 
A Moment With God – Year 3

Samuel R. Hall

Copyright 2015 By Samuel R. Hall

Smashwords Edition

ISBN:

Title: A Moment With God - Year 3

Author: Samuel R, Hall

Publisher: Smashwords, Inc.

All Scripture Quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NIV (New International Version)

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it, reproduce it, copy or distribute it for non-commercial purposes.

Thanks for your support!

Dedication:

To Tina, Josh, MaryAnne and Kristen, and my friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord. I pray that this book, along with our conversations and living our life together may encourage you all in your own walk and relationship with our loving Savior.

## Table of Contents

Author's Note:

Introduction – Establishing a Moment With God in Your Life

2014 - January

Waiting for the Messiah - 2014-01-02 07:27

Repentance Isn't So Bad... - 2014-01-03 07:33

Dealing With Unclean Spirit in Church - 2014-01-04 11:12

Unbelief and Religion - 2014-01-09 02:02

Bless and Be Blessed - 2014-01-10 07:06

God's Promises Are Good And True! - 2014-01-12 07:47

Unforgiveness And Stumbling Blocks - 2014-01-13 07:25

Forgive Me As I Forgive - 2014-01-14 07:06

Beyond Our Imagination - 2014-01-15 07:04

The Bad List - 2014-01-17 07:10

It Is For Freedom That I Have Been Freed - 2014-01-18 07:51

Treasure Our Relationship - 2014-01-19 08:13

God Is Relationship - 2014-01-20 07:48

The Fellowship Of The Trinity - 2014-01-21 06:35

Talking Or Walking - 2014-01-23 07:14

One Body, Many Parts - 2014-01-30 07:34

Relationships - It's All About Them - 2014-01-31 06:58

2014 – February

Upward First, Then Outward - 2014-02-02 07:39

Judging Significance - 2014-02-03 07:32

Just Cry Out... - 2014-02-04 06:38

Living As A Child Of God - YES! - 2014-02-05 06:23

Hold Onto Hope - 2014-02-06 06:48

It Is All About Jesus - 2014-02-08 14:50

Change Is The Operative Word - 2014-02-10 07:04

Spiritual Pride and Judgment - 2014-02-12 07:10

Wisdom From Heaven - 2014-02-13 06:57

Mercy and Compassion, Our Calling Cards - 2014-02-14 07:58

Up On The Mountain - 2014-02-18 07:37

Opposition Brings Opportunity - 2014-02-19 06:41

Jesus, The Perfect Offering - 2014-02-20 06:35

The Next Great Move Of God Is... - 2014-02-23 06:40

Perception and Reality - 2014-02-24 07:27

Hope Does Not Disappoint! - 2014-02-26 07:15

An Amazing Mystery - 2014-02-27 07:10

His Loving Gaze - 2014-02-28 07:21

2014 - March

Worries, Fears, Concerns and Treasure - 2014-03-01 09:34

The Care Of The Good Shepherd - 2014-03-02 08:48

Waiting On The Lord - 2014-03-03 06:39

I Am Known And Loved - 2014-03-04 06:58

Precious, Honored and Loved - 2014-03-05 06:33

His Awesome Creation - 2014-03-07 06:59

We All Are Good - 2014-03-11 06:12

A Right Pursuit - 2014-03-12 05:59

I Wait For The Lord - 2014-03-13 06:25

The King's Shalom - 2014-03-14 06:01

Prayer Is Our Life-Blood! - 2014-03-17 06:01

His Mercy and Forgiveness - 2014-03-18 06:05

His Overwhelming Goodness - 2014-03-21 05:35

Our Approachable Father - 2014-03-22 19:26

Asking For Directions - 2014-03-23 06:55

God's Love - 2014-03-24 05:50

God Who Comes Down - 2014-03-25 05:52

His Words Will Never Fail - 2014-03-26 06:24

It Is Our Choice - 2014-03-27 06:05

That Which Matters Most - 2014-03-28 05:30

Fellowship of Suffering - 2014-03-30 06:44

Purpose, Primacy and Changing Seasons - 2014-03-31 06:07

2014 – April

Praise, Love And Serve - 2014-04-01 06:14

Be A Shining Light - 2014-04-02 05:50

The Calling of the Lord - 2014-04-04 05:01

We Are Chosen - 2014-04-04 05:55

Steadfast Trust - 2014-04-06 06:25

What Do You Want? - 2014-04-07 06:24

Answering The Call - 2014-04-08 06:07

The God Of The Impossible - 2014-04-09 06:19

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks! - 2014-04-10 05:49

Come, Follow Me - 2014-04-11 06:22

What Do You Want? - 2014-04-13 06:02

Palm Sunday - The Coming King - 2014-04-13 06:23

Conviction or Offense? - 2014-04-14 06:26

The Father's Crazy Love - 2014-04-16 05:54

Don't Be The Older Son - 2014-04-17 05:43

Freedom From Sin And Death - 2014-04-18 05:25

He Is Not Here, He Has Risen! - 2014-04-20 07:55

Hades is For Real - 2014-04-22 06:05

A Glorious Inheritance - 2014-04-23 06:00

Drink for the Thirsty, Food for the Hungry - 2014-04-24 05:57

A Culture of Honesty - 2014-04-25 05:57

Of Exercise, Faith and Deeds - 2014-04-27 05:56

A Sin Exchange - 2014-04-28 06:12

Hard Choices and Stumbling Blocks - 2014-04-30 06:27

2014 – May

Representing the Father - 2014-05-02 05:48

Struggles and Persecutions - A Right Mindset \- 2014-05-03 07:39

Scripture and Revelation - 2014-05-04 07:07

Thoughts On Sin And Forgiveness - 2014-05-05 06:24

Light To The Lost - 2014-05-07 06:01

The Least of These... - 2014-05-08 06:30

Mother's Day - I am Blessed - 2014-05-11 06:03

Overcoming a Lack of Belief - 2014-05-11 07:18

Obeying Into Weakness - 2014-05-12 06:32

We Were Once Lost - 2014-05-13 06:55

Neither Do I Condemn - 2014-05-14 05:53

Bringing Back The Lost - 2014-05-15 05:50

A New Heart and Spirit - 2014-05-16 05:18

Why Do We Follow Jesus? - 2014-05-18 06:46

Purveyors of Hope - 2014-05-19 05:57

Wealth and Prosperity - 2014-05-20 06:36

The Revelation of Jesus - 2014-05-21 05:38

Waiting On God To Move - 2014-05-22 07:25

Waiting On God To Move -2 - 2014-05-23 06:18

Jesus Is The Way - 2014-05-24 08:21

A Deep Personal Relationship With Jesus - An Invitation - 2014-05-25 07:51

Jesus' Proof He Is The Messiah - 2014-05-26 10:13

Taking Time To Pray - 2014-05-27 05:55

Jesus Delays His Visit to Jerusalem - JOHN 7 \- 2014-05-29 05:33

The Dynamics of Prayer - 2014-05-30 05:39

Reflections On Jesus As A Baby - 2014-05-31 07:31

2014 - June

The Gift of the Gospel - 2014-06-01 06:50

God is Engaged in Our Futures - 2014-06-02 06:31

Jesus Understands Our Struggles - 2014-06-03 05:43

Jesus, Creator and Child - 2014-06-04 05:14

Drink Deep, My Soul - 2014-06-06 05:22

Dealing With Anxiety - 2014-06-07 10:06

New Directions Via The Holy Spirit - 2014-06-08 06:04

The Invitation Of Christ - 2014-06-09 06:11

The Cost and Reward of Following Jesus - 2014-06-11 06:19

Keep Pressing On! - 2014-06-12 05:37

Uncovering the Temptations of the Enemy - 2014-06-13 05:42

A River of Love - 2014-06-14 07:43

Restoration of Worship - 2014-06-20 08:51

Thousands Are Touched - 2014-06-21 09:29

Led by His Presence - 2014-06-22 06:24

Jesus of Nazareth (it's important) - 2014-06-23 06:27

Jesus' New Teaching - 2014-06-24 05:50

A Step Toward The Lord - Be Encouraged - 2014-06-25 05:35

Persevering In Pursuing God - 2014-06-27 05:33

2014 - July

On Sinners... - 2014-07-01 04:21

The Name of Jesus! - 2014-07-01 05:50

The Deceitfulness of Sin - 2014-07-03 06:07

Sin and Punishment Revisited - 2014-07-07 06:39

Jesus And Sinners - 2014-07-08 06:07

The Reality Of The Kingdom Of God - 2014-07-09 05:51

Foundations Of The Kingdom Of God - 2014-07-10 05:58

Sin, Discipline, Judgment and Love - 2014-07-13 10:42

Hearing What We Want To Hear - 2014-07-14 05:19

The Resurrection - The Cornerstone of Our Faith - 2014-07-15 05:35

Revelation, Relationship and Rest - 2014-07-16 05:26

Healed of Blindness - 2014-07-17 06:31

Healed of Blindness (2) - 2014-07-18 06:27

Adding To Our Righteousness? - 2014-07-20 08:32

Context Matters - 2014-07-21 06:28

The Path To Eternal Life - 2014-07-22 05:37

God's Great Unfailing Love - 2014-07-25 03:46

A Focus On Life, Not Sin And Hell - 2014-07-26 10:19

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - 2014-07-27 08:36

Approaching The Father With Shameless Audacity - 2014-07-28 05:49

Soaring Above Our Situation - 2014-07-29 05:41

The Greatest Commandment - 2014-07-31 05:20

2014 - August

On Denying Oneself - 2014-08-01 06:20

Confirming The Gospel - 2014-08-02 05:55

Sowing Peace - 2014-08-03 07:19

Salvation For The Really Lost - 2014-08-05 06:18

Kingdom Authority And Rule - 2014-08-06 05:54

We Are All Working Deacons - 2014-08-07 05:54

Seeds of Change - 2014-08-15 03:11

The Kingdom and Power - 2014-08-16 05:55

Doing The Stuff, Our Inheritance - 2014-08-17 06:02

More On Our Inheritance - 2014-08-18 06:08

Love: God, Ourselves, Others - 2014-08-19 05:51

Faith And Belief - 2014-08-21 05:46

His Plans Are Better - 2014-08-22 05:38

Operate In Our Gifts - 2014-08-23 05:38

Rescued From That Which Binds Us! - 2014-08-25 05:04

If A Brother Sins Against You... - 2014-08-26 06:00

His Kingdom Rules Over All - 2014-08-27 05:55

Eternity In Our Hearts - 2014-08-28 05:24

In Christ Alone - 2014-08-29 06:01

Preaching Through Love - 2014-08-30 10:36

The Father Responds To Repentance - 2014-08-31 08:25

2014 - September

Faith and Forgiveness - 2014-09-01 09:37

Jonah the Angry Prophet - 2014-09-02 06:09

Do Unto Others, Even Your Enemies - 2014-09-03 06:01

The Storm Stopped - 2014-09-04 04:38

Keep Pressing Onward - 2014-09-05 05:50

Followers of Jesus - 2014-09-06 06:02

Dueling Ministry Styles? - 2014-09-08 06:06

Contentment and Hope - 2014-09-09 05:57

Kindle A Fire - 2014-09-11 05:11

He Is Good And Faithful - 2014-09-12 05:58

Choose Love Over Position And Authority In The Body! - 2014-09-14 06:31

The Role of the Holy Spirit - 2014-09-15 05:34

Remembering Who We Are! - 2014-09-16 05:50

Further Up And Further In! - 2014-09-17 06:04

Phoebe the Deacon - 2014-09-20 13:04

Unmet Expectations and Doubt - 2014-09-22 05:24

A Bit of Encouragement - 2014-09-24 05:13

Getting Out of Boats and Such - 2014-09-28 07:42

Set Free From That Which Binds - 2014-09-29 06:12

Set Free to Become Who We Really Are... - 2014-09-30 06:38

2014 - October

When We Don't Understand... - 2014-10-02 05:45

Living Up To What We Have Attained - 2014-10-03 07:02

Fighting For The True Gospel - 2014-10-06 07:03

He (God) Has Made Us Clean - 2014-10-07 06:29

Worship Flows Out Of Relationship - 2014-10-08 06:27

The Fellowship and Glory of Suffering - 2014-10-09 05:42

Jesus Is THE Way - 2014-10-10 06:18

The Cost of Following - 2014-10-13 06:14

Belief and Love AND Action - 2014-10-14 05:16

Sincere Love! - 2014-10-17 05:08

Truth and Conviction - 2014-10-18 06:41

Sowing And Reaping: A Natural and Spiritual Principle - 2014-10-20 06:04

