Author: Aaron Hufty

Aaron Hufty is the Associate Pastor for Worship and Music at FBCSA.

Wise Time

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day two)

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

The key phrase in this Pauline Proverb has to be “do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” When you work with people as long as I have, you quickly discover that not everyone is designed the same. We are all uniquely called and qualified to work out our salvation in the way we were created to accomplish it. This can be frustrating for some. We can fall into a trap of trying to be like Brother A or Sister B. We can listen to sermons on what your time management  “should” look like. There are tools that help people manage the chaos of life, to be sure. I have used, and subscribe to a few currently myself. However, they are ways that help me manage what the Lord has given me; but the ultimate authority on my calling is the Lord. If you want to invest in ways to budget your time, I would encourage you, first, to turn to scripture; turn to prayer. There is a wise use of your time, and trusting the Lord to help you navigate the moment by moment and the big picture puzzles is foundational to that wisdom.

Great Care

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day two)

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. v. 1

Do you remember, as a child, visiting a fancy store, or someone’s house that had really nice things, and your parents warning you not to touch, or to take great care not to break or damage anything? There may have been a fear of having to pay if something was damaged, or that we wouldn’t be able to replace the item. Regardless, we learned to treat other people’s property with great care. This is a great reminder as we begin our stewardship study. The psalmist clearly states that everything belongs to the Lord, and therefore we must manage it with great care. The Lord has given us the responsibility to steward his creation, and we must do what we can to care for things that belong to him.

Long-Expected?

Re:Verse passage – Luke 7:18-35 (day two)

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ v. 33-34

At the beginning of our passage this week, John’s disciples ask the question of Jesus that continues to follow him today. “Are you the long-expected one?” Jesus’ declaration of his Lordship also came with a warning: The Messiah will never be what you expect him to be. With John he was too ascetic; Jesus was too worldly. People will say they are looking for something, but their criteria is often too narrow. How can you conceive of a savior? A King who welcomes all to redemption. Is there a man holy enough, or one who will connect with every sinner? We will get it wrong every time when we try to construct God in our image. It can’t work; and if we are honest with ourselves, we wouldn’t want it to work that way. Jesus continued to meet people, to love them, to call them to righteousness through himself. Jesus is the only one who never disappoints. The long wait is over. Jesus has come.

As Was His Custom

Re:Verse passage – Luke 4:14-30 (day two)

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. v. 16

I referenced this verse in the Re:Vlog yesterday, and I want to re-visit it today. As we stand on the dawn of the new year, this passage serves as an excellent reminder to recommit to gathering together as the body of Christ each and every week. So much of what we do as a fellowship is outwardly focused, and rightly so. We are called to make disciples, to go and tell, to spread the good news. Jesus reminds us that we are also called to a local body of believers. We gather together (REGULARLY) to glorify God and to equip one another for the work we are called to do outside the walls of the church. Jesus demonstrated that this practice of worship was not abrogated by his work in the streets, towns, and countrysides. Rather, it was an opportunity to honor God the Father. In all things, let us strive to be more like Jesus.

Bloodline

Re:Verse passage – Luke 2:4-7; 3:23, 31-34, 38 (day two)

…the son of God. v. 3:38b

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve! I am hopeful that each and every one of you are blessed sharing the blessing of the season with those close to you.  The message and hope of Jesus is meant to be shared, because it is our purpose to help everyone recognize they were created to love and serve the Lord. To see the lineage of Jesus is an incredible testament that reminds us that families matter. More than that, we are reminded we have all been grafted into the family of God to be made joint heirs with Jesus. The hope of Jesus is not limited to those in his ancestral bloodline. We can all claim that heritage because of his shed blood. This week, may you celebrate the child, and may you rejoice in your place in the family.

