Marked in Jail in Claremore, OK

            Mark, Chad, Zach, Johnny, RJ, Pat, Phillip, and I all have an understanding of God that we may not have had until this past Monday.  As I sat with these seven men from all walks of life who ended up in the same place by no other fault but their own, I began to share the things the Lord has brought to my heart.  Through the zealousness of a guy who changes oil in a local car dealership here in Claremore, OK, I am reminded that I am a marked man.  I shared with these men how they too are marked men.  They are not in this predicament through anything that I have done, just as I am not by anything that they have done.

            The Bible tells us that God knows the very number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7).  Normally this is a comforting verse to read, a verse that brings reassurance that God will take care of everything; that we are more important than the birds that God does not forget, but given the context I was sharing with these guys, it brought a shudder to my spine.  As we read that scripture, which, preceding just a couple of verses before, Jesus tells us to “fear Him, who, after He has killed, has power to cast into Hell,” it drove home the point…God is paying attention.  Scripture teaches that not one sparrow falls to the ground that the LORD does not know about, and He knows the hairs on my head.  It was at this moment I felt “marked.”

            If God is paying attention enough to know the hairs on my head, than surely He must remember that small piece of candy I stole from a convenience store when I was just a boy, which from that moment on, labeled me a thief (whether I was caught or not).  If He knows the hairs of my head, then He knows also the countless lustful thoughts I’ve had towards a countless of number of women (dressed appropriately or not) I just passed by in the mall or on the street.  Jesus said if a man just looks at a woman with lust in his heart he is guilty of adultery already.  If He pays enough attention that He knows the exact number of hairs on my head right now than surely He’s paid enough attention to the number of lies I have told to people I don’t even remember lying to, whether I remember or not, found out or not, one lie makes a person a liar, and I’m sure I’ve told many more than one.  A lying, thieving, adulterer…sins I have committed in my life and am labeled for eternity.

            I Corinthians 6:8-10 says this, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists will inherit the kingdom of God.”  According to this verse, I cannot go to Heaven.  The Bible teaches God’s wrath is upon me…I am an unrighteous man who will meet a righteous God, who will meet justice, a marked man.  It is appointed once for a man to die, and after this, the judgment.  And I did it; I chose all of my sins, all by myself.  It was my free will that knows right from wrong that chose wrong. God would be absolutely right to give me Hell eternally as the deeds I chose marred my soul eternally. I am at His mercy.  

            But thank God there is mercy!  Praise His name that God would rather have a disposition of love than one of righteous judgment!  He alone provided a way for salvation.  Once I realize I’m a marked man and turn from the sins that made me that way and I believe in His Son – Jesus Christ, I am saved from judgment.  I am free from the penalty of sin, for Jesus, who knew no sin, endured the penalty and punishment and death for me upon an instrument of torture, the cross, and God sees that sacrifice as enough.  My fine is paid.  Praise God that Jesus meant what He said when He said, “It is finished.”  Praise God Jesus Christ is alive right now so I do not have to endure death and damnation that I deserve.  I am marked, but Jesus’ blood from His death covers my mark.  It covers that impurity which God cannot righteously look upon and I can be with Him.

            All of us this past Monday night, sitting in a little room in jail learned we were marked men, by our own special individual designs.  Some may have Jesus blood covering their marks, others sat, realizing they were enemies of God, realizing the truth of the Word and were forced to make a decision, repent and throw themselves at Jesus’ mercy, or wait a little while longer, remaining God’s enemy, with his wrath on their individual, hair-numbered heads.  Tonight I pray they have made the right decisions. 

 

Pray for these guys in the jail in Claremore OK.  They need it, they are everyday folks just like us who got caught doing wrong and they need salvation just like the rest of us.  Pray the justice they are receiving now will be an example to them of how swift justice will come upon them when they pass into eternity and they’ll have the brokenness to repent before it’s too late.

Discipleship Takes Two…Especially When It’s Painful

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him…. (Acts 16:1-3; ESV)  This small excerpt in the book of Acts is easily looked over, but I believe it shows significant truth in the relationship between Paul, Timothy and the bond they had with God and through God. 

Timothy was already a disciple before Paul met him in Lystra.  He believed in the writings of the Prophets which were taught to him by his mother and grandmother, he believed the Word of God, and in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul found that this young disciple had a good reputation among men and wished to take him under his wing.  To teach and help Timothy grow as a believer in Jesus meant time spent with the young man, therefore he wished to take him and teach him to help spread the gospel.

Before Paul takes Timothy anywhere, Paul took and circumcised him “because of the Jews who were in those places.”  Apparantly there was an issue with Timothy accompanying Paul if he was not circumcised as they were.  His mother was a Jew, but his father was a greek and I would imagine that he didn’t see much need for the Jewish tradition.  Truthfully, Paul probably didn’t see much need for it either, and as far as we know he had this done BECAUSE of the Jews that were in that place, not for any other reason.  I’m not writing to dispute the validity of circumcision, Jewish tradition, or even the reason for why Paul did it, the point is, Paul thought it needed to be done and TIMOTHY ACTUALLY DID IT!

When I think of Timothy, I would imagine that he was at least 16 years of age, give or take a couple of years.  Question:  How many teenagers do you know of that would get circumcised because of what other folks about them thought?  How many grown men for that matter?  Paul obviously had some influence with this guy.  The Lord had even more influence, as the whole reason for this operation was so that Timothy could go with Paul.  

If Paul had never come to Lystra, would the thought ever had come to the young disciple to go to these lengths in order that the gospel be spread?  I believe not.  The Bible speaks of the relationship between these two men as a father to a son, Paul loved Timothy-Timothy loved Paul.  Timothy submitted to the authority of Paul willingly and did as he asked, just as Paul submitted to the authority of God.  In fact, I would even go as far as to say that, early in his Christian life, Paul was how Timothy knew what God wanted him to do, God gave marching orders to Paul, Paul gave marching orders to Timothy. 

I’m learning lately, that to have a “Paul” in your life is so important.  It takes guess work out of what God wants.  A mature Christian actively following the Lord can be such a tool for the Lord and go great lengths in discipling a young Christian who is also trying to serve the Lord but doesn’t quite know how to go about it.  It also means that sometimes, it’s painful.  It means that sometimes that mature Christian leader must “push” and encourage the younger to do things he never would think to do otherwise.  Such has been my life lately, public speaking, praying, teaching classes in church, going to foreign countries, and convicting those who would otherwise contradict the gospel we so lovingly believe in.  More times than not, I originally balked at the propositions my “Paul” would give, but those times were met with encouragement, a gentle nudge letting me know that what I lacked, God had enough and more than enough to get through.  Because of these times that he walked through my faithlessness with me, I’m not the man I was when I first believed in my Savior and Lord Jesus.  My faith has been stretched and I have been molded, and I appreciate the man who has committed himself to taking the time to involve me in God’s ministry, and be my friend.  Thank you.  It’s not always easy, and sometimes it’s even painful, but I thank God for the men that He puts in our lives to lead through our Lord Jesus, they are rare.

For those of you who wish to serve God with all your heart and have no idea what I’m speaking of, pray that the Lord would put someone in your own life to lead you as Paul did Timothy; so one day you, yourself, can lead faithful men as well.  It’s so much easier to go through those tough times when you’d rather just quit when the pain of “circumcision” comes.  That person God puts in your life will encourage you and keep you and lift you up when needed, and you may find that you NEED it more often than not.