Come Away With Jesus and Rest - 2014-10-21 05:20

Dealing With Defilement - 2014-10-23 04:38

A Rewired Brain - 2014-10-24 05:49

Jesus Our Priest - 2014-10-25 09:08

Real Speech, Real Answers - 2014-10-26 06:03

Love and Obedience - 2014-10-28 05:53

Provision, Restoration and the Holy Spirit! \- 2014-10-29 06:03

Pursue That Which Endures - 2014-10-30 06:24

Responding To A Father's Love - 2014-10-31 06:42

2014 - November

We Are A Letter From Jesus - 2014-11-03 07:17

The Plans of the Lord - 2014-11-04 06:22

Paul's Peace and Perspective of His Purpose \- 2014-11-05 07:17

Miraculous Provision - 2014-11-06 06:41

Let Our Light Shine - 2014-11-07 07:03

Testified by Power - 2014-11-09 07:16

Consider Others First - 2014-11-10 19:25

Freedom, No Matter the Circumstances - 2014-11-11 06:53

Becoming Like Christ - 2014-11-12 06:55

It's All About Relationship - 2014-11-13 06:26

The Glorious Name of Jesus - 2014-11-14 07:15

Missing the Big Moment. - 2014-11-15 21:29

The Power to Live and Love - 2014-11-16 07:25

Laying Down One's Life - 2014-11-17 07:16

Dead To The Law And Its Punishments - 2014-11-18 06:44

No Stain, No Accusation Even - 2014-11-19 05:50

Love, Faithfulness, Righteousness and Peace \- 2014-11-20 05:39

Living In Reality - 2014-11-21 07:22

The Cure for Powerlessness - 2014-11-23 05:42

Distraction Nor Persecution Stop The Lord - 2014-11-25 05:51

Interruptions and Guidance - 2014-11-26 07:19

No Enemy Can Stand - 2014-11-27 09:39

Choosing To Live Like Him - 2014-11-29 08:39

2014 - December

Ambassadors of Relationship - 2014-12-03 06:34

A Gospel of Love and Salvation - 2014-12-04 06:27

Our Sanctification, His Glorification! - 2014-12-06 20:59

A Kingdom of Power - 2014-12-07 07:31

The Importance of Signs & Wonders - 2014-12-10 07:18

Doing What The Father IS Doing! - 2014-12-11 07:10

The Folly of Impatience - 2014-12-12 06:52

Presenting Jesus Effectively - 2014-12-13 10:36

Miracles and Repentance - 2014-12-14 08:32

Inclusion and Revelation - 2014-12-18 06:37

Living Triumphantly - 2014-12-19 04:15

Blessing and Thanksgiving - 2014-12-20 09:23

Hunger, Compassion and Action - 2014-12-21 09:35

Building The Body Individually - 2014-12-23 06:56

Training and Transformation by the Holy Spirit - 2014-12-24 07:10

Christmas: Immanuel and Incarnation - 2014-12-25 07:03

Living to Bring Him Glory - 2014-12-26 08:00

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - 2014-12-28 10:42

Transition: Wilderness and Trouble - 2014-12-29 07:52

Final Comments

# Author's Note:

I am so blessed that you have taken time to even dip your toe into this book, my third volume which was authored over the course of the year 2014. These entries come directly from my time before the Lord, excerpts from my prayer journal. I pray they are encouraging, possibly enlightening, and hopefully they draw you deeper into relationship with Him.

I will take a moment to say that I am not a theologian, nor have I been formally trained in pastoral ministry. I am a husband and father, and I work in the telecommunications industry. I have worked in youth and men's ministry on and off through the years, but these journals do not come out of those times. I have been journaling and taking personal prayer, for the most part daily, since the early 1980s. I didn't always write as much nor have nearly as much time as I have now days. These journals reflect the daily interaction and conversations I have with the Lord. I have left the original dates of the entries, as sometimes the date is important to the body of the entry.

As I normally take my prayer time early in the morning (5:15am is the rule these days) my mind is often not fully functioning, so my writing suffers. Also, as this is a prayer journal, often times my expressions to the Lord, do not flow out in perfect English, but rather in the heart felt language I normally speak. So I ask that you forgive my lapses of correct English and occasional fragment or run-on sentence, but I decided to leave them in, for I know the Lord doesn't mind. He is after my heart not my writing.

Finally I ask your pardon for another slight of proper English, but throughout my journals I always try to capitalize You or He, or their variants when referring to the Lord. It is a form of respect I started many years ago when journaling by hand, and I find it a habit I choose not to break.

May God Bless you and reveal to you His intimate love for you and your significance to Him!

If you are interested in following the next book in the series as it is being written, my blog can be found at: http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/.

Peace,

Sam

# Introduction – Establishing a Moment With God in Your Life

It is God's desire that we each have an intimate relationship with Him. John 17:21 I know it's amazing to think that God would want a relationship with you, but it is VERY true.

So the question is whether it is possible to have a real relationship with God? By real relationship, I mean talking, sharing, communicating - the same things that make up a normal human to human relationship. For a relationship to work there must be two-way communication, and time together. I like to think that if God wants us to do something, He will provide the way.

History is full of people who talk about prayer time, prayer, quiet time, and their conversations with God. It is here that we find examples of how to have a relationship with God! For all of these people, you will generally find four things in common:

  1. They know how to quiet themselves

  2. They talk to God in their own words

  3. They read the Bible (God's written Word)

  4. They know how to listen and discern God's voice speaking into their lives at that moment

So how does one start all this? Simply develop these same four things in your life. Start simple, dedicate a little chunk of time and try these steps. Establish a moment with God in your daily life.

  1. Learn how to quiet yourself - turn off the TV, Computer, Cell-Phone, etc. Try to stop the constant flow of thoughts for just a few moments. It takes a little practice - but is worth it!

  2. Some people feel awkward praying to God in their own words, having been taught to pray in church by reciting rote prayers. Others feel weird talking to God at all. I like to think the conversation internally - imaging the words I would say. God can hear our thoughts, so that is just fine with Him. Whatever you do, God is not worried about how you might sound, or the words you might say - He wants to know what is on your heart!

  3. Start reading the Bible even a few minutes every day. When I started reading the Bible, I was in 9th grade and would read maybe a paragraph a night, right before going to bed. I would recommend starting with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). One other technique I use is to just open the Bible and start reading. I am amazed at how often what I read is directly related to something I just prayed to God about!

  4. Finally, learning how to discern God's voice, as He is speaking to you, is probably the most difficult. The good news is that God REALLY wants you to learn, and will help you. When I first started, I found God's voice pretty easy to pick out - it was almost like He was shouting. I would read from the Bible and a sentence would almost jump off the page, or I would silently pray something, and within a short period of time I would hear someone repeat my thoughts with an answer. God is very capable of speaking, we just need to be aware that He is speaking. The more we practice the better we get. The Bible is full of God speaking to people, sometimes in dreams, sometimes visions, other times with an audible voice (I haven't had that experience yet), sometimes through other people, or through His written Word. One thing that is very constant \- God is always speaking!

A couple of encouragements:

  * Start simple and easy - maybe 5 Minutes a day

  * Don't give up, try to develop this into a habit

  * Don't think it has to be all spiritual, candles lit, darkened room, etc. I take my time with God in the morning, with a cup of coffee, sitting on the couch

  * The more time you take, the more you will want to spend - a relationship with God is live changing and life giving!

God does want a real relationship with you!

Blessings! Sam

# 2014 - January

## Waiting for the Messiah - 2014-01-02 07:27

This morning I decided to start reading the Gospel of Mark, which I read the least of the 4 Gospels. I thought it would be a refreshing change. I like Mark's Gospel for he jumps right into it, and Jesus ministry is quickly evident.

Jesus starts His ministry by teaching in the synagogues and teaching with authority (Mark 1:21-22). He announces the good news that their time of waiting has come to an end, and the Kingdom of God was near.

A few thoughts here, since He is the Word of God, it would make sense that He could teach the word with an authority and insight that had never been heard before. I love listening to inspired teachers, those who draw deep connections and parallels between different scriptures, those who can take a single passage and mine it for incredible riches. I imagine that Jesus was better than anyone we have ever heard, or will ever hear - no wonder the people were amazed.

Second the proclamation of the end of their wait (Mark 1:15), is a very significant statement, one that we really can't comprehend, as it is something that had been building for 400+ years. The Jews were waiting to hear a fresh word from God, for the last prophet had spoken 400+ years ago. This is also a fulfillment of a prophecy of Daniel, given during the time of their exile in Babylon (605 BC, although some believe it wasn't written until much later around 165BC) proclaiming an end to the time of waiting, or as Jesus said, waiting for the time to be fulfilled or completed (His words based on the original Greek). Regardless of how we date the books or the time of waiting, it had been significant, and something that was on the common psyche, as the fulfillment of time was when the Messiah would come and restore Israel.

