Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18
Crooked Made Straight
“I will go before you and make the crooked places straight…” – Isaiah 45:2.

We live in a time when we want instant answers. We have been influenced and shaped by the mindset and attitudes of the world. However, when we become Christians, we are no longer friends of the world. We must think, speak, and live differently. The world system is opposed to God, and though we live in it, it is not our home.

There are times when we all face difficulties, but God gives us a promise of great hope. We must understand that we are not tourists in this world. We are on a journey toward wholeness and completeness, and God is not in a hurry. He values quality over quantity. Many of our problems come from living wrongly, eating poorly, spending unwisely, failing to save, and neglecting to give. Then we want God to quickly rescue us from the messes we have created. We want everything to happen in a hurry. When we fail to put God first in every area of our lives, disorder follows.

Sometimes people resist change because it is painful. True change requires responsive behavior and obedience. Common areas of struggle for many people include marriages, finances, relations, speech and attitude, a victim mindset, and broken promises. Christian discipleship has often been reduced to a tourist mentality. We treat God as a tour guide rather than the Lord of our lives. We behave as if His commandments are merely suggestions. A true disciple devotes their life to serving their Master. God has given us a guidebook-the Bible. All truth is found in Christ Jesus (John 14:5-6).

If we choose the path of discipleship and live as pilgrims, we will eventually see the wisdom of God unfold in our lives. It may take time and perseverance, but God is faithful.

All we need to do is remain in faith and walk in the truth of God’s Word. There are also areas of our lives where we have been harshly judged, condemned, or mistreated by others-God will straighten out. Even in areas where we feel we will never overcome; God promises to make the crooked places straight as we repent and seek His guidance.

Understand that God is working behind the scenes to make things right. He is preparing for victory, even when we cannot yet see it. God assures us that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. Rather than blaming God in our difficulties, we are called to trust Him amid every circumstance allowing Him to make all things straight.

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

The Beauty of His Righteousness
“You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.” Psalm 45:7–8.

These words are spoken prophetically by the psalmist about the Lord Jesus. They paint a vivid picture of Christ—His character, His heart, and the reason the Father exalted Him.
It is important for us to understand that Jesus was not treated as a favored Son who received promotion without cost. He was exalted because He earned that exaltation. The reason given here is His attitude toward moral matters. Jesus loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Through His sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled every requirement of the Law. He knew no sin, yet He became sin for us, taking our place as the sacrificial Lamb. The wrath due to sin, as described in Scripture, fell upon Him instead of us. Because of this, His redemptive work cannot be added to. Nothing was left unfinished.

When Jesus completed His work on Calvary, He ascended on high and sat down at the right hand of Father God—because the work was finished. Now, the beauty of His righteousness has been imparted to the resurrected Church so that we may carry it into the world by spreading the Good News of salvation.

The psalmist declares, “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” It was Jesus’ uncompromising attitude toward righteousness and wickedness that resulted in God’s exaltation of Him. There is no neutrality here. If we truly love righteousness, we must also hate wickedness. We cannot compromise with it.

Notice the beauty that accompanies righteousness: the fragrance of myrrh, aloes, and cassia; the melody of stringed instruments; the splendor of ivory palaces. What a breathtaking picture this is—righteousness expressed not only in holiness but also in beauty, joy, and exaltation. Righteousness delights the heart of God. And righteousness, when practiced without compromise, is something He delights to honor.

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Taking the Fear Out of Change!
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I must learn the discipline of change. My preconceived ideas of God ‘s direction will be upset frequently because I am only God’s servant, not His counselor. When the cross came into view, Jesus did not become frustrated, but said, “even so Father for it seems good and they sight.” Matthew 11:26.

Jesus submitted willingly because He knew the intent of the Father. That is the key; to be assured of God’s intent. We may forget the details as long as we accept the person who has inaugured the changes. To haggle over details, to fuss over delays, and to grumble when God similarly changes His tactics is really an unconscious defamation of God’s character.

So often God will tell me, as He did the disciples it is not for you to know Acts 1:7. The basic difference between a natural and spiritual man is that the natural man’s demands to know the spiritual man is content to obey. That is why God does not make knowledge the condition of anything. He did not say “oh you a little knowledge,” but “oh ye a little faith”. Matthew 6:30. Knowledge comes either with or just after the happening.

So much of our lives are lived in the dark. It is never less the afterward that we finally understand what God has been up to all the time. Many Christians make themselves ill by trying to understand God. Peace comes by letting the attitude of Jesus come through. Yes, Father, this was your goodwill. Luke 10:21. I can adapt to change if only I adapt to the One who changes. The essence of it is right there, in my relationship with Him. In the hands of a change-less God, I need fear no change.

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Rethinking the Way, We Think
“So, if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.” Colossians 3; 1-2 (MSG)

Often, I have spoken about the battle that exists for the thoughts of your mind. Today, I would like to speak with you about the need to completely rethink the way we think. Remember—what we think is what we become. Romans 12:1-2.

