Watts' Words

The story of Jesus and the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus is found in two passages of scripture, Luke 10 and John 12.   Interestingly, Martha is seen doing the same thing in John 12 as she does in Luke 10, she is serving.   However, as previously noted, after the encounter of Luke 10 where she had a “Fresh Encounter” in the words of Jesus she served the crowd in John 12 with no complaining.   This is an important note for us today because we live in a “culture of complaining.”   Last week a Sunday School class was giving a report about their ministry outside of the ‘four-walls-of-the church’ and we heard that people complained.   Certainly, the world teaches us how to complain and we can be good learners!   However, a “Fresh Encounter” could well change you from being a chronic complainer to being focused on serving Jesus with a whole heart. Also interesting is knowing that Mary is found in the same place doing the same thing as she did during th...

Walk into the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (we literally did last Sunday).   Each of these three experienced a “Fresh Encounter” with Jesus that ‘changed their lives!’   This is true of EVERYONE who has an “Encounter with Jesus.”   Today, on this Tuesday before we gather for the weekend where we seek God for a “Fresh Encounter”, consider “Martha.”   She is known as a person of service.   She does much.   Every time the family needs something ‘done’, Martha is the girl.   She puts muscle and action to whatever is needed.   She is like many today; to see a need or a task that needs doing is to respond, do, work, and act.   Such was the life of Martha in Luke 10.   However again like so many, there is a dark side of Martha; she demands everyone do ‘like she does’ and if they don’t, she complains!   Martha might fit well in the 21 st century culture because it would seem that we live in a “Culture of Complaining.” ...

Recently I read that a call from God was like a 'telephone' ringing, our Lord calls and we answer and listen.  When Jesus saw the four fishermen, his call was very simple.  All He said was, "Follow Me."   While the call was indeed a simple call, the response was more difficult.  Peter and Andrew left their boats and nets, James and John left their "Father, boats, nets, and his hired help", and later on scripture recorded that Matthew left his lucrative accounting business (tax collecting).  Following Christ will always mean leaving 'something.'  While this is not a popular message and certainly one that is less than palatable, it is certain a scriptural part of the call of Christ. His callings extend to every part of our lives.  He calls us to SALVATION - in other words to be saved.  This call, in and of itself, is a call to leave one life and take on another.  Following Christ means a change of our entire life and direction, a repenta...

A couple of years ago I was in Mobile, Alabama, for the state Pastor’s Conference and was struck by the truth in a video presented by one of the speakers.   As an introduction to his message, one speaker used a clip from a man named Penn Jillette.   Admittedly I live a sheltered life so I had never heard of the magician team of “Penn and Tiller” nor did I realize who it was ‘on the screen’ when Penn’s name was mentioned and his face appeared.   Yet, the words this avowed atheist spoke still echoes in my soul Penn told the story of a man, a “Gideon”, giving him, an atheist, a New Testament.   It seems that because of the way this Gideon presented himself; Penn was very affected by the meeting.     First, the Gideon was very complimentary of the show and it was noted that this was stated in a truly authentic way.   Next, the Gideon was very nice to Penn; a fact that Penn mentioned no less than twice. Next, the Gideon looked Penn in the...

In the 26 th chapter of 2 Chronicles is an intriguing and informative story about a King named Uzziah.  Uzziah was named King when he was only 16 years old and he reigned for 52 years.  Here’s the big news; Uzziah was blessed by God, enjoyed the touch of God on his life (and Kingdom) as well as was successful as long as he sought the Lord!  This was seemed to indicate that ‘when he no longer sought the Lord then he would no longer be blessed by God or be successful.’ The scripture gives a picture of Uzziah’s rise to power, his development of far-reaching power, and even his fall from power.  Because of his past victories, the power of his military, and the force of his power, Uzziah, slowly but surely, became someone who the Lord God would no longer bless. As a young man and a rookie King, he surrounded himself with great counselors because he knew he needed help.  However, as the victories came and his successes became many, he became too strong for God...

Our culture and country is in need.   A degree in finance is not required to recognize that we are in a financial crisis, nor is a degree in Law Enforcement is required to know we have a crime problem, nor is a degree is ethics required to clearly understand that the USA has a pervasive problem with ethics.   Yet, all of these stated problems are not the ‘root cause’ of the disintegration of this country, culture, and community.   Finance, crime, and ethics, are but symptoms of the true problem.   If we Americans can ‘man-up’ and ‘face-up’ to the real, deep-seated problem of our culture, then there is hope for the culture that we have come to know and love.   On the other hand, if we are unable to ‘face the music’ and seek the genuine answer, then we may not survive as a country and culture.   What’s required is a spiritual awakening which changes the cultural landscape.   Let me offer a thought from history.   Recently, I read the following...