They were a country and a people who were occupied, but they never forgot their identity as God's chosen people, so they were waiting for His promise of a Messiah to be fulfilled. I think the closest we could get to understanding the communal anticipation for a messiah, would be the tearing down of the wall in Berlin, the setting free of those people from an oppressive government. There was an almost worldwide waiting for the day that wall would be torn down, almost from the day it was built nearly 30 years earlier. The East Germans never forgot who they were, what freedom was like, and never stopped resisting the wall. In much the same way, the Jews never forgot who they were, never stopped calling to mind the promise of the coming messiah, and reminded themselves for hundreds of years that God would establish His Kingdom through the Messiah and save them all.

The awesome nature of the Gospel is that it is still good news today! The same message of God's Kingdom present, the Messiah who has come to set us free, the healing of disease, the cleansing of lepers and sin, is available to us all today! So whether we have waited hundreds of years, tens of years or only a few days, Jesus is present to change our lives. He is the Lord, the Messiah and He has established His Kingdom here on earth. Let us turn to Him, as the leper did in Mark 1:40 and ask Him for His help, whether we need cleansing, healing, restoration, hope, health, or freedom.

Amen Lord!

## Repentance Isn't So Bad... - 2014-01-03 07:33

This morning as I opened my Bible, my eyes were immediately drawn to the first statement that Jesus makes in Mark's Gospel - found in Mark 1:15 NIV

"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Yesterday I spent a bit of time on his fist sentence - "the time has come" - and today it was His third sentence that grabbed me. We often read the word repent, and immediately assume He is talking about sin, as we commonly only use repent in that context. The Greek word translated repent is Metanoeo:

Definition

1. to change one's mind, i.e. to repent

2. to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins

Further breaking down the Greek word, it is a contraction of two other Greek words, Meta and Noeo. Meta means after, and Noeo means thinking, pondering and understanding something. So the Greek word Metanoeo could be translated - after thinking about this and understanding it more - in other words hind-sight.

So going back to Jesus statements, He says:

1) The time of Israel's waiting for a Messiah has been completed.

2) God's kingdom is approaching, coming near, soon to be seen (demonstrated by healing, signs, miracles, etc.)

3) Because of these two facts you need to change the way you are thinking. You are no longer waiting, but rather are now experiencing that which you have waited for, and you must believe, accept the good news, and spread the good news.

I like what Graham Cooke says about the good news, "it's so good it's almost too good to be true!" I think that is the context that Jesus makes His statement in. The people are overwhelmed by what He is saying! They are in a daze, saying to themselves, 'this can't be happening, this can't be the Messiah can it?'. Jesus is speaking very clearly and makes sure that they perceive this correctly, bringing their hind-sight into the foreground and helping them change the way they are thinking.

That is in reality what repentance is, being convinced of something, often because we have had a chance to think about it and recognize we are wrong, and then choosing to change our mind, and then our actions. Whether the issue is sinful behavior, or just some wrong thinking, it is usually in hind-sight that we gain our perspective, and see things more clearly. It is a great gift when our hind-sight is pulled forward into our present perspective, which is what I think what the Holy Spirit does when He brings conviction. Oh, that I could live more of my life being guided in the present by hind-sight concerning the present situation. I think that is what we receive if we ask for the gift of repentance, or metanoeo.

I guess, in this light, repentance isn't so bad! So let us repent and believe the Good News! God is here, He is present, and His Kingdom is in our midst! Not only that but He wants us to be active participants in His Kingdom, not just observers. If we have been waiting for some sign, this is it! He is here!

This is what we are really celebrating in this Christmas season, the real and present Jesus, Christ the King! It's time for us to live our lives in line with this reality - change the way we think and believe and live accordingly. Repent! Amen!

##

## Dealing With Unclean Spirit in Church - 2014-01-04 11:12

This morning I am continuing my reading from the first chapter in Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:21-28 NIV:

[21] "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. [22] The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. [23] Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, [24] "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are---the Holy One of God!"

[25] "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" [26] The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

[27] The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching---and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him." [28] News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee."

As I was thinking about these verses, I had a couple of insights and thoughts based on experience and teaching concerning oppressing spirits.

1) Most likely the other people didn't know the man had an unclean spirit, for he was allowed inside the synagogue.

2) Often times the type of spirit that shows up in church is a religious spirit. The religious spirit generally wants to distract, cause disruption, and focus on rules rather than relationship.

3) The religious spirit will generally not make itself known unless the presence of God, this time in the person of Jesus, shows up.

4) The religious spirit will always try to distort the word of God, and try to paint a portrait of God that is not accurate.

5) The man with the unclean spirit was in church, and sometimes we think that could never be the case, but churches are filled with many who are oppressed or affected by unclean spirits. What better place to cause disruption and distortion than from the inside.

We see this behavior here, and the man is accusing God of wanting to destroy them all, in other words saying He is an angry God. It's amazing how often we hear these same themes preached in churches today.

Earlier in Nazareth, in Luke's Gospel, we find Jesus first message is one of hope and visitation from Isaiah 61. We don't have a historical record of what Jesus was teaching on here in Capernaum, but my conjecture is that it was something similar, as Jesus was just launching His public ministry and drawing parallels to what was said prophetically. Isaiah has what's known as the Servant of the Lord sections in Isaiah 42, 49, 50 and 53, and I think it's likely that Jesus was reading out of one of these.

Regardless, Jesus came to reveal the Father's heart and in the famous passage from John 3:16-17 we hear this 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

I think it's safe to say that Jesus wasn't preaching a fire and brimstone message in Capernaum, yet that is what the man with the unclean spirit accused Him of planning. Jesus, in His authority silenced this spirit and set the man free. We need both in the church today - freedom from the bindings of the enemy, whatever they are, and the truth about the Lord preached clearly and without interruption, distraction or distortion.

Lord, we pray that You will be present in Your church and bring freedom and truth to all!

## Unbelief and Religion - 2014-01-09 02:02

Recently I was reading from John 7:21-24 NIV:

[21] "Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. [22] Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. [23] Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man's whole body on the Sabbath? [24] Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly."

When I was reading this, I was amazed by the attitude of the people (specifically the religious people) that Jesus was addressing, namely that they thought He had broken the religious rules by healing on the Sabbath (see John 5:1-15 for the story). I was thinking about the fact that Jesus healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years, and people were saying this couldn't be from God because He did it on a Sabbath. They were offended that God didn't follow the rules. They couldn't say they didn't believe the healing, because the man was whole and visible for all to see. But they were bound and determined not to believe that Jesus was the Messiah for any reason they could find, and breaking the rules of the Sabbath was enough reason.

I was reading an autobiography by Aimee Semple McPherson and she was talking about a time when God miraculously healed her broken foot and ankle. She had severely broken it, so bad that she had torn ligaments and the foot would hang straight down. She broke the foot and had it cast in one town, and then traveled to the next town with her husband. In the next town the Lord healed her foot instantaneously, completely restoring the broken bone and all the ligaments, even cleansing it of any of the bruising. What I found interesting was that many of the people in the town where she was healed didn't believe she was healed because they had no proof it was broken in the first place, despite the fact that you could see her black and swollen toes sticking out of the end of the cast. When word got back to the town where she broke her foot and ankle, they didn't believe that she had been healed because they couldn't see her running and dancing.

As I was thinking about this story, I felt like the Lord tied it back to the verses from John. I felt like the issue being addressed is the issue of unbelief. So many people have a propensity to unbelief, and their first reaction on hearing anything miraculous is one of doubt, followed by trying to find a reason to prove the report wrong. Whether it doesn't fit their 'rules' for the way God works, or whether they don't have proof of one thing or the other, people are trying hard to not believe that God is alive and well and fully capable of healing people, and doing miracles. If they can't discredit the miracle, as happened in John 5, they try to discredit the one who God used. If they can't discredit them by finding something they have done wrong, they will try to attack their character, and label them radicals, zealots, holy-rollers, crazy, of the devil, etc.

I remember reading an author, I don't remember who, who was saying that the spirit of unbelief is one of the most prevalent anti-Christ spirits in the Church. At the time, it made some sense, but I see this more and more clearly. The enemy is actively trying to discredit anything that the Lord does through the power of the Holy Spirit, even in His own church.

Many of our churches are fine with worshipping God, reading the Bible and even preaching about God, but if strange things start happening like healing, miracles, speaking in tongues, laughing, crying, shouting, dancing, resting in the Spirit, or any other assorted experiences that are common under the power of the Holy Spirit, they start getting uncomfortable, and start trying to limit their exposure and try to bring things back into order. This order is the set of rules they have constructed within which God can work, and if it fits inside their rules, than it is God, anything else is questionable, and highly discouraged. While this might seem like good administrative process and can be passed off as protecting the body, it is really at its core the spirit of unbelief, for they refuse to believe God is capable of being God, continually creative, and sovereign over all.

I know, in my life, growing up with western thought and logic, I am quick to doubt, as I want proof. My prayer is that I will be open to the Lord in all His glorious ways, and that, even though it doesn't fit into anything I might have seen or experienced previously, my first inclination will be to believe and trust that God is alive and we'll and perfectly able to defend His own name and reputation.

##

## Bless and Be Blessed - 2014-01-10 07:06

I was reading from 1 Peter 3 last night as my night reading of scripture. I think these two verses are quite challenging, more so the second verse:

1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

[8] "Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. [9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

The first verse is easy to read, difficult to live out. Peter is challenging us to live in such a way that we consider others, look at their situations, love them, have compassion on them, and works to understand how they think and what they think. Again, it all sounds nice, until we try to live that way. Our society (America} is very self-focused. We value our independence, we value our freedom to be the person we want to be, we love the fact that we can pursue the American dream. In this culture our focus is on ourselves, what we want, like and need.

Peter calls us to a selfless, other focused lifestyle. We are called to lay down our own thinking, our own opinions, and our own requirements and be like-minded with our brothers and sisters in the Church. The Greek word means literally having one mind, one perception, and one way of thinking. We are encouraged to be sympathetic, in other words to understand and actually feel or experience someone else's situation. This is far beyond just acknowledging their situation, but requires experiencing the same. We are called to have compassion and love one another. The word for compassion means a deep stirring in ones bowels, deep down, life changing, action altering compassion. We are called to stop and really see each other - Heidi Baker preaches about stopping for the one. I know I am so quick to walk past people and never really see them. We touch and operate on the surface, but we are called to go deep.

Finally, verse 9 is one I don't even like to read, let alone live out. It just goes against my natural inclination to defend myself, to resist and stand-up against that which is evil or those who would insult me. There is some deep call here, that we don't usually grasp, and that is the fact that this is how Jesus lived. His life says this is possible, and this is the heart of God, for Jesus came as an exact representation of God (Heb 1:3). As Bill Johnson says, "Jesus is perfect theology!". Living as representatives of the Lord, means we must learn to live like this as well. Jesus blessed those who killed Him. He paid for ALL sinners with His own blood. He opened the door to relationship with God for ALL men, regardless of whether they are good or evil, sinners or saints.

