those seeking to enter His kingdom. Some may argue that all they have to do is proclaim their allegiance to God as Paul writes to the Romans in 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Paul is teaching that we must confess our belief in God to be saved. As a “saved” person we do not have automatic access to Heaven. Please consider James 2:14-17: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Now, some of you may be thinking, I thought that we could not earn our way into heaven. That is exactly correct. Your good deeds for your church and neighbor will not earn your way into heaven. Heaven is reserved for those that (1) have accepted Jesus as their Lord and (2) have headed His call to feed His sheep. Jesus told His disciples in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” We know from Scripture that God is love so if we love one another we truly have the Holy Spirit in us and are living in Christ. We feed the poor, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned not to curry favor with God but as a natural manifestation of our love for Christ and therefore our love for our fellow man.

Below is perhaps the heart of the gospel. The parable of the sheep and the goats is from Matthew 25:31-46.

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?’³⁸When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? ³⁹When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?”

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’”

⁴¹“Then He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’”

⁴⁴“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’”

⁴⁵“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’”

⁴⁶“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Prayer: Dear God, May we never deny the opportunity to show Your face to our brothers and sisters. Amen.

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Finding the Fruits of the Spirit

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:25-276 KJV).

I love to watch St. Louis Cardinals baseball games on television. I played little league baseball but knew at a very young age that I would never play professional baseball at any level. I simply did not have the talent. It was not “in” me. I had the gift of a strong arm. However, it was not the strongest by far and when combined with an average glove, below average speed, and a weak bat, the pro scouts surprisingly did not come to my games.

Many of us are familiar with the Scripture from Galatians 5:22-23 that describes the fruits of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-26 NIV). This Scripture was important because Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor. Paul’s letter was targeting the first real controversy that plagued the church in its early years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s wanted the people to embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. The fruits of the Spirit will always be essential for unity and peaceful living.

The fruits of the Spirit are “in” all of us. Yes, some of them may be more developed than others. However, all fruits are the product of growth. We cultivate our fruit trees in order to maximize the yield of fruit. Similarly, we should cultivate our spiritual lives to increase our fruit of the Spirit. We are custodians of our Spiritual fruit, and the best thing we can do with it is to use it to build up the body of Christ. We can’t give what we don’t have, but we can help all of our Spiritual fruits advance to the next stage of maturity. Below are some tips on how to do this.

Love — We can sift every thought, word, and action through the filter of “Is it loving?”
Joy — We can be the source of smiles, laughter, and appreciation.
Peace — We can fill the atmosphere with our own sense of peace, a calm amid the chaos, so
Self-control — We can commit ourselves to no outbursts, no irritating reports.
Kindness — We can shower others with affirmation, encouraging the flickering candle of their best selves to burn more brightly.
Goodness — We can focus on the positives, rather than the faults, of those around us.
Faithfulness — We can be true to the blessed values of the Christmas season.
Gentleness — We can give our full attention to each person, one at a time, not omitting even the most troublesome

Prayer: Dear God: Please help us to cultivate and use our fruits of the Spirit so that wherever we go others will be attracted to our light and come to understand that our light is yours. All glory and honor is yours. Amen.

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Do We Realize Who Is With Us?

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Evil Can Occur During Church

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The True Meaning Of Salvation

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Grace Upon Grace: An Exploration Of God’s Love And How To Receive It

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The Great Question: Where Is God?

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Significance of ‘Sheep and Goats’ Passage

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Finding the Fruits of the Spirit

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