Promise Fulfilled

Re:Verse passage – Luke 2:21-38 (day two)

For my eyes have seen Your salvation, v. 30

Simeon had been promised that he would behold the Messiah. He wasn’t surprised in the least when he held the baby. Jesus, as a man, hadn’t performed any miracle or told any parable yet. He was a helpless baby. Simeon knew. He knew this was the long-expected savior of Israel, and beyond that, of the Gentiles. It is unclear how long Simeon had waited to behold the Messiah, but he was ready. In both 25 and 26 Luke records that the Holy Spirit was with him/upon him. Simeon was able to discern this child as king because of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Have you trusted the spirit to ably discern the will of God or His grand purpose for your life? You can read Simeon’s great joy. He was able to witness God fulfilling his promise, and what a promise it was – to see Jesus as Lord and Savior of the world.

What Will They Turn Out to Be?

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:57-80 (day two)

All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. V. 66

How do you pray over your children, or others you may care deeply about?  You may not have prophetic vision, but how do you pray over them? Do you have hopes and dreams for their character, their careers, their families? Do you share those hopes with them? Zacharias’s canticle is an incredible roadmap for his son to follow. As lofty as it was, he likely didn’t have a clue about what his son would endure or how he would pave the way for Jesus. What Zacharias did know was that the Lord had given him a son, and it was his duty to turn him back over to the Lord, and to trust God to direct John’s path.

Pray over your loved ones. While you are at it, sing over them too. If you don’t have a word of prophecy, pray scripture. Pray for their hearts to turn early and often to repentance, that they would be tender to the Lord. Pray that their hearts would be open to being exactly who the Lord created them to be.

Favored One

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:26-38 (day two)

And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” V. 28

 At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. Daniel 9:23

The same angelic messenger that visited Mary had visited Daniel hundreds of years before with an incredibly similar salutation. To Mary the angel says “favored one” and to Daniel “you are highly esteemed.” Isn’t this an incredible picture of the cosmic awareness that Heaven has on our lives. It is understandable to get caught in the narrative that the world is big, there are billions of people, what do I matter, who will notice me? Heaven notices. You are walking this journey of faith with a multitude of the heavenly host standing at your side. The Lord chose Daniel and Mary for a grand purpose. You will not carry the savior of the world in your bosom, but you do have a purpose; and the Lord hears your pleas for help, for courage, for purpose. Even more than that, when you are faithful, when you are walking in step, you also have the voice of angels saying: way to go, favored one!

Waiting and Waffles

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:5-17 (day two)

They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. v. 6

This is the perfect story to begin our Advent journey together. Israel was waiting and expecting for deliverance to come in the form of a savior. It had been hundreds of years. Zacharias and Elizabeth were faithful, but they were waiting as well. We don’t know the inner dialogue they had within themselves and each other; but they wanted a child, and it appeared they would not conceive. Yet, they remained faithful.

Fast forward two millennia. My daughter Jessica wanted to make waffles this morning, but realized that the mixing bowl was in the dishwasher. She said she could wait until the cycle was complete to make them, but then realized there was an hour and forty-nine minutes left. She quickly declared that she didn’t have time to wait for them to be clean.

Wanting a child and wanting waffles aren’t even close to being the same; but as I sat down to write this morning, I was reminded of how little patience any of us have to wait on the Lord for things big or small. There are even times when the Lord has a completely different plan for us than we hope or desire, and in the waiting we can learn to want what he wants more than what we want. This is often a painful lesson.

Each Advent season,  we remind ourselves that waiting is part of the journey. God is working out his perfect will among us, and we often are left in a place that doesn’t feel like it is ever going to move. God wasn’t asleep with the nation of Israel, and he is not asleep in your life.

Zacharias and Elizabeth were able to get the desire of their hearts. Jessica, also found a clean bowl and got the waffles she desired.

 

Opportunity

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 3:10-18 (day two) 

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…v. 14

In last week’s reading we were reminded that if we perceive God as slow, it is because he desires all to come to repentance. Peter goes on in our reading this week to warn that there will be an end to his long-suffering patience. There will be a time when the waiting is over, and a reckoning will be required. Peter isn’t saying this to scare people into salvation, but rather to sharpen and refine how we live in the now. Too often we put off spiritual conversations. We think we have time to share with a friend or family member about Jesus’ love. If we have an anticipation for his return, we should take the opportunities given to us to love, serve, and share Jesus’ love. Don’t miss an opportunity.