Peter says we were ALL called to this, so its not an optional extra, or something we can let someone else do. There is a blessing that is available to us when we do this - blessing those that insult us, or do evil to us. I like the NASB version of this, for it reads slightly different and with better focus saying, "...for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:9b NASB}.

If you have ever wondered what your purpose was in life, Peter says this is one of your purposes! Like I said earlier, I don't like reading this, let alone living it. The idea that one of my purposes in life is to bless those that insult me, or plan or do evil to me, is just hard to accept. Regardless, this is all of our call, and there really is a blessing that is purposed in God, for those of us that learn to live this way. When God promises blessing, this is not something to be taken lightly, like when we say "bless you" after someone sneezes. This is the blessing of God. In the blessing of God are protection, provision, relationship, direction, interaction and presence. I guess if we turned this sentence around it might be easier to digest. It would read something Ike this -'if you want God's provision, protection, direction, and presence in your life, then bless those that insult you and persecute you, loving and caring for those that plan evil against you'.

So let us love and bless all, and open the for the blessing of God to poured into our lives

## God's Promises Are Good And True! - 2014-01-12 07:47

The morning I am reading from Romans 4:18-21 NIV:

[18] "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." [19] Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead---since he was about a hundred years old---and that Sarah's womb was also dead. [20] Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, [21] being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."

What a great set of verses having to do with faith, God's promise and His ability to deliver on His promise. I was really grabbed by the last line - that God has the power to do what He promises. I think that we should also add that God has the will to do what He promised.

When I think about the struggles in my faith, I generally struggle with those two issues - does God want to do what He said, and is He really going to do it? Abraham wrestled with these same questions, and was able to answer yes to both of them, in spite of the fact that it was naturally impossible for him and Sarah to have a child. Now Abraham waited for many years to see the promise fulfilled, and every year he waited made the promise that much more unlikely and even impossible to see fulfilled naturally.

I like what Graham Cooke says about significant difficulties and even opposition, namely that where there is a big impossibility, there is an even bigger provision in God! I mean if we really think about the fact that God is sovereign over all things, that He is creator of the universe, that He is all powerful, and has all things under His control, that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, that all the silver and gold are His, that He is the Healer, the Provider, the Mighty Warrior, and on and on, we should never doubt His ability to do exactly what He says He is going to do! The problem for many of us is that we don't think about God this way. It is so important for us to understand His nature, His character and His will. The more we know God, the less likely it will be for us to doubt His promises and His ability.

So back to the two questions - Does God want to fulfill His promises? Is He really going to fulfill His promises? I immediately am reminded of Psalm 18 which speaks of the perfection of God's way and words: "As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; ..." Psalm 18:30. I am also reminded of Isaiah 55:11 NIV: "...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." So God's word is flawless and it will always accomplish what He desires, and achieve the purposes for which He sent it forth. In other words, if He says it, He means it and it will happen! That is so true, and something we need to hold onto, and the very thing Abraham was able to hold onto through all those years.

The second issue (is He really going to fulfill His promise) also has to do with God's character, but also with our understanding of our value in His eyes. First, we need to know that His word is perfect, in other words, if He says it, He means to say it. Secondly, sometimes we just doubt God's word, because we don't think we are important in His eyes. The thought goes something like this, "I know God could do it, but why would He bother with me? There are so many more important things for Him to do, or so many more people who are more worthy, or more holy, or who sin less". The real answers to these questions come from the place of relationship with God. In that place of relationship He reveals to us His heart for us. It's one thing to hear someone else say that God loves you; it's a completely different experience when He speaks those words into your heart. Those three words that change everything - I Love You - really can change our lives. The Bible is full of verses where God expresses His love for His people, but He wants that message of love to be firmly planted in our individual hearts.

In that place of relationship, we come to understand that He does love us, has given everything for us and to us, even to the point of dying for us. Jesus describes the Father and his heart toward us really well in Matthew 7:7-11 NIV:

[7] "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Paul writes about the fact that we are His sons and daughters - Romans 8:14-16 NIV:

[14] "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children."

I could quote hundreds of verses, but as I said before, it's one thing to hear the words from some other source; it's totally different when they are spoken by the Lord. I was thinking about when I was in school when someone told me that someone else in my class really liked me. That message was wonderful, but it also brought with it a bit of uncertainty, and doubt. However all doubt was cast aside when the person delivered that message herself, that she liked me. That is what God wants us all to experience, that personal experience of His love for us. In that experience, the question of whether He would want to fulfill His promise, whether He loves me, whether He values me, or even knows me is answered for good.

So back to the original verse - let us be persuaded that God has the power and the will to fulfill what He promised to fulfill in our lives. His promises are true, and He will do what He said. We may need to wait for a while, but do not assume His delayed timing has anything to do with lack of love, or lack of will on His part! Amen Lord!

## Unforgiveness And Stumbling Blocks - 2014-01-13 07:25

This morning I am reading from Luke 17:1-4 NIV:

[1] "Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. [2] It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. [3] So watch yourselves.

"If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. [4] Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them."

So often when we read the bible we focus on one specific verse or idea, often pulling it out of context. That is generally how I hear these two sets of verses preached, as if they are separate ideas, and with a separate meaning. It is interesting that verse 3, is seemingly split between the two different ideas, but I think it's part of the same idea that Jesus is expressing. If we combine the two, we see that unforgiveness can be a stumbling block in people's lives. As I think more about that, I realize it is very true, especially in relationships that are meant to endure, like family.

I am sure we all know someone who holds a grudge, which is really just unforgiveness. I know several people who are unwilling to forgive family members for past sins and injuries, and those grudges are huge stumbling blocks to themselves and to those that are unforgiven. They are unwilling to see the other person for who they are, unwilling to see repentance or accept it, and unwilling to trust again and grow. They stumble themselves over this grudge, and end up viewing everything through the lenses of unforgiveness. The person who is the object of their grudge cannot move forward themselves in these relationships either.

It is interesting that the focus of Jesus is on the one who places the stumbling block, and the one who must forgive, in this came the same person. So often the person holding the grudge feels justified in their stance, yet the words of Jesus here indicate the danger of that stance. In Matt 6, Jesus connects our forgiveness of others, to God's forgiveness of us. He is teaching the disciples to pray saying, "And forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors (those who sin against us).". Matt 6:12. Reading this carefully, forgiveness from God is given to us in the same way we forgive others. So if we don't forgive, we are not forgiven, and we are not forgiven our hearts are in perilous danger.

So back to the verses from Luke 17, Jesus is saying that we have a responsibility to others to forgive them, regardless of how many times they sin had asked forgiveness. We are responsible to make sure we are not putting stumbling blocks in other people lives, and this is our only responsibility in this regard. We are not called to judge, to punish, or anything else, but to rebuke them. Here is a very interesting translation, for the word commonly translated rebuke is the Greek word Epitimao - Definition:

1. to show honor to, to honor

2. to raise the price of

3. to adjudge, award, in the sense of merited penalty

4. to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely a. to admonish or charge sharply

This word is a conjunction of two other Greek words, Epi and timao. They mean 'upon or against, positionally" and 'valuation, or setting value' which gives us the definition of getting or understanding or placing the true value of something or someone, and how its valuation is affected. So when rebuking someone, we should be sharing with them, how their actions speaks of our value in their eyes, and by forgiving them we are showing our perspective of their value to us. Unforgiveness says they have no value, and that is the danger, for we do not have the right to set someone else's valuation in the Body of Christ. Jesus has already expressed their worth by dying for them, shedding His blood for them, and paying the price for them.

If we find ourselves unable to forgive, then our cry should be the same as the disciples in verse 5, "Lord, increase our faith!". In other words - Lord, I need Your help to belief in the worth of this person, and I need Your help in stepping back and seeing the person as you see them. If we can practice forgiveness, getting rid of grudges, unforgiveness and pain and doubt, we can receive the fullness of what the Lord has planned for us.

Amen Lord.

##

## Forgive Me As I Forgive - 2014-01-14 07:06

When I opened my Bible this morning, it opened up to Matthew 6:14-15 NIV:

[14] "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

These verses obviously flow right out of my meditations yesterday on forgiveness and our need to forgive, so that forgiveness doesn't become a stumbling block to ourselves or to others. As I mentioned yesterday, there is a correlation between our forgiveness of others and God's forgiveness of us, as Jesus describes here. This is actually a significant theme, as Jesus speaks several times concerning forgiveness - see Matt 18:15-20 and Matt 18: 22-35.

The forgiveness available to us in God is complete and forever. There are several scriptures in the old testament that speak about the Father's heart concerning forgiveness.

Isaiah 1:18 NIV

"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Psalm 103:10-12 NIV

[10]..."he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. [11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Jeremiah 31:33-34 NIV

[33] "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [34] No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

These are just a few of the verses dealing with God's desire to forgive, and the completeness of His forgiveness. So, this forgiveness is available, but the application of this forgiveness is dependent upon our own forgiveness of others. There is no other way to read this, and we are wise to heed Jesus' warning here. If we would experience the powerful cleansing of forgiveness in our lives than we need to choose to forgive those who have sinned against us. If we would live under the shadow of God's wings and experience His mercy and compassion, than we need to have a willingness to put all things into the arms of the Lord, including the wrongs that have been done to us. We can no longer hold onto these offenses, but we must release them. We cannot continue to treat the person as if they have hurt us, for that is not forgiveness. The Greek word translated forgiveness is Aphiemi and its definition is as follows:

1. to send away

a. to bid going away or depart

b. to send forth, yield up, to expire

c. to let go, let alone, let be

The definition continue on for several more lines, but the focus of it all is leaving something completely behind, never to have it returned. This is how the Lord wants us to treat those offenses, those sins, those hurts that have wounded us. He wants us to learn to send them away from us, to let go of them, and learn to be free of them. Paul writes a similar encouragement in his letter to the Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. [32] Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

I don't believe that our forgiveness of others is a prerequisite to our receiving any forgiveness, and Paul seems to be in agreement. However, there is requirement that we express the same heart of forgiveness that God extended to us, to each other.

Lord help me to see in my life anyone that I have not forgiven. Help me to extend forgiveness and let go of any hurt, any offense and any plans for vengeance. Lord, I want to experience the fullness of Your forgiveness and I know that my own forgiveness of others affects my own. Help me to trust Your words, and receive Your grace to forgive.

Amen

## Beyond Our Imagination - 2014-01-15 07:04

This morning I was reading from Paul's letter to the Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV:

[20] "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

As I was reading this verse, I was reminded of a book that I have been reading called "Culture of Honor" by Danny Silk. This is an excellent book and one that I realty should read over and over. One of the things that he talks about is having a wealth mind-set as a Kingdom perspective. He talks about the difference between a poverty, middle-class and wealth mind-set as experienced in the church. I found his thinking intriguing and enlightening.

