Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus Christ?

Many people have an opinion today on who Jesus Christ is.  I have heard everything from "enlightened being" or "space alien" to just "a good man."  But he is not subject to those opinions.

Reading Luke 9 today.

"Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life."

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Luke 9:18-19 (NIV)

And there it is, where the rubber meets the road.  Jesus doesn't really respond to what the people think, he asks his disciples what they say.

After Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah (and Jesus tells Peter that God himself revealed this truth to him,) Jesus moves on from there. 

Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?" Luke 9:24-25 (NIV)

Saying Jesus was a good man or a space alien doesn't require anything after that.  Because anyone who has come to those conclusions has not had Jesus revealed to them by the Holy Spirit.  And perhaps that is why people are comfortable in that ignorance.  To accept Jesus is to change the path of our lives.  Like the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-30), those people encounter Christ but do not want to pay the price to know him for who he is.

However, for those of us who know Jesus as the Christ, we must recognize that our life is no longer our own.

"Who do you say that I am?" 

How do we answer that question?  Does our life show that we truly have accepted him for who he really is?

God

Some years back  there was a movie starring John Denver and George Burns called "Oh, God!"

Now although much of the theology of that movie was not scriptural, I remember one thing that rang true to me and left an impression.

After God tells John Denver's character he is going to be his messenger, John asks for a symbol or sign.  God gives him a business card.  John looks it over and there is one word typed on it.

God.

What I love about that is, that really sums it up.  He is God.  Like when Moses asked, "who do I say sent me?" and God answers, "I am". 

Think about that for a moment.  God is God. 

And Jesus Christ is the very image of God himself.  This is the Jesus Christ whom we accepted, who died so that by our faith we are saved, and whom we can trust with our lives.

Reading Colossians today.

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." Colossians 1:15-18 (NIV)

He is able to meet all our needs, calm all our storms, lead our life.

And he is worthy of our full submission, including reigning over our time, talent and treasures.

He is God.

Evil? Who is evil?

Sometimes I get pretty down when I see the amount of evil that is out there.  Sometimes I can even get impatient with God.  I find myself struggling with that age-old question that goes something like, "God, if you are loving, why don't you do something about all the evil that is going on in the world?"

But this morning I thought, what if God answered something like, "Ok David, what would you have me do?"

I'd probably answer, "Do that  'smite thing,' you know, just wipe them out!"

"Who David?  All the people you consider evil?  Or all the people I see as evil?"

And therein lies the problem.  There is the sobering thought.

We assume that God has the same measuring standard that we do.  But he doesn't.  In fact, according to God's standard of good and evil, 

"No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.

All have turned away; all have become useless.

No one does good,  not a single one. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.Their tongues are filled with lies. Snake venom drips from their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them. They don't know where to find peace."

They have no fear of God at all.'" Romans 3:10-18 (NLT)

Fortunately, God is far more patient with the world than we are, fortunately he is providing us all with time to repent. 

"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.  The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.  But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. " 2 Peter 3:8-10 (NIV)

God's ways are simply not our ways.  And perhaps that is a very good thing, for you and me.

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord.

    "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so my ways are higher than your ways

    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)

Gift or Giver?

Now is a time when we are all frantically Christmas shopping.  There is a lot of emphasis on gift giving.

When God gives you something, do you pay more attention to the gift or the giver?

In John chapter six, Jesus had just fed 5,000 people, meeting their physical need for food with a miraculous sign.  The crowd's response was they wanted to force him to be their king.  Why not?  A king who could simply make food appear where there was none, that's a good trick!

Jesus withdraws from them.  We pick up the story in verse 22.

"The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.  Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.  Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"

Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.  Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." John 6:22-26 (NIV emphasis mine)

Clearly they were only looking for their next meal.  They ate the fish and bread, but had missed the point of the sign.  A sign points to something, and this sign had pointed to Jesus himself.  He was teaching them something about himself by meeting their physical need.

Let's continue.

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

So they asked him, "What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" vv 28-31 (NIV)

Aren't we just like that?  Jesus' last miracle wasn't enough for them, and often times it is not enough for us.  That was yesterday Jesus, what will you do for me today?  You want me to believe in you, what will you do for me now in exchange for my belief?

Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

"Sir," they said, "always give us this bread."

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." vv 32-35 (NIV)

The blessings in our life are always meant to teach us something about our Father in Heaven, to draw us into a closer relationship with Him. 

Are you looking at the gifts or the giver today?

The lesson is clear, the giver is all we need. 

Sent from my iPad

Psalm 43

The weekend is here, what kind of week did you have?

If it was anything like mine, it was full of challenges and trials.  There were some where I won the battle, and some I'd just rather forget and move on.

Reading Psalm 43 today; I love the honesty in this.

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, my God,

    and plead my cause

    against an unfaithful nation.

Rescue me from those who are

    deceitful and wicked.

2 You are God my stronghold.

    Why have you rejected me?

