Choices

Occasionally I like to go to Starbucks in the morning. 

The one in our town is situated kinda funny.  Cars coming into the parking lot from three different directions have to jockey for position in the drive-through lane.  In addition to that, any car trying to get out of the parking lot is often blocked by the incoming cars.

There is an easier choice.  Park in the wide open parking space less than a 30-second walk away from all this.

No one seems to make this choice.

At first I thought this was just cold weather.  Perhaps people don't want to get out of their warm car and have to walk in the cold. 

But the other day the morning was sunny and warm.  I pulled up, parked my car in the nearby parking lot and walked the 30 seconds into  the Starbucks. Although there was the same cluster of cars outside, I walked right up to the counter (no line) and ordered my coffee.  Hassle free I went back to my car and left.  As I did, one car was actually honking at another to move out of the way!

I think people just get caught in a rut sometimes.  We don't see that just because we've been doing something one way for a long time, it is not always the way that makes the most sense.  Now, when it comes to Starbucks, that's not such a big deal.  When it comes to how we live our lives, we really need to ask ourselves why we make the choices we do.

There are many choices we make in this life.  Reading the Word of God points us to a way that avoid the cluster and the horns, although it may take us out of our comfort zone at times.  Let's stay open to new ways of doing things!

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Some Scriptures...

 ...really need no comment...

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 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!

 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father." Phil 2:1-11 (NIV)

Work in Progress

Some days more than others I feel like I am a "work in progress".  I can see my shortcomings, I am painfully aware of how much I complain to the Lord rather than praise him. 

I wonder if I am making any real progress at all.

Reading Philippians 1 today.

" being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6 (NIV)

This scripture is a comfort to me.  See, we do have our part to play, yet it is Christ who is doing his work in us.  He is the potter, we are the clay. 

Our job is to allow the transformation, not cause it.  To agree with the Spirit and move along with him.  We are like a sail that has been raised, full of wind. Just hang on, and let the power of the Spirit cause the movement.

And it is comforting to remember, he knows what he is doing.

Light

A while back we lost power for about seven hours.  It wasn't too bad, we fared much better than others in the area.

We had a gas fireplace and stove, the one area we missed was light.  Candlelight was OK, but more light would have been better.

So when it was all over my wife and I talked about being a little better prepared the next time.  Maybe get a kerosene lamp or two.  We'd have better light.

Time passed, life goes on.

Then yesterday a rapid change in weather threatened thunder storms and even tornadoes! 

In all the days between the two storms we did not purchase the lamps.  All those days of stores open and chances to buy a lamp, that we didn't take advantage of.

Fortunately the power did not go out, this time.

Eventually odds are we are going to find ourselves in a night were those lamps sure will come in handy!

Often we can approach our walk with the Lord in the same way.  We go about day to day as things are calm and we may not realize our need for him, for his word, or for fellowship with other believers.

But then the storms of life come and we find ourselves ill prepared to deal with them.  Darkness comes and it becomes painfully obvious we did not take advantage of those times of light.

Unlike those kerosene lamps however, the thought that we can neglect our Christian walk is an illusion.  We need to build on the rock of Christ daily.  Because sure enough, the storms will come, and that is not the time to be left in the dark.

"Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.  Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.' When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them." John 12:35-36 (NIV)

Faith

For years I have tried to take a daily multi-vitamin.  I would buy some and try to faithfully take them. 

But then I would read an article that would say the cheaper vitamins were no good, or that you really should get your vitamins from food.  I doubted if the vitamins were doing any good for me at all.  Often I would stop taking them, let them sit until I eventually threw them away. 

Because I didn't believe they would do me any good, I did not take them. 

And therefore they sat unused.

As I've mentioned before, I started taking Taekwondo.  After class I noticed my knees would ache a little.  Hey, I'm past fifty, what could I expect right?  But I wondered if there was something I could add to my diet that would make a change for me. 

A friend recommended a type of supplement he takes.  He seemed to have done the research, so I gave it a try. 

I took the giant pills, one in the morning, one at night.  The next night I had class, so I repeated the procedure, one at the morning, one at night. 

That evening my knees did not ache, not at all.  Not only that, I noticed my muscles did not fatigue as easily in class!  The next class, a few nights later I had the same result.  In fact my instructor actually commented that my endurance seemed to be getting better.

I haven't missed taking my big pills once since.

Why is that?  Why did I take those pills and not the vitamins?

