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One of the most recognizable movie lines of all time comes from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, when the wicked witch says to Dorothy, “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!” It’s a funny but potent line because it displays the witch’s hatred—she despises Dorothy so much that she includes Dorothy’s little, powerless, and insignificant dog in her threats.

Jesus spoke of little dogs but with a much nobler and encouraging perspective. He once challenged a gentile woman who desired a miracle with the simple parable, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”[1] The woman reasoned that even little dogs eat crumbs that fall, and Jesus rewarded her faith! Jesus wasn’t degrading that woman or Gentiles. His miracle pointed to a time when all would be welcome to experience His blessing, Jew and Gentile alike. The invitation to be a part of the Lord’s family is open to all—the little dogs like me and you too!

[1] Matthew 15:26-26, NKJV

Many people are fascinated by the idea of aliens. The thought that there are other sentient species in the universe is intriguing. Of course, fascination with aliens isn’t confined to sci-fi novels and movies. Many people take an active interest in learning about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. And there are even those who believe that aliens exist and might already be on Earth and among us!

Well, the truth is, there are aliens among us! But I’m not talking about aliens that come from outer space. In fact, we should be the aliens among others. In Hebrews 11:13, the Bible says of certain faithful men and women of the Old Testament that they “…acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens without fixed abode on earth.”[1]God’s faithful people should recognize this world is not our home—we are temporary residents only. Don’t forget who you are and where you’re going. Our real home is in eternity with our Lord and our God.

[1] REB

Around this time of year, many decorations, costumes, and movies incorporate witches. From cute and kid-friendly to creepy and grotesque, witches and Halloween go hand in hand. While there may be some innocent fun to be had, Christians should recognize that actual witchcraft is sinful. In fact, under the Mosaic Law, witchcraft was one of the sins that could incur the death penalty. It was a severe offense.

Thankfully, witchcraft is not common in our part of the world. But we are often plagued by equally dangerous things that may not be taken as seriously. Samuel once told King Saul, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”[1] You probably don’t ply the dark arts, and I doubt you bow down to images and idols. But do you rebel against God? Do you stubbornly hold to your ways instead of turning to God’s? Rebellion and stubbornness are no mere hocus-pocus—they are deadly attitudes condemned by God.

[1] 1 Samuel 15:23, NKJV

Throughout his letters to Timothy and Titus, the Apostle Paul repeatedly says something is “a faithful saying.” He uses this phrase to emphasize a concept’s importance and helpfulness. I want to consider Paul’s various “faithful sayings” this week.

The first is in 1 Timothy 1:15, where Paul writes, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”[1]

Paul highlights a simple yet powerful point about Jesus—He came to save sinners. And Jesus didn’t die only for those who didn’t mess up too badly. His sacrifice wasn’t for those who sinned, but not too severely. Jesus died so that any sinner could be saved, if they believe in and obey Him. Whatever you’ve done, whatever sins you’ve committed—Jesus wants you to be saved, and so He came to earth and died on the cross so that you could be saved.

[1] NKJV

It is tempting to pursue mediocrity. Why reach for greatness when it’s so much easier to just be average? After all, if we’re average, plenty of others are below average, so average should do just fine. The problem is, in terms of our faith, love, and goodness, Jesus expects more. In Matthew 5:47[1], Jesus asks, “If you greet only your brothers, what is there extraordinary about that? Even the heathen do as much.”

Jesus isn’t looking for average or the status quo. Jesus expects more. Jesus calls us to be extraordinary. Now, He doesn’t expect us to be extraordinary on our own, but He illuminates the path to such a life. But will we choose such a path? The extraordinary path of faithfulness isn’t an easy one. It would be much easier to do what most other people do. But the path of worldly normalcy is not the path Jesus trod, nor the path He wants us to walk. Choose the Lord, and choose the extraordinary.

[1] REB

In Isaiah 9:6, one of the titles Isaiah ascribes to the Messiah is “Prince of Peace.” What a joy it is to think of Jesus as the Prince of Peace! But, if that’s true, why does Jesus say this about Himself in Matthew 10:34: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” That doesn’t sound like something the Prince of Peace should say. So what’s going on?

We must understand that Jesus is the Messiah; that is, He is the King. Peace can only exist with a king as long as his subjects submit to him. If we rebel against King Jesus, we cannot expect Him to bring us everlasting peace. But if we will yield to Him and bend the knee in humble and faithful obedience, He is the Prince of Peace, for He brings the greatest peace we could obtain—peace between us and God.

Throughout the Bible, we frequently meet individuals of astounding faith. Their righteousness seems other-worldly, and we assume we could never match such faith. It might feel that they were born with a natural gift of holiness. One such example is Job. The Bible’s testimony of Job is that he was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” What a guy! But how did Job become such a righteous man? Perhaps Job 1:5 gives us a clue.

We read that Job often rose early to offer burnt offerings for his children because he feared they might have cursed God. The end of the verse says, “Thus Job did continually.” And there is the key—Job didn’t just become righteous—he worked at it. He continually put spiritual things first and prioritized God’s ways. If we want to be righteous, we must do likewise and persist in faithful and obedient living.

In Ezekiel 25, God promised judgment on the Ammonites. In verses 3-4 He tells Ezekiel, “Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am handing you over to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk.”

When Israel and Judah were judged for their sin, the Ammonites rejoiced. They were glad to see God’s people suffer. And for that attitude, God was going to judge them. How do we feel when we see others fail? Be wary—the heart that rejoices when others fail is a heart that will face God’s judgment.