Why must I go about mourning,

    oppressed by the enemy?

Have you ever felt like this?  Rejected by God and alone?  Let's read on...

3 Send me your light and your faithful care,

    let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

    to the place where you dwell.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

    to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise you with the lyre,

    O God, my God.

Here the Psalmist prays to the Lord.  Many of us can stay at this point, we pray and think, "Ok God, do your thing!

But he goes one more step, he actually speaks to himself! 

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?

    Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

    for I will yet praise him,

    my Savior and my God.

Sometimes prayer is not enough, we need to encourage, even challenge ourselves to put our hope in God!  And then, actually do just that.

Opinion or Truth?

Have you ever heard it said, "everyone is entitled to their opinion"?

Well, that is true.  The Lord has given us the freedom to think whatever we want to think.  However, that does not mean we are correct.

And, an opinion doesn't always match up with the truth.

I can be of the opinion that traffic should stop for me when I pull out into a crowded intersection, that doesn't mean I won't get hit.

That's why we need the Word of God in our lives.  When we struggle to see whose opinion is correct or even matters, it's best to see if those words line up with the Bible.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Heb 4:12 (NIV)

What a blessing to have, at our fingertips, words we can rely on to be true.

Same Yesterday, Today and Forever

With all that is in the news of late, I cannot help but think of these verses where Jesus said, 

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48( NIV)

You know what I think Jesus would say today?

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Heb 13:8

Calling

What is your calling?

What does that even mean?  Is that only for preachers and missionaries?

From what I understand, a person who found their calling is someone who has discovered how the talents they have line up with the works  the Lord has prepared for them to do.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)

Now the amazing thing about our calling is this, we have been given the talents and the desire to actuallywant to do this!

What I mean by this is, although it is true that the Lord may ask us to step out of our comfort zone, (and what is that really, other than just letting go of control?) he gifts us with talents that go along with the calling we have.  We already desire it, for he has given us the desires of our heart.

¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

For example, someone who loves to cook may have the gift of hospitality and servanthood.  They may not want to be a greeter at a church, but they love to bless people with the items they bake. or make.  That is a calling, sometimes an act of kindness from someone with this gift can totally change a person's day, or even their life!

So what is your calling?  Are you asking the Lord to help you find it?  It is not a matter of asking for a calling, for we all have one.  It is a matter of seeing what is already there, recognizing our gifts, and knowing how we can best serve God with them.

Kingdom of Heaven, part 3

So how should we live as members of the Kingdom of Heaven?

Jesus began his great sermon on the mount with these words, ""Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 (NIV) and then he went on for three chapters teaching us what life in the Kingdom of God means. You could spend a lifetime just studying that sermon!

But for now, let's take a look at one verse that finds itself right in the center of the sermon.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

That is the heart of it, right there.  What do we live for every day?  What do we do with our time, talents and treasures? 

I have to admit, I am challenged by these words even as I write them here.  We are so programmed by the kingdom of this world to get all we can.  To live for ourselves, go get our "me time".  Yet Jesus teaches that this is how we lose our life, not keep it as the world promises.

Jesus ended his sermon with these words, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

I would encourage you to read Matthew 5-7, prayerfully.  Let's ask the Lord how our lives measure up to life in his Kingdom.

Kingdom of Heaven - part 2

So what is the Kingdom of Heaven?

Although there are many nations, both past and present, there are really only two kingdoms.  There is the kingdom of darkness (those who belong to Satan) and there is the Kingdom of God, (or Kingdom of Heaven) those who have been born again and belong to God. 

Everyone on earth belongs to one or the other whether they do this knowingly or not. 

In Colossians we read, 

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Col 1:13 (NIV)

Being saved is more than just sins washed away and a ticket to heaven.  It's about a a change in allegiance.  For lack of better words, it's membership in an entirely different nation.  We become a people, united with every other believer on the face of the earth.  Regardless of what language they speak, clothes they wear, or continent they live on.

And our kingdom is at war.

Paul famously changed sides when he went from killing Christians to preaching the Gospel.  At the time of his conversion he asked Jesus, "Who are you, Lord?" 

Jesus' reply clearly shows the change in allegiance and the Kingdom responsibility.

"'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.  'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.  I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them  to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'  Acts 26:15-18 (NIV)

What is the Kingdom of Heaven?  Simply put, it is the family of God.  Membership is automatic when we accept him as Lord. 

Kingdom of Heaven

Probably one of the most famous Bible verses has to be John 3:16.  I'm sure most of us know it by heart.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. " John 3:16 (NIV)

But what is lesser known is that this famous quote from our Lord Jesus came during a nighttime conversation with a man named Nicodemus that began like this.

"Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him."

Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." John 3:1-3 (NIV)

Nicodemus was showing respect to Jesus as a great teacher, referring to him as Rabbi, and acknowledging he was from God. 

But notice what Jesus says before launching into his lesson, before even mentioning being "born again."  Back up just a little further to three very significant words.