Because seeing the results, I did not doubt, I knew they had a positive impact on my body.  With the vitamins I always had doubt because of the other things I read.  And that doubt caused me to be half in, and half out.  I only half committed to taking them.

The same is true of our walk with the Lord.  Either we trust him and obey, or we don't.  When we doubt we are not walking in faith.  Faith is putting belief into action.

For example, I can believe a chair will hold my weight, I exercise faith in that belief when I sit down on it.

Is there an area in your life where you are allowing doubt to stop you from exercising your faith? 

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Heb 11:1 (NIV)

Is Your Love Conditional?

Are there conditions in your relationship with God?  Do you have conditions, that if God does not meet them, then you will turn your back and leave him? 

Reading Luke chapter 18 today, 

"A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.  You know the commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"

"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy." Luke 18:18-23 (NIV)

Is obedience still obedience if we set conditions on it?  It's easy to agree with the Lord and do as he says when we can see clearly the how and the why of it all.  But what about those times when he simply wants us to obey without understanding?  Times when we are tempted to judge his heart because we see some of the things he allows into our lives and we simply don't like them?

In this account this man wasn't looking to be challenged by the Lord, he was looking for affirmation, a "well done!" Yet Jesus would not allow him to go away with that false image of himself.  Jesus spoke right to the heart of the man's issue, just as he does with us.

He challenged people then, and he still does so today.  Is there a line you will not cross for him?  Is there a place you will not go?  Are there conditions that would make you deny him?

Trials come to test our faith.  These are not easy questions to answer, but then the path was never meant to be simple.  However, it is full of light.

Love God, Love Others...

I was praying and flipping through the Bible, trying to see what would strike me to share today.

With each Scripture I turned to the theme seemed to be "loving God and loving others."

Essentially, isn't that why were are here?  I mean, if the Lord wanted us just to love him, then as soon as we accepted him, he would whisk us off into his presence.  Or if it was all about loving people, he would not be crying out to us to get right with him and to be in a love relationship with him.

We are designed for relationship, with each other and with God. 

Take a moment and prayerfully read through the follow scriptures, what do you see?

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.  To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." Mark 12:28-33 (NIV)

Next...

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

 "Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Luke 7:36-50 (NIV)

Another...

"Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children  and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."  Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)

and finally

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,  so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)

Our life's foundation should be loving God and loving others.  Everything that cannot be built on that should be discarded.

Two Ways of Thinking

Giving some thought to two different scriptures today.

The first,

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 181:-5 (NIV)

And the second.

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

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 2:5-8 (NIV)

Thinking about ourselves comes naturally to us, but this kind of teaching is completely opposed to our natural instincts. 

Like Preacher Mike has said before it's easy (to understand) but it's hard (to carry out.)

But I wonder what a day would look like if we strove to live these two scriptures in all of our interactions.  

Foundations

Let's take a look at Matthew 7 today.  Jesus is summing up his great "Sermon on the mount" teaching 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)

Notice the circumstance were not different for either man.  Both had the rain come down, the streams rise and the wind beating against their homes.  The only difference was the foundation.

I don't know much about building houses, but I'm pretty sure you have to create the foundation first.  You can't run back, after everything is in place and then decide to build one.

But sometimes we try to live our lives that way.  We make choices using our human reason at best and  our emotions at worst.  We go day in, day out, living our lives that way, then we attempt to shift ourselves back to living according to the Word of God because we see things are about to tumble. 

Like a team trying to build the airplane while it is in the air.  That's just heading for a disaster.

There is only one way to have that foundation, it's to tear everything down and build again.  This can be a painful process, but when (not if) the storms of life come our way again, we will be ready.

Today

What do we live for?

Let's take a look at yesterday, what did we do with that day?  What did we focus on, what did we put our efforts toward?

Reading Matthew 6 today, Jesus said,

"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)

When we were in high school, the relationships we had, our "popularity" or lack of it, what others thought of us, all these things and more consumed us.  Yet the moment we graduated and left that place, all of it, in an instant was insignificant.  Looking back, years later how many of us would love to go back to that time, with what we know now?

One day, we will step into eternity and this life we spent on earth will end.   Many of the things we worried about yesterday, will matter less than our high school experience does now.

What different choices will we make today, in light of eternity?

Another Parable

I referred to this parable in yesterday's Daily Rock, I would like us to prayerfully read through it today.  I really feel it needs no commentary, it says what it says.

