Author: Jimmy Hinton

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Be the change for good

man and woman carrying medicine and food labelled cardboard boxes behind a white van

There’s an old expression in the church that was used to sniff out supposed heretics. That term was “change agent.” Change agents refer to individuals who advocate for significant alterations in the church’s practices, beliefs, or structure and were accused of deviating from the church’s “norms” or traditions. The problem is that this term is incredibly subjective and many were over-labeling people as change agents when they simply were trying to do good for the kingdom.

There is nothing inherently wrong with change or doing new things, so long as they are in step with God’s commandments. God himself said, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 ESV). Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Renewal. Transformation. Change. These are all good things when they align with God’s good and perfect will. It’s our duty to seek and follow the will of God. Oftentimes even well-intentioned people follow their own desires, thinking it is God’s will when it is not. Following God’s will requires discipline and a vast amount of scripture reading and prayer. As Christians, we can be change agents for good! We can be transformed to become more like Christ. This is the change we should be after!

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Obedience to God brings blessing

a woman with gray veil holding a bible

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says, “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” God established his covenant with the people of Israel but the conditions of that covenant were that Israel obey God. As long as they obeyed, God promised to bless them and give them peace.

We know, however, that obedience wasn’t their forte. Even when Moses was on the mountain receiving the ten commandments, the Israelites were making gods out of their golden jewelry. The conditions for blessing, prosperity, and peace were simple yet the Israelites rebelled and brought destruction on their own heads.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. When Jesus gave the great commission to his disciples, he told them to go into all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). The commandments came with a promise: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (vs. 21). Blessing is followed by obedience. As Christians, we are required to be obedient to God. When we are, blessing follows.

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Jesus heals the blind man

portrait of a senior man sitting outdoors in bangladesh

John records a blind beggar whose eyes were healed by Jesus. The disciples asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). Their question is reminiscent of Job’s friends, who kept asking him what sin he committed that caused trouble to find him. Jesus’ answer is clear: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (vs. 3). Jesus said that they must all work the works of God while it is still day because night is coming when the work can’t be done. Then he concluded: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (vs. 5).

Jesus then anointed his eyes with spit and mud then had him wash in the pool of Siloam. The Pharisees called the man and relentlessly questioned him, insisting that he tell them where Jesus was and how he was able to heal him. The Pharisees argued with each other; some said that a sinner can’t heal others and others thought that he must be from God. Then they questioned the man again, asking what he thought about Jesus. He simply replied, “He is a prophet” (vs. 17). Unsatisfied with his answer, they called his parents to question them.

They called the man back and insisted that he label Jesus a sinner. His response was brilliant: “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (vs. 25). After questioning him more they cast him out of their presence in a fit of rage. When Jesus heard he was cast out, he went and found the man and asked him if he believes in the Son of Man. The man asked Jesus to show him who he is so he can believe in him and Jesus said the he was the Son of Man. The man replied, “Lord, I believe,” and worshiped Jesus. Sometimes bad things happen to us so the works of God can be revealed. How many times has this happened in our lives?

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Trust in the Lord

page of a holy bible in close up photography

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” The word Lord is the most frequently used word in all of the Bible. It appears between 7,000 and 8,000 times in the scriptures. One word. What if one word can shift our entire lives and outcome in everything we do?

The Lord’s personal name was revealed to Moses in the burning bush as “I am.” God is the beginning and the end. God made it clear that his name would be known throughout the Earth for all eternity. The Lord told Moses to speak to Aaron and his sons and bless the people of Israel this way: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.” And “so shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:24-27).

The Lord is saying that he will make his face shine upon them and that he will lift up his countenance (the same word for face) upon them. The Lord’s blessing means that he will look at them with his face with pleasure as one gazes into someone with whom they are well pleased. When we trust in the Lord in all that we do, his face shines upon us and he will make our paths straight!

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Living without anxiety

silhouette photo of woman against during golden hour

In an age that has been dominated by social media and just plain busyness, we’re reminded of the life God really wants for his people. Studies show that the most affected people are young people (ages 18-25). There are many factors, including pressure to succeed academically, current events and global uncertainty, economic stress, and pressures of higher education.

Jesus warned people not to let anxiety get the best of them: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). He reminded them about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and how God cares for them. But we are far more valuable, so God will care for us even more. Then he asked one of the most important questions: “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (vs. 27).

The answer is nobody! There is no added value to the quality of life or any added longevity that comes by worrying. It’s natural to worry when times are tough. But Jesus reminded us that we are valued by God and God will take care of us. He concluded, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (vs. 33). All of us need this reminder and we need to teach others to seek God above all else.

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Ask and it will be given

silhouette image of person praying

Jesus preached a lengthy sermon to a large crowd, famously named “the sermon on the mount.” As the people gathered, he began preaching and, while we have a portion of it recorded, he likely preached for hours. When he discussed the topic of prayer, he said, “ASk, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 ESV). He reinforced this by saying, “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks it will be opened” (vs. 8).

Remember that his audience was not made up of affluent people. The crowds who followed Jesus were often poor, hungry, diseased, and were outcasts. More than likely lots of his followers had prayed in faith but still lacked food, clothing, shelter, and health. We know this because many times Jesus attributed healing to their great faith. An important theme that is directly tied to prayer is “never give up.” Persistent prayer is vital for people of faith.

In fact, Jesus told a parable of the widow who kept begging the unjust judge for justice. Eventually he relented. Jesus’ point was this: “And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” (Luke 18:7). Jesus said that God will “give justice to them speedily.” Jesus set the example for us by praying day and night. He often withdrew to lonely places to pray. Prayer was a discipline–part of his daily spiritual diet.

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Lifting up the fallen

man in black leather jacket and black pants sitting on concrete stairs

James says that “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27 ESV). Religion really isn’t that complicated, but it is challenging. To care for the “fallen,” those who have lost so much and are afflicted, is a daunting undertaking. We often think of religion as our worship service itself, but this isn’t how religion is defined by James. Religion is how we care for the vulnerable.

Consider these passages: “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” (Psalm 68:5). “He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18). “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:17). Throughout the entire Bible, God cares for the orphans and widows and expects His people to do the same.

In Luke 7, Jesus enters a small village called Nain (which means pleasant or beautiful). There he finds a widow whose only son died. As the bearers carried the bier, Jesus touched it and said, “Young man, I say to you, arise” (Luke 7:14). The peopled glorified God and great fear seized them. This story highlights Christ’s compassion on the widows. We may not be able to bring people back from the dead, but we certainly can have compassion on people who are struggling.