"kingdom of God"

There is a kingdom  which you cannot enter without a spiritual rebirth, because it is a spiritual kingdom.  And as such, it transcends nationality, political parties, even dare I say? Church membership!

I'm challenged by this thought.  What does it really mean to be a part of this kingdom?  

The subject was of such importance that we find John the Baptist preaching about it up until his imprisonment.  And then Jesus' first message after being tempted by the devil in the wilderness was the same, 

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Matt 4:7 (NIV)

What is the kingdom of heaven? Give that question some thought, and these as well.

What does it mean to be a member of this kingdom?  How should our lives be different because of it? What do we do to build the kingdom?  Does this kingdom have an enemy?

Shout for Joy

I thought it fitting, with Black Friday upon us, to not let the Thanksgiving holiday pass without at least one more mention of giving thanks to the Lord.

I know the shopping has already begun.  The countdown to Christmas is here, but before we get caught up in that, let's just take a moment and pray the words of this Psalm.  I think it is good to ignore the shouts from all the advertisements, designed to get us to rush into a purchasing frenzy. 

Perhaps even print this one out and make it a daily prayer during the Christmas season.

Psalm 100 (NIV)

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2     Worship the Lord with gladness;

    come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the Lord is God.

    It is he who made us, and we are his;

    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is here, and before the turkey is cold and cut up into sandwiches, our thoughts will quickly move toward Christmas.  Many may even be shopping this very day.

But before we get caught up in the holiday rush, take a moment to maybe write down what you are thankful for from this past year.  Perhaps this has been a rough year for you.  Or maybe it's been an amazing year.  More than likely it is a combination of both, still, there is always something to be thankful for.

God is good, all the time.

So, I will wish you a very happy Thanksgiving and leave you with this Scripture.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    his love endures forever. "(1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)

Give Thanks... part 2

Continuing with Psalm 107 today...

10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,

    prisoners suffering in iron chains,

11 because they rebelled against God's commands

    and despised the plans of the Most High.

12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;

    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he saved them from their distress.

14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,

    and broke away their chains.

15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,

16 for he breaks down gates of bronze

    and cuts through bars of iron.

Some chains do not have to be made of iron to bind us. 

Some years ago I rebelled against God in an effort to find some kind of "freedom."  But the more I sought what the world had to offer to make me free, the more in "utter darkness" I dwelled.  It took some time living that way before realizing my need for the Lord. 

What amazes me about the prisoner is this, he is in chains because of his rebellion to God, yet when he calls out to that same God, he is freed and forgiven. 

If you can relate to the prisoner, then take a moment to give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his ability to cut through the bars of iron that enslaved your soul.

Give Thanks...

With the approaching Thanksgiving holiday being within days, I thought it only fitting we take some time to read through Psalm 107. 

Life can often be difficult, and we can struggle to find something to thank the Lord for.  But this Psalm is a wonderful reminder of where we were when the Lord found us, and how to give thanks for his hearing our cry for help.

Psalm 107 begins with an exhortation to give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and love, and then for the redeemed of the Lord to tell their story.

Psalm 107 (NIV)

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    his love endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3 those he gathered from the lands,

    from east and west, from north and south

What's amazing to me is the honest depiction of the different types of people there are out there, and how when they reached an end, cried out and found the Lord.  Perhaps as we read through, you and I will identify with one or more of these.

For example, the wanderer.

4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,

    finding no way to a city where they could settle.

5 They were hungry and thirsty,

    and their lives ebbed away.

6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he delivered them from their distress.

7 He led them by a straight way

    to a city where they could settle.

8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,

9 for he satisfies the thirsty

    and fills the hungry with good things.

Can you relate to that, were you the wanderer?  Perhaps you were not literally wandering about, unable to settle, but maybe, like me, you wandered through different kinds of escapes, trying to simply find peace.   And then, when all energy was spent, you cried out to the Lord and he heard you!

Take a moment to recall that time, the time of wandering and the time of deliverance, and give the Lord thanks!

Convictions

Do you go along with the crowd?  Or, do you take your time, think about and maybe research something before you come to your conclusion?

And when you have a conviction, do you stick to it?

Reading Mark today, I could not get over how fickle the people are.  Look at these two verses.

Mark 14:1-2 (NLT) "Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.  "But not during the festival," they said, "or the people may riot."

and  then, not very long after, when Jesus was before Pilate,

Mark 15:9-14 "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate,  knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

"What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them.

"Crucify him!" they shouted.

 "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

The same people the chief priest were afraid would mob them to protect Jesus when he was teaching, turned on him after what seems like a little stirring up from them.  I guess it was no longer fashionable to support Jesus after his arrest?  I'm not sure, frankly I read this and I'm baffled by it.

But it does show that shallow convictions are not convictions at all.

I see this all the time.  I see people doing this still today.

 

Do you follow the crowd?  Do you go with what is popular?

Or do your convictions run deep?