Simon was a church leader.  He may have been a deacon, Sunday school teacher, or some other officer.  He had a party for all of his church leader friends.  The guest list was quite small.  But, as is recorded in Luke 7, Simon invited Jesus.   Simon is termed a Pharisee in the Bible.  The reason he and all his Pharisee friends wanted to have a quiet, intimate, and personal meal with Jesus is open for much discussion.  Did they want to get to know Jesus or were their motives less than honorable?  This is a question which has to be asked because it was the Pharisees who, only a short time later, were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.  But that story will have to wait because there’s a party going on and Jesus is the guest of honor! When all of the invited guests arrived, things got a little interesting.  An uninvited woman came in and stood behind Jesus.  It seems she was known by the host because in his mind he calle...

Before the modern times of ‘civility’, a country that was defeated in a war might well have their population removed from their homeland and carried to the foreign land that had won the war.  The people who were relocated would become slaves of their captors.  Such was the case with the Jewish nation as recorded in scripture.  In 722BC, the Northern Nation of Israel was captured by the Assyrians under Sargon and around 586BC; the Southern land of Judah was captured by the Babylonian under Nebuchadnezzar.  Many of the people who were taken into captivity were never heard from again.  They were lost to either genocide or cultural absorption. After almost 70 years in Babylon, the people of God were getting homesick.  From an unnamed writer we read a report in Psalms 137 of how these people felt.  It reads, “By the waters of Babylon, we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. There we hung our harp on a willow tree, for our captors there ask us fo...

Super Sunday!!  The word evokes a vision of ‘football’, ‘championship’, and all the trimmings.  Yet, Creation Sunday and Resurrection Sunday are two of the “SUPEREST” Sundays in human history.  There is one more Super Sunday to consider.  Think about it this way; If your house were to catch on fire in the middle of the night and you awakened to discover that your only exit route was blocked by a raging inferno and the heat was so intense that your skin began to blister and you noticed your closet was momentarily safe from this inferno - so you entered the closet closing the door behind you.  Candidly, whether from the fire or smoke inhalation, your fate would be sealed and you would soon recognize your dilemma.  To continue this horrendous picture, think about the possibility of this difficult demise. Now, all of a sudden the closet door swings open and you are rescued by a brave fireman in protective gear. You have now been rescued from certain deat...

Although I lost interest in the Super Bowl this year, one must admit that Super Bowl Sunday always evokes much hype, interest, and money.  Many call this Super Sunday. Can you really imagine the atmosphere surrounding that first “Super Sunday” which I submit to be “Creation Sunday.”  God said, “Let there be”—and there was!  Genesis 1 goes on to reveal that on the 6 th day, “God created man.”  Here is the best news; God created man in HIS OWN IMAGE, blew into man the BREATH OF LIFE, and MAN BECAME A LIVING SOUL.  Mankind was different from the animals God had created because man has a soul, a mind, and the ability to commune with God. God’s creation was so perfect that He announced it “GOOD”.  Yet, in mankind God gave the ability to make a ‘decision.’  Adam and Eve could either “follow God wisdom through obedience” or “follow their own wisdom through disobedience.”  Sadly, they chose the latter by breaking the one rule God had given them....

The Packers did it again on February 6, 2011, the WON THE SUPER BOWL.  (Actually, I lost interest that year after the Saints went down.  That’s my confession for the day). Each year, Super Bowl Sunday is a day of high energy, high publicity, and in some cases, high drama.  But whatever the day happens to bring, millions upon millions of people are glued to this event and publicists have a field day with high price ads.  Because of the ‘hype’, all are drawn into the “Super Sunday” frenzy. However, I submit there are, at least, three days in history and life that eclipse this special day. First is “Creation Sunday”.  This is the day that God began to work on His divine idea of creation.  His first creation was not mankind or sky or earth, it was light.  He said, “Let there be” and there was.  We should make a note that He didn’t have to ‘create darkness’ because darkness has always been and always will be.  Darkness is the absence of l...

The old adage says, “You never stop learning & growing until you’re in the ground.”  As true as that may be, by our human nature we are sometimes tempted to get a bit complacent with ‘who we are’ and ‘what we are’ which results in a comfortable but stagnant life.  Yes, we get through life but somehow the passion just leaves us.  Arguably, our rationale is our age has stolen our passion when, in fact, our lack of passion comes from our lack of growing and reaching our potential.  Please consider three qualities or attributes which point us in the direction that the Bible teaches us to go. First, become an encourager.  This world, country, and culture need encouragers in a big way.  Quite honestly, were it left to me; I would put out the word that there exists no openings in this society for criticizers.  (All those positions seem to be taken - GRIN).  Becoming an encourager will change the environment in which you live.  People will...

It would seem that in the last years we have enjoyed one of the best ‘competitive’ times in all college football history.   Football, at any level, would not be possible without a ‘rule book.’   While the rules (and the man in the striped shirts) sometimes get on the nerves of the us ‘fans’, we all agree that a game with ‘rules’ is more fun and productive than the anarchy which would prevail with no rules. This thought has caused me to think about the game “of life” and the rule book for life.   The Bible says, “ All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”   I suggest that if God has inspired a book that is good for ‘teaching, training, correcting, and even rebuking, then perhaps that is, indeed, THE RULE BOOK for life. Many would claim that the Bible IS their rule book and that they base their lives on the...