This verse reminds me of his thoughts regarding the wealth mind-set. When we look at what Paul says, he is basically saying God is capable of doing anything, even more than we can ever imagine. That is a very challenging and hopefully freeing statement. God does not just limit himself to our little earthly imaginations, to only our direst needs, but rather is a God of extravagance, and immeasurability. In other words, He is beyond our ability to think.

When Danny was talking about the wealth mind-set, he referenced the church's consistent reliance on earthly thinking, and human wisdom in its efforts to govern, lead, teach, and grow. He talks about how this is more of a poor or middle class perspective, because we don't think there is anything really available to us in the supernatural realm, that which God controls, and that which is heavenly. We don't think the Holy Spirit really does much more than guide us to wise thinking, and that we, within our earthly abilities, need to deal with people as they are, sinners one and all. So, we have limited our capabilities to what we can think up, and most of that is related to how we can keep people from sinning.

The opportunity we have in God is to step into our true identities as sons and daughters of the King. He has given us all we need in the Holy Spirit to see Heaven's realities become earthly realities. He wants to work the supernatural through the Church, and wants to take us beyond our imaginations. He is the King of the Universe, and everything He has is ours for the asking. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." There is an open door to Heaven if we will but ask.

One of the things the Lord has spoken to me over and over again is to "not settle for less than what He wants to provide". I grew up within a frugal family culture and my propensity is to make do with what is available,. This is not a bad thing, but it is not the heart of the Lord for us, and it is not a characteristic of the Kingdom. The Lord wants us to ask for the improbable, the impossible, the world-changing stuff. The context of these verses is Paul speaking about the mission he has been given to preach the good news to the gentiles, in other words the rest of the known world - that is certainly beyond my imagination.

In the Gospels, Jesus demonstrates just little glimpses of the Kingdom reality of abundance and wealth when He heals, when he multiplies the food, when He deals with the demonized and sinners, when He cleanses the Lepers. He never stops with what would be sufficient, or just enough. He feeds five thousand, and has enough afterward to fill 12 baskets, after everyone has eaten their fill. He doesn't just forgive the sins of the man on the cot, but heals him so completely that He is able to stand, walk and even carry his own cot. He doesn't just bind the power of demons, He completely casts them out of the people they are afflicting, so much so that their lives are radically transformed, as in the life of the Gadarene demoniac who goes from being a naked, crazy man living among the tombs, to one of the first evangelists spreading the good news of Jesus to the ten cities. He doesn't just cleanse the lepers, but touches them, restores them and heals them completely. We serve a God of abundance, a God of the impossible, and yet we tend to settle for the things we can do under our own power and wisdom.

God wants to expand our understanding, our mind-set so that we can faithfully represent His nature and the culture of the Kingdom. He wants us to allow the Holy Spirit within us to lead us to the impossible, to things beyond our wildest imaginations, to a place of both reliance on, and regular experience of the supernatural. He wants to birth Heavenly realities in our midst, and cause the entire world to see His Glory. We are called to be world changers, and the only way we can do that is if we learn to ask, seek and knock, expecting God "to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine".

Oh Lord, I pray that You impart to us all a new mind-set, one that is in line with Your desires to change this world. Help us to step into, and embrace this Heavenly mind-set, this expectation of the improbable, the impossible, and the mind-blowing. Lord, we want to represent You correctly, and You are all powerful, all knowing and the creator of all things! You are the most creative, dynamic, powerful, compassionate, merciful, faithful, fun, and forgiving individual in the universe. Help us to turn to You and expect You to reveal Yourself through the church, through the Body of Christ present, as You promised You would. Lord, help us to step beyond our imaginations into the Your reality.

## The Bad List - 2014-01-17 07:10

Last night, some friends and I were taking about a challenging set of verses in Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:16-21 NIV:

[16] "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. [17] For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

[19] "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

These are some of the verses where we often only read part, because if we read the whole verse it would potentially hit to close to home. The list of the acts of the flesh gets down right uncomfortable in places, such as selfish ambition, envy, and dissensions. We tend to like to classify our sins, into categories of bad, and not so bad. I wouldn't put envy in the same category as idolatry or witchcraft, yet Paul does, and then he says that those who live this way won't inherit the Kingdom of God. This clearly is uncomfortable talk.

Paul writes a very similar message to the Church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 6:8-11 NIV:

[8] "Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. [9] Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men [10] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

In this list, Paul adds the greedy to the same list as idolaters and sexually immoral. Again, uncomfortable talk, and talk that probably hits a bit close to home. The truth is that sin is sin in God's eyes. God apparently sees sin differently than we do, and from His perspective greed and idolatry are just as bad as each other, selfish ambition and witchcraft are also the same. So what are we to do when we find greed, envy, selfish ambition, anger, grumbling (dissension), or any of the other sins listed, in our own hearts?

The good news is found in verse 11 of the second group of verses from above, namely that we have been made new in Christ, being washed (cleansed from our sins), sanctified (selected and set apart by God) and justified (seen as righteous, without any marring of sin) by Him and by the Holy Spirit. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul speaks about walking by the Spirit, which is in direct contrast to the flesh. Later in the 6th chapter (Gal 6:7-10), he says we should sow to the Spirit, in other words invest in a life pursuing the Holy Spirit's action on our behalf, opening our lives to the direction and guidance of the Him and becoming full of the fruit of that pursuit.

We are not expected to immediately become perfectly like Christ the moment we experience salvation, but we are expected to move in His direction. By His works we are already seen as righteous by the Father, and now it should be our life's pursuit to become like Him. As Paul says, you were once these things, but now that we have experienced salvation we are washed, sanctified and justified. As we pursue Him, we will find that more and more of the old gets washed out of our life and is replaced by that which is from Him. We are no longer identified by our sins, but rather by our identity in Christ.

As we pursue Him, our lives will begin to be filled with a different list - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Gal 5:22-23 NIV. This is what our lives will be full of; this will be what people experience when they interact with us. In greater measure, our lives will be transformed, as we sow into the Spirit.

So let us not fret, or focus on the things in our lives that are found on the bad list, but rather let us focus on the good news that in Jesus we are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). We are washed, sanctified and justified, and the fruit we bear is good. Let us release those other things and grab hold of Christ, pursuing Him, and allowing the Holy Spirit to renew us, refresh us and fill us with His life! We will inherit the Kingdom because we are no longer identified by our sins, but rather are found in Christ Jesus, and are His co-heirs (Rom 8:17). Now that is some GOOD NEWS!

## It Is For Freedom That I Have Been Freed - 2014-01-18 07:51

This morning I opened my Bible to Galatians 5 once again. It seems I have been spending a fair bit of time in this chapter recently. Anyway, the first verse is what I want to focus on today.

Galatians 5:1 NIV: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

This is a very famous verse, one that I have quoted or read many times, yet this morning there was freshness to it, and a new insight, as far as I remember anyway. :-) Paul is writing to remind the Galatians of the Gospel, and calling them back to the mind-set they originally had understood. I think in general, it's good for all of us to spend time assessing our lives, our thinking and our living, to see if we are still following the Gospel as we should.

I love Paul's statement and its implications. He says the Jesus set us free so that we might experience freedom, and then implies that it's up to us whether we experience this freedom or not. In other words, Jesus has accomplished everything to set us free. He has broken the chains of sin and death, fulfilled the law, opened the way to the Father, given us a new covenant, and it is totally up to us to live that way or not. Our choice! Our free-will!

Now Paul, in a larger sense, is referring to the law of the old covenant when he is talking about the bonds or yoke of slavery. The original Greek says it more like this - do not again in the yoke of slavery, become entangled or caught. The yoke of slavery, although it can mean literally that, was also commonly understood to mean the requirements of the law. I like the word entangled, as it helps describe the process the Galatians were apparently sliding into, starting to observe the law in small ways first, but then as questions arise about where to draw the line, where to stop, they find no clear answer and slide back into what they know, or knew.

Although most of us have never had to meet the requirements of the law, I think Paul's statement can be applied to us in the realm of sin and disobedience. We have been set free by Christ from all that binds us, and in Him we experience forgiveness, mercy and compassion. He calls us out of a life of darkness into the light. However, many of us, after walking in the light, will take occasional strolls into those dark areas once again. The problem is that we can find ourselves entangled in sin once again, for there is a familiarity to our old ways, and it is often more comfortable than walking in the light. However, the longer we dwell in the shadows, the more entangled we become. It is important to realize that this was our choice, and we must change our mind and choose differently to get out of the entanglement. Jesus already set us free, He already gave us the power to walk in this freedom, and we must choose that path.

I think these verses can also apply to the false spirit of religion as well. The false spirit of religion would try to resurrect the requirements of the law, and turn our faith into some sort of activity checklist that is supposed to enable us to achieve righteousness. What is supposed to be relationship based, becomes task based. Our faith is in Him, in our relationship with the Lord, not in what we have learned about Him, and some set of tasks He taught us to do.

That is why Jesus said He lives in us, why He gave us the Holy Spirit. Our faith is in Him being present in our situation, not riding in from Heaven to deal with situations we have learned He will intervene in. So much of the Old Testament speaks of visitations of God, where comes to rescue His people, but the reality of God's desire was expressed through the tent of the tabernacle. God intended to live in the midst of His people, so that they knew He was always present, so they didn't need to wait for Him to show up. The spirit of false religion is built around the premise that God isn't present, and isn't interested in relationship. There is no focus on the living God, other than being the one to whom all the activity is dedicated. There is no expectation of daily interaction, no intimate meetings of the beloved, just tasks to complete, and rules to follow.

We were talking about this last week at church, about the fact that rules are easier and some ways cleaner. We don't really have to change our insides, just our external activities or appearances if we are just following rules. We can complete the tasks perfectly and keep score of how we are doing, but never change inwardly. Others can keep track of our progress and make judgements about our level of compliance and fulfillment of the tasks assigned. It seems neat, clean and easy to administer, but Paul calls it the yoke of slavery. Anything other than the Gospel, other than relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ can become this yoke to us. Most importantly, it is our choice whether we live in freedom or under the yoke of slavery.

My encouragement today is to look at my life, to take a good honest appraisal of my faith walk and see if I am sliding back into old familiar ways of enslavement, becoming task oriented rather than relationship focused, whether I am serving a distant god, or whether I am living in union with Him constantly present? It is for freedom that Jesus set me free!

## Treasure Our Relationship - 2014-01-19 08:13

All day long yesterday, I felt the Lord pressing into me concerning the topic of religion vs. relationship and I think that this is one of the key issues with the church, at least from my perspective. The more I thought about it, the more clearly I saw the distinction and the vast need in the Body of Christ for this message. We talked about it briefly last week in church, and I have been plugged into this thematically for the last few years, but there was something about my meditation yesterday that really brought this issue into focus.

