The Most Wanted List

The Most Wanted List

".....that you may live in a right way
in undivided devotion to the Lord."
I Corinthians 7:35

One of the highlights of teaching government class was always the trip to the US District Court on West Lafayette Blvd. in downtown Detroit. The outing included sitting in on some very interesting court cases, visiting the "million dollar courtroom" of the chief justice, and a tour of the US Marshalls facilities in the building. (Not to mention a People Mover ride to Greektown and a visit to Pizzapopolis for some incredible deep dish pizza.....).

Every year, without fail, the students would get the most excited when they saw the FBI's Most Wanted Posters on the wall outside the US Marshall's office. If you can picture a group of students crowded around trying to get as many details as possible of the deeds that got these men and women on the famous "most wanted list".

When I was reminded of this recently, the question crossed my mind "does heaven have a most wanted list"? Something like this:

Fred Higgins-
Wanted for setting a bad example for unbelievers, one that hardened 12 lives at work.


Sally Monroe-
Wanted for 9 counts of hypocrisy and 6 counts of lying to others to make herself look good.

James Johnson-
Wanted forholding grudges against those who cheated him even though he cheated too.

Maria Balfour-
Wanted for aggravated gossip and criticism of others, causing 8 people to stop going to church.

It's possible to get so caught up in being positive and encouraging, that we lose sight of the fact that there are things the Lord hates, sins that will separate us from God and his presence in our lives. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things "that are detestable to Him" and follows that up with warnings about adultery and immorality. We have been called to lives of holiness and purity.

Those on the FBI's list are on the run from authorities, hiding out rather than face long prison terms and, for some, even the death penalty. Let's make sure we aren't on the run from the Holy Spirit as He tries to bring conviction in our lives and lead us to repentance for areas of sin, disobedience, and unrighteousness (things that just aren't right). Is God looking for you? Is God trying "to bring you in" like the US Marshalls do with those on the "most wanted list"? Surrender to the Lord afresh today and allow Him to lead you, as the scripture says, "in a right way".

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church

An Attitude of Gratitude

An Attitude of Gratitude

"Thank God in everything (no matter what the circumstances
may be, be thankful and give thanks), for this is the will of
God for you in Christ Jesus...." I Thessalonians 5:18 AMPL

The article in the Indiana newspaper was eye-catching, a husband and wife had given a large sum of money, $15 million, to help with the renovation of a building on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. It was a building I had walked by more times than I could count in my four years at Notre Dame, an inconspicuous stone structure on the quad where my dorm room was. But that plain building held one of the oldest and top rated law schools in the nation.

The write-up of Robert and Frances Biolchini's donation of $15 million was characterized by one word - gratitude. Gratitude by the Biolchini's for the education five of their children received at Notre Dame and gratitude by the university that someone would be so generous in helping to meet a need at the school.

Gratitude, the simple quality of being thankful for the many blessings in your life, is a trait that is far more important than we realize. Gratitude unlocks or releases other things in our lives. Edwin McManus wrote, for example, that "gratitude fuels optimism and hope" and that is so easy to see, a thankful person is always more hopeful and confident about their future than someone who is unthankful.

And as we see in the story of the Biolchini's, gratitude produces generosity. A thankful heart looks for ways to express that thankfulness by blessing other lives, being generous not just with finances but with love and concern and attention and forgiveness. A grateful person acknowledges God's generosity in their life, in the areas mentioned, from love to forgiveness and in so many more ways, and their attitude of gratitude becomes a defining force in their lives.

It's easy to see why the Lord admonished us to be thankful in every situation we find ourselves in. Gratitude and unforgiveness cannot co-exist, neither can gratitude and bitterness or gratitude and pessimism - they just don't go hand in hand. Being purposeful in making sure we are thankful and grateful people will change our perspective on life and allow us to fully enjoy the life we have been blessed with.

God Bless,
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church

PS - And for those wondering, yes, my parents were equally thankful for the awesome
education I received at Notre Dame!!

Love People

Love People

"And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself"

Can I be the first to admit that there are some things in the Bible I still don't understand, the four horsemen of revelation, the first creation, someone having more than one wife let alone seven hundred, the list would be pretty extensive. And so I'm thankful for those truths that are very simple such as the second commandment which tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, or to put in an easier form, love people.

Love people
-when they don't deserve it
-when they've hurt you
-when they don't want you to
-when they're different than you
-when they've disappointed you
-when they won't say they're sorry
-when no one else will
-when you're really too busy
-when it will cost you something
-when they are hurting and lonely
-when they can't say thank you
-when they need you the most

Love people
-even if you think they'll never change
-even if everyone else tells you not to
-even if you know they'll hurt you again
-even when you have to battle memories

Love people
-despite their faults
-despite their weaknesses
-despite their rudeness
-despite everything

Love people
-as the Lord has loved you
-as the Lord would love them
-as you want others to love you
-as an offering to the Lord who has saved us and blessed our lives abundantly!

Jesus narrowed all the commandments down to two, loving the Lord and loving people. May we receive the grace to show forth the love of Christ, allowing His love to fill our hearts and overflow to a lost and hurting world, to quite simply "love people".

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church

The Cornerstone

The Cornerstone

"See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
I Peter 2:6

We are used to gound breaking ceremonies signaling the construction of anything from a new corporate headquarters to a new highway linking important areas of the country. Dignitaries are gathered, photographers and newspapaer reporters are assembled and someone, usually an important leader or key figure, is given the honor of digging the first shovel-full of dirt for the new project.

The equivalent of these events in ancient times was the laying of the cornerstone in a new building. The cornerstone was the first stone laid in the building process and was the stone which all other stones were aligned with, its' placement being crucial to the success of the project being undertaken. Job made reference to it, both David and Isaiah prophesied about God sending "a precious cornerstone" that could be trusted in and relied upon, and Jesus quoted their words in addressing the religious leaders who were rejecting him.

The truth that Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith is both simple and profound. It is simple in the fact that we know that Christianity is (or should be) centered around, and based on, the person and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. All that we believe in and all that we live for are found in Christ. The profound side of looking to Jesus as our cornerstone is that we can take every measurement for our lives from him, aligning with him in literally everything.

Thinking of just a few examples, we can align ourselves with the heart Jesus had for the lost and hurting, with his attitude toward sinners who were outside the kingdom and living contrary to God's ways, and with the desire he had to please the Father.

He can be our cornerstone in a devotional life where we set time aside for prayer and seeking God's will, as an example of a life that hit the mark and refused to be either distracted or deflected, and in laying down our lives for others as he did.

Allowing Jesus to be your "precious cornerstone, a sure foundation" (Isaiah 28:16) in your life, will assure you of a Christian life that grows straight, that can endure the winds and storms, and that, above all else, will glorify the Father in heaven.


God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church