What’s Your Bushel?

Posted on by josiahkagin

What's Your Bushel?

I was fueling up at the gas station recently and had an interesting divine appointment that got me thinking. The man using the pump across from me was staring at me which made for an awkward moment but then he spoke up.

He said, “Do you go to that church?” He was pointing to a Baptist church across the road. I told him that I went to Grace Baptist Church in Kettering. The conversation continued on spiritual things and it was awesome to see how the Lord set up the opportunity with this man. However, what caught my attention is when he told me the reason he had to talked to me. I did not ask him, he offered this on his own. He said, “I just had to say something to you, I knew you were a Christian because your light was shining.”

This caused me to do several things. First, praise the Lord! Second, I pray that my light is always shining for Jesus. Third, I must ask what is it that allows people to see a Christian’s light shining?

Jesus told us that we as His followers are lights and to be shining in this dark world.

Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

In this passage we have a statement of fact, “Ye are the light of the world…”

We as Christians are the light that God has left in this world to witness for Him. Acts 1:8 bears this out when it tells us we are witnesses. These are facts that lead to the question, “How bright is your light? How effective is your witness?” As a Christian you cannot change that fact that you are a light, but you do determine if that light is seen or not.

We also have a command, “Let your light so shine before men…”

Christ commands us to shine. That word shine means to beam, to radiate brilliancy. We choose whether our light is dim or radiant. So what is it that dims our light? What bushel do you allow over your light that dims it or makes it invisible?

Before I describe some possible bushels, I want to make an important point about our lights. In our day it is popular among Christians to espouse the thinking that all that matters is the heart — what is on the  inside. However, I see that Jesus commanded us to be visible for Him. Certainly the heart matters and it must be right with God if we are to shine on the outside, but the outside must shine too. So lets not get caught up in the thinking that what is visible about you is not important, just the invisible. We must shine — that’s visible!

Let’s consider some bushels that can hide our light:

  1. A Backslidden Heart. Nothing will dim and hide our light faster than not being right with God. Fellowship with our Heavenly Father is put on hold when we cling on to sin that the Holy Spirit has told us to confess. Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Those are fearful words to one who has chosen to walk in sin. The fact is, when we are out of fellowship with our God, our light is hidden. We have busheled it! Let the Psalmist’s prayer be your prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
  2. A Joyless Countenance. Whether it is a constant smile, a pleasant look or light in the eyes, you can tell a Christian who is in love with God. The world can’t mistake it! The faces of the lost communicate anger, hate, hurt, discouragement, and hopelessness. The faces of Christians should communicate love, joy, peace, gentleness and goodness. We often don’t shine for Jesus because our faces don’t  tell a story that the lost notice and then want to hear.
  3. A Confusing Appearance. Every serious business is keenly aware of the power of a distinct and identifiable appearance. They will spend a great deal of money on sharp uniforms. Again, in our military an orderly appearance is an absolute. It should be no different for the follower of Christ. Your appearance should send a clear distinct message for the Lord. Be careful not to wear clothing, hairstyles and accessories that cause people to think you are a follower of the world. The world pushes its name brand shirts, its tattered jeans and the grunge look. Lets rise above it and have a clean, neat, distinct and identifiable appearance that shines for Christ.
  4. A Worldly Speech. The world has its lingo, language and its popular conversation topics. As Christians it is important to remember moment by moment that our light can be hid when we sound like the world. The bushel is placed quickly over our light when we complain about the gas prices, speak in anger or use minced oaths (like heck instead of hell). The world should see a marked difference in our speech. Colossians 4:6 tells us to “Let your speech be always with grace…” Our speech should be spiritual, God enabled speech. One of my prayers each day is found in Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ask God to help you each day to be a light through your speech.
  5. A Compromising Company. I think of Peter warming his hands at the fire with the servants during Christ’s trial. (Matthew 26:58) Avoiding clear identification with Jesus, he stood afar off with a worldly company who did not love Christ. Peter was not there to win them but blend in with them. This choice of company partly led to his denial of Jesus, a decision he would regret for the rest of life.  Sometimes Christians hide their light by “hanging” with the wrong crowd. Like Peter, they try to blend with the world and not clearly identify with Christ. Let’s be sure that we are not placing a bushel over our light by having a compromised company.

Jesus has told us that we are lights to the world and has commanded that we let them shine unhindered, undimmed and bushel free. Take a moment and ask Jesus if you are shining as brightly for Him as He desires. Whatever bushels He points out, determine to confess it and forsake so that you radiate brilliancy for Jesus Christ.

I Thank God

Posted on by josiahkagin

Bob Jones Sr. said, “When gratitude dies on the altar of a man’s heart, that man is well-nigh hopeless.“ One characteristic I never want to allow to grow cold is gratitude. As I was thinking about what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving, I thought of three things. I am thankful to be:

  1. A Husband – I remember the day that I was engaged to my wife-to-be. It seemed like a dream. I mean, is God really blessing me with such a wonderful woman? I remember the day that she became my wife and knowing then and everyday since that God had been so good to me. I thank God for my wife.
  2. A Father – I love my two children so much. They are a blessing to me. I have learned so much about my relationship with my Heavenly Father through my relationship with my children. The prayer of my heart for them is that they be saved at an early age, love God with all their heart, marry the spouse that God has intended for them and serve Him all their lives. I am thankful for the privilege of being called daddy.
  3. A Pastor – Along with being a husband and a father, being a pastor is my life’s calling. God has taught me so much in my short time in the ministry and I stand in awe of His graciousness to call me to serve Him with all my life. I concur with the Apostle Paul, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;” (1 Timothy 1:12)

I feel incredibly privileged to be called these things and I am thankful to God. Consider this Thanksgiving taking a moment to sit down and write down what you are thankful for and share it with someone. Let’s keep gratitude ablaze in our hearts.

