Preakness Baptist Church

1441 Ratzer Road - Wayne, NJ 07470

973-956-0086

973-956-9087 Info line

Linda Van Kampen

 

The Extreme Make-Over!

This appears to be a common practice along with reality shows! Have a make-over…change your hair style! Wear different clothing! Or, have a room in your house re-done from top to bottom! After all, what a little bit of elbow grease and imagination can do! Having a make-over isn’t something new. It goes back to biblical times. The Bible is filled with stories of individuals who experienced a complete make-over when God became the ruler of their lives.

Perhaps the most extreme make-over was accomplished in the life of Zaccheus. He was cheat! He was a traitor! He was despised! He worked for the Roman government against his own people. And, he was short! We’d say today that he is vertically challenged. Yet, his shortness had nothing to do with his physical height. He was small in his understanding, compassion and doing what is right.

Yet, Zaccheus heard about Jesus and wanted to meet the Master. Jesus was on the road outside of Jericho and the crowds swarmed around him. It was impossible for Zaccheus to even catch of glimpse of Jesus . The crowds crowded him out! He wasn’t in the inner circle, nor in the outer circle. He was alone beyond the fringes of society.

Jesus knew that Zaccheus needed an extreme make-over and walked directly to the tree where Zaccheus had climbed…and Jesus reached his soul! Now that is more important to change than ones appearance---a change of countenance and a change in standing with almighty God. Zaccheus made things right and changed his ways! He finally lived-out what his name means: righteousness. That very day that he met Jesus, he became a new person. Now that’s the extreme make-over that must happen in each life…become a child of The King! If you haven’t had such an extreme make-over, ask Jesus to come into your heart today.

 

When the Odds are Stacked Against You

 

Ever feel defeated? That there’s no hope! That…you’re walking along the road of life and always seem to get sprayed when a truck splatters the muddy puddle left after a storm. Of all the places to drive on the highway, your tire picks up the lone rusty nail that came from who knows where…then get out the spare and it too is flat! You pull up to the ATM just as it closes down due to insufficient funds! Even if the chances are a million to one that a new car is a lemon, yours suddenly turns yellow in color as it conks-out and mechanics cannot identify its disease! Why are the odds usually stacked against us?

 

The Bible is full of stories where the odds were stacked against God’s people. But, the good news is that God doesn’t deal in the realm of the ODDS! As a matter of fact, when the odds are at their best (meaning it is the absolute worst for us), God’s faithfulness and power shine through!

 

For example, no sooner were the chosen people finally granted leave of their slave huts of Goshen, when they find themselves in the Wilderness with Pharaoh’s army in hot pursuit. The horses hoofs and chariot wheels churning-up enormous dusty billows while the million or so Hebrews on foot guiding their herds toward their Promised Land! They were walking right toward the Red Sea, with the desert to one side and mountains to the other. Surrounded with no place to go! Any direction, north, south, east or west, would surely be their end! They couldn’t even consider upward movement unless their stock suddenly transformed to mystical flying donkeys and camels.

 

It was hopeless! They were helpless! No place to go! The odds were against them! Pharaoh would surely defeat the Hebrews either by killing them in the middle of the Wilderness or returning them to their place of slavery! The odds were not in their favor!

 

God whispered into the ear of Moses and told him to direct the mass of people toward the Sea! Can you envision Moses taking his left pinky to wipe clean the dust from his ear canal (no Q-tips in those days)! Uh-hum! Hold on there, Yahweh! I’ve got a bunch of people who never passed their pollywog swim test. It must have been one of those moments when God chuckled and thought how limited our sight is! What little vision His creation exercised!

 

Yet, every single Hebrew passed through the Sea on dry ground! Not one life was lost! And, the wave crashed down on Pharaoh’s army ― not one life was spared! Though the odds were not in the favor of the Hebrews, God’s power, love and faithfulness are no match for any odds! As a matter of fact, He brings victory despite all odds!

 

If you feel you have few options to take in your life right now, imagine standing before the Red Sea and asking God to reveal His power and His will just as He did to the Hebrews! When things seem impossible, let the God of possibilities lead the way!

 

 

Pastor Jane Harlan | Pastor David Boone

Linda Van Kampen