I hear people all the time say that they want peace, joy, happiness, fulfillment, and prosperity. I also hear them say they don’t want to live in fear or doubt. The only way I know that this is truly possible is to completely and totally give yourself to God.
God promises to give us peace that surpasses all understanding—a peace that remains even in the middle of chaos. Scripture tells us that the one who trusts in the Lord is not afraid of bad news. Why? Because he knows that God is bigger than any bad news could ever be.
Psalms 112:7

If we want peace, we must pursue Christ. We must desire what He desires. His priorities must become our priorities. We cannot allow ourselves to be absorbed by the desires and aspirations of the world. Instead, we must study the Word of God, learn how He sees things, and choose to act accordingly.

This way of living may not make you popular with everyone—but it will give you peace. Give it a try. After all, the only thing you have to lose is your fear!

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Spiritual Shame!
Against You, you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. Psalms 51:4.

I must live so as never to be ashamed before Hm first John 2:28. Certainly this refers to a second coming and are assembling before Him, but it also refers to the kind of life we should live before he comes.

To be ashamed before him means that I have forced him to view my sin Paul makes it clear; shall I take the members of Christ or make them members of a prostitute? 1st Corinthians 6:15. A preacher’s son trampled his father’s marigolds, but his father caught him in the act. The boy cried, don’t look at me, he was ashamed because his father was forced to see his disobedience.

Shame is the realization of a contrast. The greater the contrast, the greater the sense of shame. If I have a sense of discomfort in the presence of the Lord, it is always because of some sin. Dead people have no such discomfort; but spiritually alive people can become acutely pained by the presence of even the smallest sin.

To be ashamed before Him, therefore, is a mark of spiritual life, even as a pinpricking of the doctor hurts because the patient is alive. To be ashamed before him means that Christ is really with me, but something has happened in our relationship. I must try, with His help, to live in clouded relationship with him so they will never feel ashamed. It is a life that has never has to cry out to him don’t look at me the life in which God and His disciple walk together because they are perfectly agreed. (Amos 3:3).

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Heavenly Desires!
Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.1 Peter 5:6-7.

Lord, I am convinced that you want me as your disciple to be carefree as possible. The life of discipleship is a life of gradual disencumberment, whereas the life of the worldly minded is one of gradual encumbering. A true disciple because what Paul’s captain did, unload the cargo. But the earthly minded man keeps adding cargo as long as he lives.

The self-centered life naturally multiplies its cares because it multiplies its desires. One pleasure must give way to two and one piece of worldly goods must eventually produce many. The result of all self-gratification is not Peace of Mind but increased anxiety. Jesus called that anxiety the tears of this world (Matthew 13:22). Tears are produced by self-centered desires, and desires are born naturally selfish in the heart of man.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I must strike at the heart of worldliness. It does not lie in things, but in the desire for things. I must not crucify my desires; I must direct them. Only desires that are manifestly displeasing must be crucified, and all other desires must be purified by the washing of the process of prayer and the Word. (Mark 11:24).

Desires that have been purified lead to a holy carefreeness. When God answers my desires, He does so without adding sorrow (Proverbs10:22); But when I seek my own self-gratification, I sow seeds of bitterness. The world is full of boredom because those are the fruits of self-centered existence. When I find my gratification in self-denial for Christ’s sake, I find myself marvelously stimulated with the excitement of an eternal adventure. Self-desire is practical immortality to be realized now and to be enjoyed forever! If I seek the kingdom of God in all its right ways, all things will be mine. (Matthew 6:33).

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

How to Handle Quarrels
“An arrogant man stirs up dissension, but anyone who trusts in the Lord prospers.”— Proverbs 28:25.

I must not practice the worldly art of self defense. I must take Jesus as my example. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return but committed Himself to His Heavenly Father (1 Peter 2:23). I must not answer all of my critics.

For one thing, there are too many, and satisfying them would take all of my time. For another, my critics may unwittingly be my best friends. Like a mirror, they reveal faults and shortcomings that my blinded eyes might not otherwise see.

I will respond to critics with either thankfulness or silence—thankfulness when they are kind enough to point out areas where I may improve, and silence when the criticism is malicious or mischievous. By silence, I mean silence toward them, not silence toward God. Criticism should always drive me to prayer and to placing the critic in God’s hands. I must pray that if the criticism is fair, I will accept it; and if it is not, that God will defend me.

I must be careful not to line up support when I am under attack. It is so easy to take sides, collect allies, and allow criticism to grow into an issue where battle lines are drawn. To do so is to refuse correction and to lose the benefit criticism can bring. Worse still, it creates an endless cycle of petty charges and counter charges that only feed pride and stubbornness. There may be differences of opinion, but no quarrel is ever necessary. Whenever a rift or schism develops in the body, someone has forgotten to say, “Forgive me.”

Jesus is my perfect example of how to handle criticism, for He went to the cross with a pure conscience. Likewise, I am counseled to “keep a good conscience, so that those who slander me and revile my good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16).