Focus - part 2

Yesterday I  read,

" As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, "Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!"

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?" Matthew 24:1-3 (NLT)

I mentioned that the disciples question here is very telling.  They want to know "when."  But Jesus never told them. 

What he does tell them is what to look out for, and what to focus on.

In other words, he tells them how to live, so that the "when" becomes irrelevant.

So what do we focus on? 

The only lasting thing we can focus on is the Kingdom of God. 

Take a moment and try to read the next scripture as if you never heard it before.  Pretend that you have no pre-conceived notions about Christianity and see what Jesus's words say to you.

Matthew 6:19-34 (NLT)

 "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.  Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

 "Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

 "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing,  yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

 "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God[e] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Something to think about?  How does this apply to your life, right now?  What should you change about your life with regard to these words?

Focus

I was taking a walk during my lunch hour the other day.  I work in a place that has a lot of four- and five-story office buildings around it. 

The thought occurred to me, how nothing truly lasts forever.  These buildings seem so solid and permanent.  But there will come a time when they will no longer look the way they do now.  No longer in use.

It's inevitable, it has happened to every great civilization. 

Reading Matthew 24 today

" As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, "Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!"

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?" Matthew 24:1-3 (NLT)

I find the disciples question here very telling.  They want to know "when."  But Jesus never tells them. 

What he does tell them is what to look out for, and what to focus on.

In other words, he tells them how to live, so that the "when" becomes irrelevant.

So what do we focus on?  What will truly last?

More on that tomorrow.

Learning by Doing

Having played guitar for over thirty years, mostly by ear, I never had the need to learn to read music.  Sure, I knew some basic note values and staff positions, but nothing that I could consider real music reading skills.

But for piano, I decided to finally give this a go, to really strengthen that skill.

And right now, reading music takes a lot of mental effort, it is rather difficult.  I make a lot of mistakes.

What's interesting is, the only way to do this is to do it.  I can have that music book propped up on my keyboard all day long, but it won't get any easier by itself.  There is no way to learn to read unless you actually start doing it.

The same can be said of our walks with the Lord.  We can't wait until we "get our act together " to begin following him.  The only way to practice our faith is to do it.

" Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear."- Philippians 2:12 (NLT)

Thanksgiving...

When I think back to some of the things I did in my younger years, (and even my not so young years) I wish I could go back to that rebellious time and make better choices. 

That is the amazing thing about walking with the Lord, no matter how much we messed up in the past because of the foolish things we have done, he can take our broken life and make something beautiful with it.

Take a look at this part from Psalm 107 as Thanksgiving day quickly approaches!

"17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways

    and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

18 They loathed all food

    and drew near the gates of death.

19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he saved them from their distress.

20 He sent out his word and healed them;

    he rescued them from the grave.

21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings

    and tell of his works with songs of joy. (NIV)

Has your life  been restored?  Do you look at all the mistakes you made and realize (with a shudder) where you would be had the Lord not reached down and saved you from that path? 

Then give him thanks for his love that never fails!

Words...

The days we live in give us access to technology that allows anyone, for free, to express whatever is on their mind at any moment. 

Facebook and Twitter, for example, give the "common" person broadcasting ability that only a few years ago was not possible for the average person. 

This can lead to a lot of knee-jerk reactions and responses to anything from what someone ate to their political views.

With that in mind, think about your use of social networking, and then read these words from James.

"Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.  And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.  And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself." James 3:2-6 (NLT)

Keeping those words in mind, let us make it a practice to stop, pray and think before we put our words out there.

Running on Empty

When you ride a motorcycle, you notice things that you don't always see from a car.

This past weekend we were coming out of Raleigh and stopped at a light.  I notices a car ahead of us open their door and pour out the contents of what looked like a cup of soda.

As we sat at the light, I could see the small stream of liquid make its way toward me as gravity aided its decent. 

I thought, "that little stream of soda had to leave a small part of itself along the way, but soon there will be nothing left. It would just stop flowing and eventually dry up."

Our lives can feel that way at times. That's why we have to stay close to the source of true life and follow his leadings, in this way, you will never run dry.

"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!  Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)" John 7:37 - 39 (NLT)

Meanwhile, Behind the Scenes...

The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God by name.

Because of this, some have even questioned its place in the Bible, but, in reality, the absence of God's name fits perfectly with the theme of the book.

The point of the book of Esther appears to be showing us how God works behind the scenes.

Even though there are no miracles and no direct intervention from God, his hand is clearly seen

In Esther's story, the Lord takes care of His people through the faith and courage of one strategically placed woman and her cousin. Throughout the whole book, things are happening behind the scenes to bring about this final outcome.

So many times we sit back and wait for a sign from heaven in order to move. We pray for guidance, expecting a voice from heaven to tell us what to do.

But, as in the book of Esther, sometimes if we pay attention to the details of our lives, we can clearly see his leading. And as long as this lines up with what we know the Bible teaches, we can safely move ahead.