 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

 "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)

The Good Samaritan - part 2

Ok, let's return to the parable of the Good Samaritan

Picking up at Luke 10:33-37 (NIV)

"But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

It's really that simple.  Kindness is compassion put into action. 

I get convicted every time I read this passage.  It is one thing to say we want to show the love of Jesus to a dying world, it is another to actually put those words to the test. 

Can we do that?  Can we love others like that?  Not just those in our family, but even strangers?  Even those we do not know?

Again and again we are told in the Word to show kindness to strangers.  In fact the writer of Hebrews tells us, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Heb 13:2 (NIV)

And Jesus takes our service to others very personally.  In fact, he tells us that by helping the stranger in our midst, we are helping him.

I'll end with these words from the Lord.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:31-40 (NIV, Emphasis mine)

Tangoes

I will get back to the Good Samaritan tomorrow, however, this was on my mind today.

I recently purchased a game called "Tangoes."  It is a game where you are given a set of differently shaped tiles and many cards with a picture on each. Something like a bunny or a boat.  The task is simple, use all your tiles to create the shape on the picture card.

The trick is you are not shown how your tiles are to go together to make the shape.  You only know that they should all go together to make the bunny (I like the bunny...) or whatever is presented on the card.

At times some of the shapes I have to make actually look impossible to me.  I figure there has to be a mistake, the picture isn't right.  I don't have enough tiles or too many, something!

However if I don't give up I soon see that yes, all the tiles will go together to form the picture exactly as it is shown.  In fact, once I see it, I wonder why I ever doubted it at all.

Life with the Lord can be that way, we can feel like what we are going through does not align with what we know of our God who is loving and true.  We can get frustrated because we look at our life and at the Bible and the two don't seem to match up. 

But much like my Tangoes game, the picture of our life is obtainable, and we have all the tiles we need.  Once our perspective shifts, everything can fall into place.

And sometimes that only happens if we hang in there and not give up.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

The Good Samaritan - part 1

Continuing in Luke today,

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."

 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. " Luke 10:25-32 (NIV)

I'd like to look at this in two parts.  

Jesus often taught in parables, many times just saying things like "a certain man" or "two men," yet here he specifically chose a priest and a Levite (the tribe God specifically chose to serve as priests and in the temple) for the examples of men who ignored someone in desperate need.

I have to wonder why?  I think it's because if we are not careful, we can get too busy "doing church," feeling that our "religious activities" are all that God requires of us.  The lesson is so clear, a person can be very a very active church member, yet have lost compassion along the way.

Before we let ourselves off the hook too quickly, let us examine our own hearts in this.  I have to admit, I'm afraid I may fall into this category a little too easily and I find the example Jesus used rather convicting.

After all, we are commanded to do two things, love God and love our neighbor.  If that is not the basis of our activity for the Lord, we can end up as the man whose question prompted this parable, simply trying to justify ourselves.

To Whom Shall We Go?

Reading Luke 14 today,

"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:" Luke 14:25 (NIV).

I had to stop there for a moment.  Jesus was gathering a following.  Large crowds were actually traveling with him.  You might even say he was becoming a celebrity at this point.

Yet what does he say to them?  Does he start to appease the crowd to keep them following him?  That's what a lot of famous people do.  They don't want to lose the popularity they've achieved.  Let's read on and see what Jesus says to them.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.  And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. vv26-27

Now obviously a Jesus who commands us to love one another is not telling them to hate.  He is using an extreme statement to make a point.  Much like we do when we say something like,  "I'd rather die than go out in that cold."  Essentially he is saying that love and loyalty to himself must be so far above even our families that it can appear as hate in comparison.  

He goes on further to say, "those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." vv33

I have to wonder, how many kept following after that?

After another hard teaching, Jesus did lose many disciples.  When he turned and asked the twelve if they were going to leave him too, this was Peter's response.

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68 (NIV)

Following Jesus is not easy, but his way is the only one that leads to eternal life.

A Living Testimony

Reading in Mark chapter 5 today.  It struck me how Jesus looks at someone everyone else may have discarded and sees a vessel he can use.

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.  This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.  For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.  Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.  5:1-5 (NIV)

Let's stop there for a moment.  What kind of future do you think this man had?  The people around him could not bind him let alone rehabilitate him.  Have you ever known someone like that?  Some of us have been someone like that.  Someone everyone else has given up on.

 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.  He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name don't torture me!"  For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you impure spirit!" 

 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."  And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.  The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them."  He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.  When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.  Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well.  Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. vv 6-17

Jesus asked many to come follow him, however when this man tries to go with Jesus look how he responds.  Jesus has work for this man to do, a very special task.