Encouragement for You

Posted on by josiahkagin

This devotional (below) was a blessing to me today in light of the election day outcome. I hope it is to you as well. I am glad that I serve the God of Heaven whose position upon His throne is completely unaffected by the elections of the United States of America. Yesterday was no surprise to Him and furthermore His thoughts and plans for you and me have not changed. Be encouraged and strengthened in our God who is in full control.

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” — Isaiah 49:16

No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word “Behold,” is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said, “The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me.” How amazed the divine mind seems to be at this wicked unbelief! What can be more astounding than the unfounded doubts and fears of God’s favoured people? The Lord’s loving word of rebuke should make us blush; he cries, “How can I have forgotten thee, when I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands? How darest thou doubt my constant remembrance, when the memorial is set upon my very flesh?” O unbelief, how strange a marvel thou art! We know not which most to wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of his people. He keeps his promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt him. He never faileth; he is never a dry well; he is never as a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapour; and yet we are as continually vexed with anxieties, molested with suspicions, and disturbed with fears, as if our God were the mirage of the desert. “Behold,” is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of his hands. “I have graven thee.”It does not say, “Thy name.” The name is there, but that is not all: “I have graven thee.” See the fulness of this! I have graven thy person, thine image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses, thy wants, thy works; I have graven thee, everything about thee, all that concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there. Wilt thou ever say again that thy God hath forsaken thee when he has graven thee upon his own palms?

Triumphant Faith

Posted on by josiahkagin

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You have probably said at one point or another, “That’s impossible!” The truth is we all face impossibilities that apart from faith in God will remain impossibilities. So it is in the well-known story of David and Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:50 “So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.”

What an astounding verse! When you ponder this situation with the overwhelming giant, the discouraging critics and the real odds, David had no possibility of victory apart from faith in God.

Listen to a sermon I preached at Grace Baptist Church entitled “Triumphant Faith.”

Jack’s Birthday

Posted on by josiahkagin

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I really cannot believe we are celebrating Jack, my son’s, third birthday. It seems like yesterday we found out that we were expecting our first baby and how excited we were to find out it would be a boy! How awesome it was to be parents but oh what a responsibility.

Psalm 127:3-4

3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

God has blessed my wife and I with our son and just as an archer has a target for his arrows so I have a target for my son. Since the day he was born I have been praying for his early salvation, surrender to the Lord, a call to preach the Gospel and for his future spouse. These prayers are all focused on the target of my son following God with all of his heart all of his life. Realizing how fast that last three years have gone, it is so very clear that everyday is key in teaching my little man to follow and obey God. I am thankful for my wife, a godly mother, who works hard at home to teach him what is right and wrong. I look forward to all that God will do with Jack’s life for His glory.

5 Years of Wedded Bliss

Posted on by josiahkagin

My wife and I were reflecting on the past 5 years and recalling memorable moments, places, activities and people for a little scrapbook she is putting together. It is awesome to be able to look back see all the things I have been able to enjoy with the greatest woman in all the world. When I married her on July 7, 2007, I did not fully realize the gift that God had given me. Each of the past 1,825 days have been a fresh realization of just how much of a blessing it is to call Sheila Kagin my wife. I thank God every day for her and I am thankful in these 7ways….

  1. She is a spiritual lady. She walks with God. She desires to grow and be a better Christian tomorrow than she was today. She is sensitive to the Spirit of God and I treasure that in my wife!
  2. She is a supportive wife. I don’t have to wonder if she will support the call of God on my life. She often makes comments to me (before and after preaching, when I have had a rough day or during some ministry difficulty) that let me know she is right there with me.
  3. She is a sweet wife. I am thankful I am not married to a grump! Her sweet spirit attracted me to her and continues to bless me. Her sweet spirit has set a mood in our home for both me and my children.
  4. She is sensitive to needs. I can think of so many times that she has seen a need or realized it was a special day for someone and she did something about it. Often she has stayed up late to make a cake, a meal or write notes  just to be a blessing. I am thankful she is a giver and not a taker.
  5. She has a sharp mind. She is able to do so many things well and she is constantly learning and gathering ideas. (Sometimes this mean a larger honey-do-list!) She has an incredible mind when it comes to organization and numbers (finances). She keeps all our financial records in an excel spreadsheet that is mind boggling. I appreciate her sharpness!
  6. She is strategic mother. She does not take a hap-hazard approach to mothering our children. She has a desire that they do right and does whatever she can to teach them. I think specifically of when we were beginning to teach our son about character. She took 3×5 cards and a 3×5 card holder and created the “Kagin Character Box”. On those cards she wrote out about 90 character traits and their definitions to aid in teaching our son and daughter character that will help them make right choices.
  7. She is a superb cook. You could never tell from my waist size, but my wife is an amazing cook. She is adventurous and creative. Some of here cakes are professional quality. There is only one meal in the last five years that was a flop (the burnt but still bloody fried chicken -She would tell you the same thing.) I love to my wife’s cooking!

On August 27, 2006 I asked her to marry me, and I gave her a ring with one diamond and two rubies. Those rubies were included to remind her everyday of what I thought about her. I thought then and still today that she is a virtuous woman and her price is far above rubies.