Back to Basics

At first, learning to read music can seem a bit overwhelming.  Taking a look at a complex music score can have almost no meaning.  Just a series of dots, lines, dashes.

It looks impressive and important.  It looks like something that can bring challenges as well as joy.

It's been years since I learned to read music, and even, then not very well.  But as I've embarked on learning how to play the piano, the challenge of reading music has come right alongside this.

At first I found the very scope of it overwhelming.  But then, as I started to break it down to basics, to understand small parts, the whole task seemed far less intimidating and actually very enjoyable.  Matching the notes on the paper to the keys on my keyboard brought a great sense of satisfaction.

It reminded me of how many people feel about reading the Bible.  They know it's important, but the very scope of it seems overwhelming.

But if you take the time and make the commitment, each thing you learn from the Holy Spirit will build on itself and soon you will find yourself asking why you didn't start sooner.

It really begins with a choice... to begin.

"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."  Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)

Unity

If this past election has anything to show us, it's that our nation appears to be more divided than it ever has been.  Friends and families find themselves at odds, co-workers have heated debates, friendships can be altered or even ended.

Although different opinions are actually healthy for any relationship, discord never is.  For a nation this could prove disastrous, for the Body of Christ, it is actually unacceptable.

Because in spite of what church you may attend on Sunday, in the kingdom of God, there is only one body.

As Paul tells us.

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. -Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV)

In light of this, let's join Jesus in his prayer in John 17:21 

"I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me." (NLT)

Unity in the body of Christ is essential for the health of us all.

Today's Issues

Like everyone else I have watched our nation's history unfold over the past years.  Everyone seems to have an opinion on where the church of God should land on many of the issues facing us today.

However, take a moment and reflect on what these words mean.

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

How does this apply to you, today?  Is this something you take to heart as the word of God?  Have more complaints left your lips than prayers?  Are you discussing issues more than praying about them?

How will you continue for the next four years, now that you have read the above Scripture?

Making Music

A little while ago, I decided to purchase an inexpensive keyboard and learn a thing or two about playing the piano.  Having some musical knowledge, I was able to begin plunking away making some nice sounds.

Then I decided to see what was out there on YouTube that I could learn from. 

What amazed me is the beautiful music a true piano player can produce with access to the same notes I have.

The instrument can be exactly the same, what makes the music amazing, or not, is the hands that play it. 

The same can be said of our lives.  When we are in charge of our own decisions, we are playing with our life.  But when we surrender to the master, our lives can take on a beauty that we never dreamed possible.

Reading Jeremiah 18:1-6

"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:  "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."  So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel.  But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 

Then the word of the Lord came to me.  He said, "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?" declares the Lord. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. " (NIV)

Are you allowing the Lord to play, or have you shoved him aside to make your own music?

Individuals

Last time, we were looking at a healing that always baffled me.  I presented it, and asked you to think about a few things,

As a reminder, this was the scripture.

Mark 7:31-35 "Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means "Be opened!").  At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly." (NIV)

My questions were, why would he do all that?  Why is this healing so different from others?  Why did he take the man away from the crowd?  What's with the spit and sticking his fingers into the man's ears?

Jesus is able to heal a person without them even being present (as with the centurion's servant,), so why all this apparent drama?

I think this is an example of how God treats us all as individuals.  Although he could have healed this man differently, this is the way he chose. 

We have a habit of wanting to put people into categories.  We tell people they are certain personality types that can then be classified and dealt with accordingly. 

I'm thankful that we serve a God who sees us, each one of us, for all the wonderful complexity of who we are.

Only an all powerful God is capable of that.

Healing

There is a healing that always baffled me.  I honestly don't have a definite answer, so I'll simply present it to you to you to think about.

Mark 7:31-35 "Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means "Be opened!").  At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly." (NIV)

Now my questions are, why would he do all that?  Why is this healing so different from others?  Why did he take the man away from the crowd?  What's with the spit and sticking his fingers in the man's ears?

Jesus is able to heal a person without them even being present (as with the centurion's servant), so why all this apparent drama?"

I have my own speculations, but for today I'd rather leave this one for you to simply ponder.

And I'll share my thoughts on this in the next Daily Rock

Lord, Teach Us...

Reading Luke 11 today, the chapter starts,

"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." (NIV)

Sometimes we just skip ahead in this scripture to get to the "meat" of it.

The Lord's prayer.  Even people who don't read the bible regularly, those who don't memorize Scripture, know this prayer.

But before reading on, think about this first verse.  Read it again.

"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

Just hearing Jesus pray caused his disciples to ask him to teach them.

Do you know anyone like that today?  

Are you that kind of person? Someone whose prayer life inspires others to desire more just by hearing you pray?

What was it about Jesus' prayers that lead his disciples to ask?

I'm challenged by this thought, where are the prayer warriors today?

Something to think about?

In Step?