 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.  Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."  So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.  vv18- 20

Cast aside by the people, probably considered hopeless, until Jesus comes along.  After his encounter with Jesus, he is freed and sent off to be a living testimony of God's mercy.

Aren't we all?

A Breed Apart

In the movie "The Last of the Mohicans," there is an interesting conversation between Cora and Hawkeye.  Cora is an English woman and Hawkeye, also an Englishman was raised by a Mohican Indian named Chingachgook.

Hawkeye: My father warned me about you...

Cora Munro:  Your father?

Hawkeye: Chingachgook, he warned me about people like you.

Cora Munro: Oh, did he?

Hawkeye: He said "do not try to understand them".

Cora Munro: What?

Hawkeye: Yes, and, "do not try to make them understand you.  That is because they are a breed apart and make no sense".

When we look at the world around us and the rules it plays by, we often shake our heads.  Many have tried to make our beliefs, our core values make sense to them. 

"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. " 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 (NIV)

Discipleship comes before teaching, because it takes the Spirit of God inside a man or woman for them to truly accept the truth of God.  We are not commanded to convince the world we are right, but to love them as the Father does.

"Hatred stirs up conflict,

    but love covers over all wrongs." Proverbs 10:12 (NIV)

Right Priorities

Reading Mark today,

"A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.  They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.  Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.  Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:1-5 (NIV)

It is always amazing to me how Jesus sees life so differently than we do.  What is of highest priority to us, is not always that for Jesus.  This can be very challenging, especially if we are going through a difficult time.

The paralyzed man obviously had a physical issue.  Yet the first thing Jesus said to him was, "Your sins are forgiven."  In fact, reading a little further we see that in this case Jesus did not appear to heal the man to make his life on earth easier, but to display his authority to forgive sins.  I even wonder if he would have healed him at all had  his authority to forgive sins not been questioned?

"...Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat 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 man,  "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."  He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all." vv 9-12 emphasis mine

Jesus places the highest importance on his authority to forgive sins, because that is what restores the relationship with him.  This life will soon pass away, what he chooses to provide for us in terms of health, wealth, even earthly relationships will always take a second place to a restored and vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ.

Do we place the same value on this as he does?

Letting cold air in

This past Saturday we took a morning ride to have a nice breakfast with some friends.  On the way out, the temperature was 30F, a little chilly but manageable.

Gotta love living in North Carolina, we do ride year-round here, even if it takes a few extra layers!

After breakfast, we headed home.  On the way back the temperature had gone up to about 42F.  It was warmer, yet my core was noticeably colder.

When we stopped at a light, I noticed my jacket collar was not snapped shut.  That little gap was allowing air in and I felt it inside my whole core.

When speaking about sin, Paul said, "Don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?  Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Cor 5:6-8 (NIV)

Although I was dressed warmly from head to toe, I had allowed cold air in at just a small place.  Sin is like that.  We cannot allow even one area of compromise to penetrate our life.  If I did not stop and snap my collar shut, I would have had a miserable ride, shivering before long.  I had to stop, close the gap and then move on.  The same goes for sin, even as you are reading these words, the Holy Spirit may very well be pointing out an area to you where you have something you need to deal with.  If so, it's best to stop, repent, and then move on.

Loss...

When I was about eight years old I was really into the TV show Kung Fu with David Caradine.

I had a nice collection of Kung Fu trading cards.  This was back in the days before video games, before the internet, simpler times maybe? 

Anyway, I brought the cards to school one day and left them in my "cubbie" during recess.  When I came back, they were gone.  Stolen.  I was heart broken. Something that meant a lot to me was taken from me.

43 years later I still remember that, why?

I think that when we suffer a loss, it runs deep inside us.  The fact that they were simple collector cards isn't the point.  In fact, the apparent simplicity of the object actually magnifies my point.  It's not what I lost as much as how much I felt the loss.

Loss impacts us, it leaves an imprint on us.  I vividly remember the cards, and how I felt even all these years later.  We have all suffered loss of some kind. Loss of relationships, loss of dreams, loss of hope.

But the good news is Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10 (NIV)

Far more than those cards, Jesus sees us as something lost, and he seeks to find us.

Oh, I actually found a collection of those cards on eBay and bought them.  Perhaps I simply wanted something back that I had lost.

Just like the Lord.

A Great Project

One of the things I love about going to Refuel at Freedom on Wednesday nights is listening to what the other brothers share when we break into small groups.