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Cracked Pots and Great Purpose
“God chose things despised by the world; things counted as nothing at all and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.” I Cor. 1:28; New Living Translation (NLT)

People are always comparing themselves with someone or something. We have been told by others that we are not important enough, or educated enough, or have enough money, or own a big enough house, or drive the right kind of car. We have been told that were too fat, too skinny, too short, or too tall. We have been told that we have too many hang-ups to be able to do anything significant in life. In other words, we look like trash to them, good for nothing.

But don’t you know that light shines brighter through cracked pots. Yes, we have many problems, but God is the great recycler. God takes what has been rejected by the world and called trash to do marvelous things. The Apostles were a group of poor and uneducated men. Yet in the hands of God, they became mighty witnesses of His power acting through them. God looks at people and sees their potential. When Jesus first saw Simon, he observed that he was rash, bad talkin, and a rough neck fisherman. However, in spite of all of Simon’s faults Jesus said to him, “follow me.” Jesus saw what Simon could become over time. Simon had to learn a lot, but he was willing to learn. Simon’s name meant, “a reed bending in the wind.” Simon’s emotions were up and down and got him into lots of problems. But Jesus over time renamed Simon calling him Peter, which means rock. Simon, now Peter changed into a stable and reliable person to be used by God. Subsequently, Peter strengthened the church and became a great Apostle. He didn’t start out as a great Apostle. Remember that it is not your beginning that counts but how you end up!

That which is impossible for men is not impossible for God. God can take our tired and broken-down lives and turn them around for His glory. Don’t look at your limitations but look how great God is. God see you as successful! Believe God against all odds and that you are tucked away in His promises. People may laugh at you, and you may not understand what is happening in your life but because you are in God’s hands nothing else matters. Remember, God is with you. God believes in you so why don’t you believe in Him. Look up to heaven and say God in spite of everything I believe in you and your power. Say to God this day I will see a new day dawning in my life!

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Living Evangelism!
“Prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

My discipleship under Jesus Christ means I witness for Him, but I must be careful to be a biblical witness. Much witnessing around us today is nothing more than egotism in spiritual dress. John the Baptist is the biblical example of a true witness. “He was sent to be a witness of that light”. (John 1:8). The ministry of witnessing for Jesus Christ is not expressed as a verb but a noun. We do not witness. We are witnesses.

Many Christians are confused by the modern emphasis on gifts. The confusion lies in the fact that every question is supposed to have gifts, and the gifts are indications of something extra special.

The only gift every Christian has is a new life from God, the life of Jesus Christ. Since Jesus himself was a witness (Revelations 1:5), witnessing will be the normal result wherever he is. Witnessing is basically a state of being rather than a function of vocalizing.

John was not occupied with seeking and finding gifts but simply pointing to Jesus Christ as a lamb of God. His ministry was to make men, Christ-dependent, not John-dependent. The preoccupation with gifts can make us little gods in our own little kingdoms, the very opposite of what a witness is supposed to be. Because John was Christ-centered his life was its own advertising campaign, encouraging others to follow Jesus.

No wonder Jesus said of him,” among those born of women, there has not risen anyone greater.” (Matthew 11:11). Yet in the same breath, Jesus said the “least” of us could be as great as John. Lord, may others make notice of me for this one reason; that I have been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13).

Rev. Claudia & Dr. Timothy Emerick
Missionaries of the Cross
I Corinthians 1:18

Don’t settle for less!
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son), and Sarai his daughter-in-law (his son Abram’s wife) and set out with them from Ur of the Chaldees for the land of Canaan. But when they got as far as Haran, they settled down there. Terah lived 200 years. He died in Haran. The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. Gen. 11:31-32 & Gen 12: 1-2,

This is the tale of two men. This is a story of how the son followed God, and his father chooses not to. Both received from God a call to leave their country and go to the land of Canaan but one obeyed and the other did not. Canaan represents the blessing of God. A land of fruitfulness. A place of plenty and peace. A place where one can fulfill one’s dreams. A place where your very presence will be a blessing to others.

Why did Terah (Abraham’s father) travel towards Canaan but settled halfway? Why does a person not reach out for the very best God has to offer? Why do some find it easier to complain about their circumstances and wallow in self-pity? We all know people who will continually have a pity party for themselves. They are always complaining about something however others blossom no matter where God calls them to be. Why is this? I believe that it has to do with the attitude of our heart. We all have been knocked around by life. We have all had many hardships and trials. Why do some settle for mediocrity and others for total victory? Terah gave up when it got difficult. He settled in and died in the land of mediocrity. He never experienced God’s best. Anything that is worth anything takes a lot of persistence and hard work. But Tereh did not have it within him to continue. Why? Maybe because he was a crybaby? Don’t ever give up. That is easy. Don’t have a pity party when things get tough.

God has great plans for each one of us. He wants to bless us and fulfill our dreams. He wants to take you further than you have ever dreamed. But He needs your complete trust. He needs you to look to Him and believe that all things are possible for those who trust Him.
Don’t be a quitter! Be steadfast in God and in His power and you will eventually overcome all obstacles.