In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul tells us 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (NIV)

I recently read an interesting thought in the book "Forgotten God, written by Francis Chan.

He posed a question; based on the fact that  we have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, shouldn't we have a supernatural advantage (over those who have not accepted Christ,) to excel in the areas that the fruit of the Spirit represent?

Shouldn't then Christians be the most loving?  The most peaceful?  The most patient?  Exhibiting the most self control?  This list goes on and on.

I am challenged by this.

Because if our display of these attributes are no different, or even worse, than someone who has not accepted Christ (and therefore does not have the Holy Spirit imparting them) then what does that say about us?

Perhaps we are not keeping as much in step with the Holy Spirit as we may assume we do?

As Paul goes on to say, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." VV 24-26

Are we truly in step with the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit

What could be better than having Jesus, in the flesh, walking with you day by day?

Jesus said to his disciples, 

"but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'  Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.  But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:5-7 (NIV)

Jesus, speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, said that it was good that he left so that the Spirit would come.

Do we give any thought to the Holy Spirit?  Do we understand who he is or what his role is in our life?

What does this even mean to us today?

Take a moment and read this scripture where Jesus promises the Holy Spirit

"If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

 "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.  I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,  but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

"Come now; let us leave."  John 14:15-31 (NIV)

What does this mean to you?

Our Greatest Need

Sometimes we think we know what is right, sometimes we feel if we had the power of God, we would know just what people need and give it to them.

Reading in Matthew 9,

"Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.  Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

Doesn't a paralyzed man need to walk?  Wouldn't that be the greatest need he had?  Why didn't Jesus simply heal the man?

Perhaps it's because Jesus knew that to simply heal him wasn't nearly enough for what was grieving this man's heart.  Jesus saw that his need for forgiveness outweighed the need to walk for this man.  Jesus also saw an opportunity, not only to forgive this man's sins, but to point to himself as being able to forgive all our sins.

Continuing to read...

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home." Then the man got up and went home.  When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man." Matthew 9: 1-8 (NIV)

After all, what good does it do any of us to have our needs for today met, if in the end we die in our sin?

Is That You?

Reading Luke 3:1-2 (NIV) today.

"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—  during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness."

I love these few verses.  At first you may think that Luke is setting the stage for an accurate account of John's ministry.  But the list seems a bit overkill to simply establish a time line. 

What I feel he is doing, is creating a contrast.  A list of all the important people, the main religious leaders and the people in power.  As I read his words listing each person and their impressive titles, I picture a camera zooming over their faces, like the Academy Awards, until we get to...

"the word of the Lord came to..."  

Almost like, "and the winner is..."

Yet the Lord did not pick any of them.  He went to John, a man living in the wilderness.

A great reminder that the Lord looks not at the accomplishments we can rack up to impress others.  He does not look at the importance of position or at the number of people that can be influenced by them.

He simply looks for an individual who will be completely sold out to him.

Is he looking for you?

What Do You Live For?

There is a, now famous, line in the movie Braveheart, where William Wallace is addressing an army that has lost its sense of itself.  One man shouts, "If I run, I will live!"

Wallace responds, "Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you'll live -- at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!!!"

I got thinking about that.  We have this one life to live, how will we make it count?  The older I get the faster I see the years going by.  What seemed like an endless supply of days now seems very limited. 

Who will you live your life for? 

Jesus said, 

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." -Matthew 16:25 (NIV)

Time to make a choice?

Reading the Bible

Wednesday night, during Refuel, I taught on how to read the Bible.  One of the things I felt compelled to stress was the importance of prayer in regard to Bible reading.  We need to recognize that the Holy Spirit teaches us and guides us through the Word of God.

Each morning I get a scripture emailed to me from Bible Gateway, Thursday morning's scripture was this.

Hebrews 4:12 New International Version (emphasis mine)

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

I've learned that when the same message comes to you from several different places, pay attention.  So in light of that, I wanted to encourage all of us to remember that reading the Word is not like spending time in any other book.

Mona Lisa

Even people who don't know anything about art would recognize Da Vinci's Mona Lisa.  It shows ups everywhere in pop-culture.  Some would say this is the most famous painted portrait in the world.

Yet, we don't know for sure who Da Vinci actually painted.  There are ideas of course.  Most seem to think it might be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

But no one knows for sure.  It is a mystery, just like her smile.

I thought, what an interesting commentary on humanity.  Her image has become more important than any other detail of her life.  People know her face, but nothing else about her.

In our media driven society, we are focused so much more on looks than anything else.  Better-looking people are valued more than those who are less attractive. 

But God has never thought that way.

Reading 1 Samuel 16:7, when Samuel thought one of David's older more impressive brothers would be the next king, but notice what the Lord said to him. 

" But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (NIV)

When we look at each other, what really impresses us?  And do we treat people based only on what we see?

What's Your Agenda?

How do you approach the Lord?

When you have a question about your life, or something you don't fully understand, what is your posture when you ask Jesus something?