Last night Jason shared a scripture that had an impact on him, and it immediately impacted me as well.  It was one I had read numerous times, but I never saw it this way before.

Nehemiah had been working faithfully to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem.  The enemy came and tried to lay a trap for him by trying to arrange a meeting.

"When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—  Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono."

But they were scheming to harm me;  so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"  Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer." Nehemiah 6:1-4 (NIV)

What an amazing reply to the enemy!  As Jason shared, his life is about building the Kingdom of God.  As long as we have that posture we cannot fall for the enemy's schemes.  Wether he attacks with discouragement or temptation, or just plan distractions, our reply should be the same; why should we part from working for the Lord only to follow the enemy? 

We too are involved in a great project, we are to be about God's business, building his kingdom.

This is another great scripture to use to keep us on the right path - we, too, are soldiers.

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

Each Part Does its Work

Finishing up on the story of Lazarus today...

 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said.

"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."  John 11:38 - 44 (NIV)

Sometimes there is just so much in one little detail. 

When Lazarus came out of the tomb he was wrapped in grave clothes.  Although he was alive, he was still bound at his hands and feet. 

But notice whom Jesus tells to free him at this point.

"Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

When we are born from above, we pass over from death to life, just like Lazarus.  Often we come out of our own tombs bound by the remnants of our past.  Jesus gives us life, but we are also meant to  help each other to walk away from our old lives and live in freedom.

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)

The Resurrection and the Life

Continuing in John 11:17-26 (NIV) today,

"On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,  and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

What a powerful statement.  Just a little while ago we saw that Thomas was convinced that returning to Judea would cost him his life.  Now he would learn, along with the others, that death holds no threat to Jesus or his followers.

Imagine what Thomas must have felt hearing that!  As if Jesus was saying, "Thomas you came here thinking you would lose your life, well, when following me that simply is not possible."

I think sometimes we get so used to this fact that we forget how amazing that is.  Belief in Jesus Christ allows us to cross over from death to life. 

Our Jesus is the "resurrection, and the life."  He he invites us into this life with him.

That is an amazing truth!

Loyalty

When we hear the name Thomas, as in the disciple, the first thought that comes to mind is usually "Doubting Thomas," because he doubted the testimonies of the people having seen the resurrected Jesus.

However, there is one instance where he stands out as a shining example of loyalty to Jesus.  It's a detail that can easily get lost as we read anticipating Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

Reading John 11:6-16 (NIV)

 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

 "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?"

Stop there a moment. Jesus is returning to a place where they tried to kill him.  Not put him in jail, but gather a crowd around him and stone him to death.  The impact of this threat is so thick in their minds that they question Jesus about that, rather than think about Lazarus.  Let's continue,

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world's light.  It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light."

After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."

His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."  Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

I don't think it is too far fetched to think the disciples are still trying to find a way out of going to Judea.  That is one trip they don't want to make.

So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,  and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

And now, here it comes.

Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

One in the group is willing to put his life on the line just to go where Jesus is going.

In the biker community we talk about loyalty.  Does a friend get any more loyal than that?

Are we willing to do the same for Jesus?

Fully Alive

Not everyone who buys a motorcycle experiences the life of a biker. 

Not everyone really gets it. 

There are those who will ride a short distance to a restaurant or dealership to hang out.  They love the t-shirts and gear, perhaps the atmosphere of being around other motorcycle owners.  When you talk to them you hear a lot about the latest thing they did to their bikes.  But for some reason, they don't seem to have that joy of riding.  They are more enthusiastic about owning a bike than actually riding it.  They bought a bike, but are they really going anywhere with it?

I have to wonder with some of them, is there a fear of riding?  A fear of the danger involved that keeps them from embracing the experience fully?  Are they not able to get past that fear?  Are they holding back, only halfway following the call of the open road?

Is that why they eventually give up?

This is where a lot of low mileage used bikes come from, just sayin'.

The same can be said of the Christian walk.  Life with Jesus Christ is more than buying a Bible and going to church; it's about an adventure that is loaded with danger and uncertainty, but one that Jesus promises to see us through.  It's a life lived fully alive.

You can't embrace the biker life without embracing the ride, danger and all.  And you can't embrace life with Christ if you hold back either.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. " Matthew 16:24-25 (NIV)

Time to let go and take the ride, for Christ's sake!

"Well, Wild Hogs... ride hard or stay home." - Damien Blade, Wild Hogs.