Trouble Causers

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name. It is Sunday morning, the 9th of October, 2022 and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

“For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.”
Acts 24:5

Wow, what a title! I looked up the word ringleader in the Oxford Dictionary. It means: “one who causes trouble, one who leads others.” And what is a Nazarene? Well, the greatest Nazarene of all was the Lord Jesus Christ.

“He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Matthew 2:23

There was another troubler, a troubler of Israel - That is what King Ahab called him in 1 Kings 18:17. What was his name? His name was Elijah. Do you know the amazing thing is that these men were admired by the people, even if it was from afar, even if they didn’t have the courage to be like them. They so wanted, deep down, to imitate their lives. John the Baptiser, King Herod admired him even though he had his head cut off eventually, but he looked up to him.

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
1 Chronicles 16:9

There was another troubler, his name was Nicky Cruz. He was a gang leader, yes, a ringleader of one of the most feared gangs of New York in the USA. But when he met Jesus, he too became a troubler of the devil. We need to understand one thing and I am talking to moms today - That young son of yours who is so rebellious, he is causing you so much trouble. Be patient with him, he is trying to find his identity. I used to run a coffee bar, with my wife, in our local town. We always found the boys sitting at the back, the ones who were causing trouble, when they eventually came through for the Lord, they were strong, courageous and upright, just like Paul the Apostle.

So today, be patient with them and love them because when they find Jesus Christ, they will be an incredible strength to the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful Sunday.
Goodbye.