Are you really looking for what Christ has to say, or are you simply asking him to confirm what you want?  Is your  motive to find his heart and direction for your life, no matter the cost, or do you have a hidden, underlying motive?

Reading Mark 11:27 -33 this morning,

"They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.  "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"

 Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  John's baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!"

They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 32 But if we say, 'Of human origin' …" (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."

Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Notice how even though these men were questioning the authority of Christ, he still gave them an opportunity to get real with him.  Basically he was saying, "Is this really a conversation about sincerely getting to know me? Or is this something else?"

In their refusal to engage in an honest conversation with Jesus, they lost the opportunity know him better. 

Questions are never the issue, but the motive behind the question is everything.

The Importance of Love

How important is it for us as Christians to love? 

Years ago, I volunteered with a small drama team.  What I found interesting was, if a part called for anger, that was really easy to pull off.  Other emotions, however, were not as readily available. 

Anger is easy, love is hard.  Anger is readily available inside us, love has to be brought to the surface. 

Reading Revelation 2:1-4 (NIV)

To the Church in Ephesus

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.  I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.  You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."

Anger is easy, love is hard.  But even as Jesus looks on this church that is zealous for the truth, he flat out told them he would remove their church (and it's effectiveness)  from its place if they did not repent and start loving again.

Jesus loved the world enough to die for it, should we do any less?

Directions for Life

This weekend Rika and I  had a nice 1000 mile ride with a couple of friends.

One of our  friends was leading the ride through roads that Rika was fairly familiar with.  In fact, when one of the roads was closed to through traffic, the two of them discussed alternate routes.

I'm terrible with directions, they might as well have spoken a foreign language.  I waited patiently, then followed them both down the road.

But then I thought, "What would happen if I got cut off from the group and was on my own?  Could I even find my way home?  Did I even know where I was? If something happened and I needed to call for help, could I even describe where we were?"

Maybe it's time I try harder to learn these roads for myself.

The same could be said for our Christian walk.  It's good to have pastors and teachers to follow, but at some point we need to take responsibility for our own lives, and know where we are and where we are going.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) says, 

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

Politics

I tend to avoid political discussions, especially posts on social media.  In fact, what I am about to share with you, I would not even share on Facebook.

However I recently came across this quote from Arthur W. Pink that I thought was extremely relevant and timely for all Christians to consider today.

You don't have to agree, but do give it some thought. 

Arthur W. Pink died in 1952, he started writing books in 1934.  So, at some point during those years he wrote this:

"One form of worldliness, which has spoiled the life, and testimony of many a Christian is politics.  We will not now discuss the question whether or not the saint ought to take any interest in politics, but simply point out what should be evident to all with spiritual discernment, namely, that to take an eager and deep concern in politics must remove the edge from any spiritual appetite.  Clearly, politics are concerned only with the affairs of this world, and therefore to become deeply absorbed in them and have the heart engaged in the pursuit thereof, will inevitably turn attention away from eternal things.  Any worldly matter, no matter how lawful in itself, which engages out attention inordinately, becomes a snare and saps our spiritual vitality.  We greatly fear that those saints who spent several hours a day in listening to the speeches of candidates, reading the newspapers on them, and discussing party politics with their fellows during the recent election, lost to a considerable extent their relish for the Bread of Life." (from "Spiritual Growth", chapter 9)

"No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer." 2 Timothy 2:4 (NIV)

True Humility

In Jesus Christ, God became a man. 

Do we ever really think about that?  What that means?  How humbling that was for him?

"Who, being in very nature God,

    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!" Phil 2:6-8 (NIV)

Often, as humans, we see ourselves on the "top" of creation.  We compare ourselves to animals, or even other people and think rather highly of ourselves.

But regardless of man being created in God's image; regardless of his love for us - it is still a HUGE step down for God to become one of us.  To take on the life and limitations of a man.

And then to die.

What does this tell us about God's humility?  What does this tell us about the extent to which he must love us, to be willing to do such a thing?

Something to think about?

Psalm 37

Reading Psalm 37 today.  It never fails to amaze me how relevant the psalms really are.

Times will change, people come into our life and go, but one thing that remains constant is the Lord himself.  When we think about who our amazing God is, that he created everything we see or have ever heard of, and then contemplate that he loves and cares about all the details of our life.

How can we not take delight in him?  Take a moment and read this psalm, out loud to yourself.  Maybe two or three times until the words begin to make it down from your head into your heart.

 Do not fret because of those who are evil

    or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,

    like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good;

    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 Commit your way to the Lord;

    trust in him and he will do this:

 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

    your vindication like the noonday sun.

 Be still before the Lord

    and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

    when they carry out their wicked schemes." Psalm 37:1-7 (NIV)

Yours?

I had a teacher once who told a story about how he and his (then) 3-year-old daughter were eating at a burger place.

As he reached for one of her fries, she slapped his hand, saying, "mine!"