I think that the single greatest aim of the enemy, through a false spirit of religion, is to make the Lord irrelevant. If you think about religion, you don't really need a God who is present, engaged, or alive. If we look at history, we see that man will always find something to worship, something to elevate to a level above him, something that he calls a god. Man has developed elaborate rules and ceremonies to try and connect to these gods, or at least draw their attention and hopefully their blessing. These rules and ceremonies and devotions don't require a god at all, for they are empty of life, and only appease man's longing to connect with God.

I was listening to a speaker recently, and one of the things he said was pretty scary. He said that in most churches today, they don't need God to show up to have church. Think about that statement and the implications. The one thing about Christianity is that we worship a God who is alive and present, yet most of our churches today operate as if this isn't necessary. Other than being the founder of Christianity, most churches don't need Jesus in their services. They might speak like they do, they might welcome Him, but if He isn't present they can still have a service, pretty much like any other Sunday. The focus has become the service or the sermon, not the person Jesus, not our relationships with our living Savior. In other words, in many places He has become irrelevant for the day to day life and operation of the church.

I guess the foundation of this all is unbelief. We don't really believe that the Lord will show up and be present in a manifest way. We don't really believe that He desires an intimate and loving relationship with us. We don't really believe that He is present in our midst when we gather, or if we do, it's a nice warm thought not an experiential reality. We don't really believe that He will move in power and authority like He once did, like they experienced in the early church. We develop teachings to explain the lack of His manifest presence and miracles, because we don't really believe He does them anymore. If you think about cessationism, what they are teaching is that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only really needed to get the organization, that is the church, up and running, and after that His gifts, nor His manifest presence were no longer needed. In other words, God is not really needed for the continued running of the organization that the church has become.

It is not enough for us to be part of an organization that was founded on Jesus' teaching. It is not enough for us to do good things, to think good thoughts, to have good intentions. It is not enough to have good teaching, good worship, or a good service. It is not enough to remember and celebrate the historical events, like His death and resurrection or His birth. It is not enough to go to church every Sunday, or even every time the church gathers. If we are not in relationship with the Lord, experiencing His touch, His heart and His day to day interaction, we have missed the whole point of Christianity. He is alive! He is present! He loves us! He wants relationship with each of us.

The Apostles and disciples understood this and taught this and lived this. When Jesus said He was going back to Heaven, there was a major panic, because He was required for church! Jesus totally understood their concerns and spoke about how it would be better for them, the church, if the Holy Spirit came and was present to them all (John chapters 14-17). The Holy Spirit came and filled the church and then every member of the church had God inside them, present in the most intimate of ways, and that was normal, and is still supposed to be normal. We must have relationship with God, for He is the only source of life. We must make Him relevant in our lives and in our churches. We must have Him present, alive, full of power and authority, mercy and compassion. We must learn to invest in this relationship, to live in this relationship and to treasure this relationship. Our relationship with Him is what He came to earth to make possible, it is the joy that was set before Him. Our relationship with Him is the treasure!

I know I have only scratched the surface of this topic. Lord, help us all! We want to know You alive in our hearts and alive in the church! Amen!

## God Is Relationship - 2014-01-20 07:48

Continuing my thinking of religion vs. relationship, I want to spend some time working through John's Gospel, as John focuses much of his attention on why Jesus came, and the nature of His relationship to the Father and to us. When we look at God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the triune Godhead, we are confronted with relationship. There is in the very heart of who God is, relationship. One could almost say that God is relationship.

Starting at the beginning of John, we see the following verses:

John 1:1-5, 9-14, 17-18 NIV

[1] "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John does his best to describe what is really a mystery. Jesus is the Word, the Word of God, there present as another entity, yet also the same. There is a depth and mystery to this relationship that we cannot fathom or fully understand

[2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Jesus has been present from the very beginning, and it is through Him that all is made. When God spoke in Genesis and said "let there be light" that was Jesus. The words were in the Father but when they come out they are Jesus. It's kind of like the Father starts a sentence, but Jesus finishes it.

[4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

Jesus is full of life, eternal life, and that life is what distinguishes man from everything else. Man is created in His image, and we have a little bit of His life in us as a result.

[5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. [9] The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

He came to the earth, to the world to bring revelation, to reveal the Father, to shine light on the truth.

[10] He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

The world did not recognize Him, partly because they could not comprehend His humility. They were looking for a great and powerful God, unapproachable in splendor, awesome in majesty, for that was their experience of God in the temple and tabernacle. When God's presence filled them, all were overcome by His presence - see Ex 40:34-40, 2 Chron 5:13-14.

[11] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--- [13] children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

In receiving Him, believing Him, we are invited into divine relationship, as we become God's children, born of God, born again by the Holy Spirit. Our relationship with God is established by God, and we become part of His family.

[14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Jesus became man forever, and as a man, we relate to Him as another person, by establishing a relationship. We can observe Him, read about Him, study Him, but ultimately He wants to be in relationship with us. He is the source of grace (favor, blessing, life, pleasure, delight, loveliness, good will, loving-kindness) and all truth for us all. In our relationship with Him, He pours these things into our lives. It was through Moses that the rules were given, Jesus gives us something very different, His favor and Truth.

[18] No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Jesus, because of the nature of His relationship with the Father, came and revealed the Father to us all. He is God, and He revealed God to us. He has the closest relationship with the Father, and invites us into that same relationship, extends that relationship to us. Jesus didn't come to reveal the rules (law) but the One, True Father. This new revelation supersedes the old. Where the rules were once sufficient, now there was a better revelation, a better relationship, a better way of living. We are all invited and welcomed into this relationship, why would we settle for anything less?

## The Fellowship Of The Trinity - 2014-01-21 06:35

This morning I felt like I should divert from the Gospel of John to his first letter. His introduction is similar to his Gospel, yet he focuses a bit more on his own relationship.

1 John 1:1-4 NIV

[1] "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched---this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

John is proclaiming a credible witness, as he personally met and lived with Jesus. He heard Him speak, saw Him do miracles, was touched by Him, and we so intimately in relationship with Jesus that he laid his head back into Jesus' chest at the last supper, as they reclined around the table. He is talking about someone that he knew, and knew well. In the midst of this personal experience is also the mystery of Jesus' eternal life, and role in the Godhead. John calls him the Word of Life, and so He is today.

[2] The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

John expounds on Jesus as the eternal life, which just continues to make it more complex and difficult to understand. He is the Word of Life. He is the Eternal Life. He is the Creator. His life is in us all. He was with the Father and appeared as a baby, and became man, and was revealed to John, his brother and all the people in that region at that time. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6), and John heard him say those words, and then demonstrate the reality of those words.

[3] We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. [4] We write this to make our joy complete."

It is John's goal to draw us into the fellowship, the relationship he shared with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Greek word here translated fellowship is Koinonia and it is defined as:

1. fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse (not physical but social)

a. the share which one has in anything, participation

b. intercourse, fellowship, intimacy

As such, we should read the word fellowship in this instance as speaking of intimacy and belonging. This is much deeper than just a group or club to which we can belong. John lived in the place of constant relationship with the Lord. He experienced the reality of the filling of the Holy Spirit, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the constant interaction and guidance of that relationship. He is inviting us all into this same relationship, this same fellowship. John recognized his own significance to the Lord (he referred to himself as the one the Lord loved) and invites us into that same experience. As a member of the Body of Christ, he knows that it is in the fulfillment of God's plans and purposes that his joy will be complete, and part of those plans and purposes are for us, and include us.

We are all invited to join the fellowship, to enter into relationship with God. This isn't the 'fellowship of the ring' but the fellowship of the Trinity. We are called to enter into and experience relationship with our creator. Why would we settle for anything less than intimacy and relationship with the one who is Life? Religion would constrain us to distant and impersonal experience of God, but He wants intimate, significant relationship. We are invited to step into this fellowship and get to know the members of the Trinity, as John and the disciples all experienced. Wow!

## Talking Or Walking - 2014-01-23 07:14

I am continuing my reading of John's first letter, and maintaining my focus on relationship as the core component to our faith. Reading from 1 John 1:5-7 NIV:

[5] "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we claim to (say we) have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

John is speaking metaphorically here, but the imagery is simple. God is light, pure light with no darkness in Him at all. It is easier to understand that and believe that, than trying to believe there is a being having no dark or bad side to their personality. A light shines forth and penetrates and drives off darkness. The two are in direct opposition to one another.

In verse 6, John is talking about those who are Christian in name only. They say they are Christian, but their actions say otherwise. They are not walking out their beliefs in their daily life. They are fooling themselves possibly, but God is not fooled, and the fruit of their life will be evident.

Finally in verse 7, John speaks as clearly as he can. If we walk, or live our lives, in the light, which is where He is, then we are relationship with Him and all others that are also in the light. John makes a clean distinction between those who say or claim to be Christians, and those who actually are living their lives that way. Early on Christians said they were part of "The Way" (see Acts 19:9 & Acts 24:14) for when John is talking about walking, the Greek word actually translates into following the path or way. You are either on the path or not. You can say you are on the path, but it's clear you are not by where you are walking and who you are walking alongside.

I think that it interesting that John speaks about this all as fellowship, or intimate relationship. Those who claim to have fellowship (relationship) with the Father but walk in a way that is evident that they do not have such a relationship are clearly lying. Again, relationship is the key. It's not about rules, following the teachings, but about being in relationship. If we have relationship with Him (God) then we also have relationship (fellowship) with each other. You don't have one without the other. Jesus made it clear when He gave us His command "love one another" (John 15:17) and that if we love Him and keep His commands then He and the Father will come and show themselves (be in relationship). \- John 14:15, 21

It is all about relationships, loving God, loving others, walking and living our lives together. It's not about our words, but about our actions. It's not about our intentions, but about efforts and fruit.

Finally, we must not misunderstand John here. He is NOT writing primarily about light and darkness, holiness and sin, but about the difference between talking and walking. Some have taken this verse to say if you have any darkness in your life that you are not in the light or in relationship with God, but that is not what John said at all, if you read it. The Greek words speak about relational position, and some would say they are in the light (relating to the Father) but are demonstrating by their life they are not. Others are demonstrating this relationship by their actions, but John doesn't speak about their lives being perfectly in the light with no darkness (sin). He says it is in this relationship that Jesus blood "purifies us from all sin." The Greek word here translated purifies is a verb that means to cleanse and purify. This can happen instantaneously or over time like we see in a couple stories from Luke (Luke 5:13; 17:12) where lepers are cleansed, one is instantaneous, the others are cleansed as they walk.

In summary, it's all about relationship, or fellowship. Our actions speak louder than our words, and our actions are what God is considering. He knows if we are in relationship with Him or not. We may have just started down the path, or we might have been walking this way for years, but we can never forget it's about relationships, not rules, teachings or formulas.

## One Body, Many Parts - 2014-01-30 07:34

I felt like I should read from 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27 NIV:

[12] "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. "

[27] "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

I was cognizant of the theme of relationship once again being front and center in these verses. Paul could have used the analogy of an army, where each person has a job or task to do, but rather he used an analogy of the body, where each part, each member is connected to all others. The focus is on connectedness not the job or task, or even role.