He commented how his daughter could not comprehend at that age that her father bought the fries for her, in fact everything she had came from him.  He chuckled thinking, "Yours? I payed for them, I'm only letting you eat them."

There are times when we simply need to put things into perspective. 

Take a moment and prayerfully read through this Psalm

Psalm 24 (NIV)

Of David. A psalm.

1 The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it,

    the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it on the seas

    and established it on the waters.

3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?

    Who may stand in his holy place?

4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,

    who does not trust in an idol

    or swear by a false god.

5 They will receive blessing from the Lord

    and vindication from God their Savior.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,

    who seek your face, God of Jacob.

7 Lift up your heads, you gates;

    be lifted up, you ancient doors,

    that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?

    The Lord strong and mighty,

    the Lord mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, you gates;

    lift them up, you ancient doors,

    that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is he, this King of glory?

    The Lord Almighty—

    he is the King of glory.

Plan for Today

I always find it interesting how each Monday I realize I did not do half of what I planned for the previous weekend.

Yet in spite of this, before the next weekend I still make mental (and some times written) lists of the things I want to accomplish.

But life has a way of , well, getting in the way. 

Perhaps rather than making a list of all the things we want to do, or wish we could do, we should simply ask the Lord for a filter that would cause our eyes to see what he would have us do.

As James said, 

"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15 (NIV)

Let's seek to find what the Lord's will is for each day; in this way our plans become his, and we will succeed.

Different Paths

This past Saturday the weather was beautiful, so Rika and I headed into downtown Raleigh for some coffee and window shopping at one of our favorite motorcycle shops.

As we were getting ready to leave, the road was suddenly full of joggers!  It seems some kind of race was getting under way.  Now, the road was blocked, and we were forced to wait it out.

At first this was a little annoying, but then we looked across the street to a nice restaurant and decided to make the best of it.  We had a great lunch sitting outside on the balcony, enjoying the food and sun.  Then, just as we were finishing up, the race was over and the street was open again. 

We had a great ride home, taking the long way with some nice twisty roads.

I was thinking about that, how at that moment, we had a choice.  Our way was blocked, so we could sit and sulk, or we could see what other opportunities presented themselves.

Life can be like that as well.  We can get so focused on where we want to be, that we miss out on where we are, and perhaps what the Lord is trying to show us using another way. 

Reading John 5 1-9(NIV)

"Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.  Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.  Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."  At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

Where would this man have been if he kept his mind on the only way he thought he could be healed?  He was frustrated trying to make things happen the way he felt they should.

Ever get like that?

Is there something in your life that you feel is keeping you from where you want to go?  Perhaps Jesus has another path in mind?

What Love Looks Like

Take a moment to read through these two scriptures.

First,

"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 22:34-40 (NIV)

And now,

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."- 1 Cor 13:4-6 (NIV)

This is what the Kingdom of God should look like.  This is how we should be treating our friends, family, actually everyone we come into contact with.

It's a high standard, not easy to live up to, but one we should indeed strive to achieve.  Anything less, is less than what God requires of us.

The Words We Use

This morning I watched as a young lady refilled the "snack closet" in my workplace.

On the box for the snacks was written, "Snack Nation"

I had to stop and think about that... what is a Snack Nation?

Maybe it's the writer in me, but I just could not get over that combination of words.  I mean, good, fun...  even tasty, all seem to be proper adjectives to describe, well, snack food.

But Snack Nation?  When I do a quick Google search, the definition that comes up is,

"na·tionˈnāSH(ə)n/

noun

a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory."

Snack Nation?  Really, that seems a bit grand doesn't it?

We so easily throw words out these days, just think of all the examples of it, words like awesome, amazing, or love...

How about about something very common like... Lord?  When we use that word, do we mean it?  Again, my trusted resource Google helps me with the definition,

"lord

lôrd/

noun

someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler."

Maybe we should stop and think about our words, perhaps borrow these from the psalmist before we start our day.

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

    be pleasing in your sight,

    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

Hope for the Future

In the movie "Wayne's World," Wayne and his friend Garth are in a music store.  Wayne regularly visits an expensive guitar that he does not have the money for, but nevertheless wants.

Garth shouts at him to, "Stop torturing yourself man!  You'll never afford it!  LIVE IN THE NOW!!!"

To which Wayne replies, "It will be mine.  Oh yes. It will be mine!"

As a Christian, we need to live in the now.  We have present circumstances that need to be dealt with.  Thoughts of heaven  and eternity don't always seem to help when we are dealing with everyday problems of life.

Or do they?

Jesus promise that he will return and take us to a place he's prepared, isn't meant for us to have to "white knuckle" it through this life, as if we are to hold on until that time.

It's more about putting this life in perspective, knowing that it will not last forever, that the kind of information about our future that he gives can assist us today.

That is called hope, as Paul tells us, "...hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:5 (NIV)

And oh, spoiler alert, Wayne did purchase that very guitar before the movie was over!