The first and primary consideration is relationship to all others. It is this connection that makes everything else work, and the separate roles possible. Any part of our body, when separated from the rest of the body is unable to function properly, or even live. So it is with us as members of the Body of Christ. It is our connection/relationship to Christ and to each other that brings us life and enables us to fulfill our role or purpose. It is not the other way around.

Once again, it is relationships, not rules that define us. It is true that we are given tasks to do, purposes to fulfill, but only in the context of the body, which is established and maintained through relationships.

As in the body, there are many roles in the Body of Christ and some seem more important than others, yet there is an interdependence that is essential for anything to happen, and with that interdependence a reliance on all others. Sometimes members of the Body of Crust get an over-inflated notion of their own importance, or think that they don't need the rest of the body, yet when we look at this analogy fully we see that these attitudes are wrong. For example, a pastor is not more important than a church member, in fact in the shepherd/sheep paradigm, the sheep is of greater value to its owner. We are all parts of the same body, and we all have the same importance in God's eyes.

So let us cultivate in our hearts and minds this relational reality of one Body of Christ, with many parts. Let us strive to enrich and enliven our relationships with the Lord and each other for that is of primary importance.

## Relationships - It's All About Them - 2014-01-31 06:58

This morning I am back in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, reading one of his most famous passages.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13 NIV:

[1] "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [3] If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."

[13] "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I was reading these verses and wondering about the Greek word that was translated love, for there a three. The word in this passage is agape, which is generally defined as brotherly love, but is a love of commitment, not just a passing affection. It is usually between two people, and is the result of a deep relationship. The interesting thing about Paul's statement is that he does not define the object of this love, which is important in that this would define which brother, which friend, which relationship resulted in this love.

I believe that Paul left the object unannounced because he was speaking of the fullness of our relational call as members of the Body of Christ, to love both the Lord and our fellow brothers and sisters. We cannot love one and not the other.

In Matt 22:36-40, Jesus talks about Loving God, and the same Greek word is used. The verses are as a follows:

[36] "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

[37] Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Jesus provides the understanding of Paul's statement; it is a love for God and for our neighbor or those around us. Again this love is not some passing affection, but rather a knowing, deep loving, committed relationship. It is love showing itself through action, but at the same time it is the foundation or cause of the action. Without this love and relationship, the good works Paul describes are empty. The reason is described by Paul; he says it's just a clanging cymbal or gong, in other words done so the person can boast. Jesus uses similar phrases and ideas in describing the Pharisees (Matt 6:5; Matt 23:5) and it is not a good thing.

In other words it is relationships that give meaning to all that we do. It is relationships that are the vessel in which we minister. It is our relationships that define us. Relationship with God is our first commandment, and relationships with others is our second. In the Kingdom, the most important investment is into relationships. It is all about relationships, first with God and then with our neighbors.

Amen Lord! Help us to understand and invest in that which is the most valuable, the most important, the greatest treasure - our relationship with You, and with each other.

# 2014 – February

## Upward First, Then Outward - 2014-02-02 07:39

This morning I felt I should read from Paul's letters to the Philippians 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "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, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

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

I guess I am seeing everything in the relational context these days, but these verses are very clearly discussing our relationships with the Lord and with each other. The idea that the Lord spends so much time discussing relationships, their importance and their foundational aspect in the scriptures is surprising to me. It seems like this is one of the core messages, yet one that gets lost in many of our experiences of the church. The Lord is clearly after something in my life, and I am interested in the same, deepening relationship with Him and others.

Looking at the verses above, the initial focus is direct - unity with Christ Jesus. There is no clearer description of intimate relationship than unity. Unity by very definition requires one mindedness, one expression of love, compassion, and spirit. Another translation simply says have the same mind, same love, and same compassion. If we are in Christ, united with Him, found in Him, and joined with Him, than His heart and mind need to become ours. A good example of this is how couples who have been married for many years start thinking alike, often able to communicate with just a look, because they both know what the other is thinking. We are called to a similar experience in Christ. This is the listed first, and in our pursuit of God, must always remain first, for it is out of this unity that the second focus is derived.

Secondly, the focus is on unity with one another. It is clear that this is the main subject for Paul, yet he takes time to lay the foundation of relationship with Christ. As I said before, it is out of this foundational relationship that others develop and grow. Our focus in relationship should be upwards (towards the Lord) than outward (toward one another). The danger in not taking this approach is selfishness, or self-focus. Our frame of perspective for our life, our outward relationships needs to be viewed from the Lords perspective, and this is what Paul is discussing and calling the Philippians to experience. It is when we have Christ's mind that we can think correctly about the significance of each other as well as our role and our purpose in the Body. So as Paul says, in our relationships with each other we should have Christ's mindset, His perspective. Upward first, then outward.

## Judging Significance - 2014-02-03 07:32

Yesterday at church we were discussing judgment, identity and relationships. This morning I spent some time meditating on these verses from James' letter - James 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. [2] Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. [3] If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," [4] have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? [5] Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"

For me, these verses are a great reminder that I need to see as the Lord sees, and not as the world sees. We tend to associate a person's significance by their position in society, but that is not true in the Body of Christ. We also cannot judge based on one's gifting, or even calling, although those at least are somewhat related to Body of Christ. In fact we shouldn't really judge at all, but rather extend mercy and compassion, the hand of fellowship and welcome.

In Jesus eyes, we are all equally significant, seemingly least to the greatest. He personally paid for each of us with His Body and Blood, so how can we ever look at someone and think we are better than them, for it is mercy that has established us in the Body of Christ, not our acts or our accomplishments. Equally, we can never judge someone outside the Body of Christ, because the Lord died for them as well, and encouraged us to leave the 99 sheep to find the one that is lost (Matt 18:2-3).

Lord, help me to extend mercy and compassion to everyone and leave the judging to You. Help me to look for and see the significance of everyone I meet, everyone You died to save.

## Just Cry Out... - 2014-02-04 06:38

This morning I felt encouraged to read Psalm 72, which starts as a prayer of David for his son Solomon, but which becomes a prophesy concerning Jesus Christ. There are some many beautiful images and promises, and the new that caught my heart and mind this morning were the following: [11] "May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. [12] For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. [13] He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. [14] He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight."

I felt like there was a special message of hope and encouragement for those who felt oppressed, depressed, burdened, troubled, stressed, anxious, fearful, or anything other than peace, joy and hope. The Lord really does meet us in our need, in our desperation, in our weakness. He is waiting for us to cry out for He is a respecter of our free-will even in our need. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the light of the World. He is Love. He had defeated death, sickness and disease. He has broken every chain as set the captives free. He paid for all of us with His own body and blood, and none of us is worthy, but all are included in this gift of salvation. All we need to do is cry out....

## Living As A Child Of God - YES! - 2014-02-05 06:23

This morning I opened my Bible to Paul's letter to the Romans and started reading from Chapter 8. The following verses are worth a slow and meditative read:

Romans 8:9-17 NIV:

[9] "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. [10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."

[12] "Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation---but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. [14] For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

There is so much good stuff in these verses, it's hard to know where to start. His very first statement is worthy of constant reminder, even refrigerator posting. We ARE in the realm of the Spirit, because the Spirit of God lives in us. The original Greek does not use the word realm, but I think it is very helpful in understanding this reality. To be members of a realm speaks of a Kingdom, and a set of rules and authority in power, and Paul is definitely speaking about those things here. Again, we ARE in the Kingdom of the Holy Spirit, we are under His rule and reign, if we belong to Christ. Because we are under His rule and reign, we receive those things that He has the power and authority to provide, namely life to our mortal bodies.

The Greek word translated 'life' is Zoopoieo which is pronounced - dzo-op-oy-eh'-o

Definition

1. to produce alive, begat or bear living young

2. to cause to live, make alive, give life

a. by spiritual power to arouse and invigorate

b. to restore to life

c. to give increase of life: thus of physical life

d. of the spirit, quickening as respects the spirit, endued with new and greater powers of life

I think the second definition makes the most sense here, and Paul probably meant that we receive all that through the Holy Spirit - that we are made alive, we are invigorated, we are restored, we see an increase of life, and we receive new and greater powers.

It is because of this new life in us that we have an obligation to live according to the rules of the realm, and when we do, we step into our true identity as sons and daughters of God. We are His children, and He is a good Father. We are set free from fear, for that is what slaves feel toward their masters, but instead we have a loving merciful Father who has breathed His life into us, and called us His own. I can almost see Him bending over me, leaning His face down to me and breathing the words "my son" over me. That is who I am, and that is who you are - a son or daughter of God. Paul says we have an obligation to live that way and that is true, but I say why would we want to live any other way? I think of it more as an opportunity, as is - 'you mean we actually get to live as a son or daughter of God, as His children?' That is the most awesome opportunity I have ever heard of, why would I want to live any other way?

YES and Amen Father!

## Hold Onto Hope - 2014-02-06 06:48

This morning I am focused on hope. There are two sets of verses from Paul's letter to the Romans, and a third from the letter to the Hebrews that are the basis of my meditation:

Romans 8:24-25 NIV

[24] "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? [25] But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Romans 15:13 NIV: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

And finally the most quoted verse on faith and hope from the Letter to the Hebrews:

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

As I read the first verses this morning, my heart was reminded of some of the things that I hope for in my heart, concerning the Lord, the Kingdom and His manifest presence. I have in me this hope for something much more than I am now experiencing in Christ. I hope for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like they saw in Acts 2. I hope for God's presence to so fill His church that we all fall face-down in worship. I hope for the pouring forth of healing, so that every person who comes for prayer is healed. I hope for the day all our family is alive in Christ, and pursuing relationship with Him. I hope for salvation, healing, cleansing and deliverance to come to thousands, and tens of thousands. I hope to see many raised from the dead in Jesus' name. I hope for the return to and even surpassing time of miracles and signs and wonders through the church.

I have all this hope inside of me, and the question is where did it come from, or who put it there? The second question is why?

The first question is easily answered for God is the God of hope (Rom 15:13) and all hope comes from Him. He is the author of hope. So if hope exists in me, it came from Him. The second question becomes more interesting at this point - if the hope is from God, why did He put it there? I believe that it is to cause a yearning for something more, which then causes me to pray for and pursue this something more.

In the letter the Hebrews, the author associates hope with the promises of God in Hebrews 6:11-12: "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. [12] We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

So, in other words this hope that I have in me, is an unfulfilled promise, but one that God intends to fulfill. It is through patience, faith, diligence and confidence that I will see these promises fulfilled. God intends to deliver on His promises, and the natural response to a promise is the hope of seeing it fulfilled. Hope is looking for that which we haven't seen yet, but which we know is coming, because we know the purposes of God, His intents, will always be true! So when I read the scriptures, instead of just reading them as a historical document and receiving knowledge, when I read them I have received from the Lord His promise. This promise causes me to hope, pray and pursue God until I see His promise fulfilled.

God does not intend to fan the flames of hope without the chance of seeing them realized. He says in Proverbs 13:12 NIV: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." God is not about making us sick, but rather about breathing life into us.

So my encouragement today is to hold onto this hope, with the knowledge that this signals the intent of the Lord, and what the Lord plans on doing, He does! He wants us to overflow with hope, spreading His hope to all.

## It Is All About Jesus - 2014-02-08 14:50

Reflecting on my conversation this morning with a good friend, I thought he would read a little of Paul's letter to the Romans - starting at the beginning.

Romans 1:1-7 NIV

[1] "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--- [2] the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures [3] regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, [4] and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. [5] Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake. [6] And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

[7] "To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul was called into service of Jesus, to spread the gospel (Good News) about Him, and to call all others into relationship with Him. The focus, impetus, action and direction is always towards Christ Jesus. Although this is a call to service, and became his life's work, it is all about an individual, namely Jesus. Being about an individual should drive us to a conclusion that it is ultimately about a relationship. The highest form of interaction with anyone is a relationship. This is what we are called to, and what we are called to invite others to as well. We are to invite others to join us, as fellow members, not coming underneath us, but alongside us as brothers and sisters, in relationship with our Lord Jesus. I like the way the Living Bible translates verse 5: "And now, through Christ, all the kindness of God has been poured out upon us undeserving sinners; and now he (Christ Jesus) is sending us out around the world to tell all people everywhere the great things God has done for them, so that they, too, will believe and obey him (Christ Jesus)."

It really is all about Jesus!

## Change Is The Operative Word - 2014-02-10 07:04

This morning I am reading from the Letter of James - James 1:21-25 NIV:

[21] "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

[22] "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. [23] Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [24] and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. [25] But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it---not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it---they will be blessed in what they do."

I like these verses from James, so simple, yet so important. We must first accept Gods word and let it be planted in us. That is also really what verse 22 says, merely listing to the word, but not acting on it, is similar to the first type of person described in Jesus parable of the sower. (Matt 13:3-4) His explanation of this type of person is found in Matthew 13:19 - "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path."

So the questions for us are as follows: Do we act on the word we hear? Do we allow it to be planted in our lives, in our mind and in our heart? Do we change the way we act, based on the word we receive? Do we consider the word, look at our lives and compare how we are living to what it says we should be doing in God's Word? Are we bearing fruit in our lives, that is visible to others? Do we know what God is working in us, what His purpose is in this present season?

We are warned to not deceive ourselves, by settling for merely listening. This would include having good intentions, but never changing our behavior. Ouch - that hits close to home, because I know my intentions are much more significant than my actual actions. I can deceive myself into thinking that just listening to or reading the word is enough - if I put in my time, I am good. James warns us that this is just deception. What counts is actual action, real change, and consistent fruit. Going back to Jesus parable of the sower, he warns us about the other struggles we must overcome to be fruitful, cares of the world, pressures, troubles or even the deceitfulness of wealth can reduce or eliminate our fruitfulness.

The season from planting a seed to bearing fruit usually is more than a few weeks - it often takes a focused effort of more than a few months to see real fruit - real change in our lives. In an organization, changing the culture - how they think and act - can take many months. It is accomplished by consistent, planned and regular activities that enable and encourage the changes desired. Our lives are much the same, seeing real changes in our thinking and activities, or making something a habit can take several months. We need to continue to pursue, continue to remind, and continue to hold onto that seed - that Word of God - to see real change.

So let us endeavor to listen, to hear, to consider, to compare and then change in accordance with Gods word. Change is the operative word.

## Spiritual Pride and Judgment - 2014-02-12 07:10

This morning I felt like reading from Jonah:

Jonah 3:10 NIV:

'When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."

Jonah 4:1-5 NIV

"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. [2] He prayed to the Lord, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. [3] Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."

[4] But the Lord replied, "Is it right for you to be angry?"

[5] Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.

This past Sunday we were talking about how mercy triumphs over judgment, and this story is a great example of that principle. Although God could judge the people of Ninevah, He chose instead to warn them, to send to them a prophet that they might change their heart, so that He could show mercy. I love Jonah's statement about how he knew God was gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and that He would relent of sending judgment. That is who God chooses to reveal himself as, one who loves mercy and compassion more than judgement. It is so amazing that so many people see Him as an angry God, waiting to punish us for our sins.

I was also thinking about Jonah's response of wanting to see God judge the Ninevites. It seems a similar attitude exists today, those calling out for judgment upon sinful people or nations. It's as if they desire to see judgment to validate what they have been saying, and this would prove their own position as righteous individuals. This is the heart of spiritual pride, the belief that they are better than others, and God through His judgment will prove it. It is a sick and twisted understanding of God - thankfully that is not at all what Jesus was like! He set the record straight on so many occasions, where He was confronted by sinful people, and in every instance He chose mercy over judgment, compassion over punishment. Really the only people He had harsh words for were the spiritually prideful, those that thought they were better, or more righteous than everyone else.

I am reminded of a few verses from James 2:12-13 NIV:

[12] "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

I know that I want God to treat me with mercy, not judgment, and the key to experiencing this is to be merciful myself. Lord, help me to represent Your heart of mercy, compassion, and abounding love to all that I meet, that I might experience the same from You.

## Wisdom From Heaven - 2014-02-13 06:57

As I read the third chapter of James' letter, I am drawn to the final two verses of this chapter - James 3:17-18 NIV:

[17] "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."

I think these verses are such a good litmus-test for our thinking. If our thoughts do not fit into the list above, although it's clearly not exhaustive, then we need to examine the source of the thoughts. Noticeably, judgment and critique are not on this list. I was examining judgment and mercy yesterday, and in our hearts and minds the two often have different sources, judgment coming out of spiritual pride or a religious spirit, while mercy comes from heaven.

If I look at the list, one word at a time, it is really a thing of beauty to consider. Purity of thought, describes an untainted, chaste and wholly clean line of thinking, in which there is no corruption or even a hint of immorality. The Greek word that is translated pure, can also mean sacred, holy and without blemish.

The second description is peace-loving, which in mind means that this is the nature one naturally moves toward. There is no desire for contention, no thriving on disagreement, or unrest, but at the very core, a desire for peace, joy and rest. This also speaks to me of an internal satisfaction.

The third term is considerate, and I think this characteristic is becoming rarer and rarer in our society today. To actually consider others needs before our own, to stop and notice (consider) others, is uncommon. The NASB translates the original Greek here as gentle, which is more accurate, but I like the word considerate, because it is outward focused, rather than inward focused. To treat others with gentleness and consideration is a beautiful thing.

The next word is submissive, and that probably rubs us the wrong way because of the abuses and misunderstanding of this term as it relates to husbands and wives, and will in general. The Greek word here is Eupeithes, and it means easily obey or comply. This is wisdom that comes from Heaven, so it is speaking of our attitude towards the Lord, not others, and I know my desire is to be easily and readily obedient to that which the Lord asks of me. This is in contrast to my own self-will that only wants to do what I want.

The next phrase is full of mercy and good fruit. We are called to act not intend, to extend mercy not judgement, and that wisdom which comes down from Heaven, inspires this in us. Oh that more of us would live this out in our lives.

The last two characteristics translated as impartial and sincere in the NIV, are translated unwavering and without hypocrisy in the NASB. Impartiality means without a strong leaning one way or the other, but unwavering speaks of knowledge of the truth and an unwillingness to accept anything less. This is closer to the meaning of the original Greek. As for the term hypocrisy, we don't like to use that word anymore, for it seems contentious. Sincerity is an agreeable term, and speaks of a purity of intention and alignment of action and belief. Hypocrisy comes from the Greek word for an actor, one who is putting on an act. So if we look at these two phrases, wisdom that comes from Heaven will impart to us truth that we can hold onto, believe in, and act upon. It won't bring confusion, doubt or an unsettled mind or spirit.

I pray that I will experience this heavenly wisdom, and recognize it in my own life, following the beautiful path You are leading me down daily. I pray that You will help us all to recognize that which comes from You and grasp hold of it with our whole heart, and reject the rest.

## Mercy and Compassion, Our Calling Cards - 2014-02-14 07:58

I am continuing in my mercy over judgment theme with the Lord, as this morning I felt led to read out of the minor prophet Zecharaiah, which is not one of my usual growing selections. Specifically I felt directed to chapter 7, and saw the following verses - Zechariah 7:8-10 NIV:

[8] "And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: [9] "This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. [10] Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'

It is interesting that the Lord combines true justice, which could be translated right judgment, with mercy and compassion. Sometimes we can read James 2:13 as if they are opposing, for mercy triumphs over judgment, but that is not the case at all. Mercy and judgment are both found within the Lord, and are significant characteristics of Him. Mercy and Judgment are not opposing, but rather two approaches.

The Lord is addressing the leaders of the people of Bethel here, and at that time Israel had been reestablished, and the leaders were responsible for both the religious and social leadership of the people. The Lord was reminding them of their duty to correctly judge the people according to the law, and to represent Him in doing so. Nothing causes issues with belief like unethical and wrong behavior amongst the religious leaders - and the Lord was putting His finger on one of the causes of the people's falling away from Him.

His call to continue to show mercy and compassion to one another, is calling them back to one of the most significant differentiating characteristics of God and His people. God chooses to revel Himself, first and foremost as a merciful and compassionate God. When God was describing Himself to Moses, before He actually showed His Glory to him, this is what He said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." Ex 33:19. Although judgment is also one of God's characteristics, He chooses to lead with mercy and compassion. As His followers, His people Israel were called to do the same. Mercy and Compassion are meant to be the calling cards of God's people.

Finally, the Lord calls for fair treatment of those without covering, protection or social standing, the widows, the fatherless, poor and foreigner. He calls for fair and right judgment, mercy and compassion, and kindness towards those that are easy to take advantage of because they have no strong voice or support. You can tell much about the true character of people by the way they treat those who are helpless, and again the Lord is reminding them of His previous words to them.

I am reminded of some similar verses in Isaiah where the Lord was also discussing fasting, for that was the original question posed the Lord through Zechariah, in the verses above. Here is an excerpt from Isaiah 58:

Isaiah 58:6-7 NIV

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? [7] Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter---when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

So for me, I see a call from the Lord to merciful and compassionate, first and foremost. These should be my calling cards, the very first things that people experience. I must treat those who are helpless with the same care and concern I would anyone else.

## Up On The Mountain - 2014-02-18 07:37

So this morning I was reading several places in scripture, and I finally found myself in Matt 17, which starts with Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain. As I was reading the story, a question popped into my head, why Moses and Elijah? And what were they talking about?

Here are the verses - Matthew 17:1-3 NIV:

[1] "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. [2] There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. [3] Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus."

My first thought was that they were there because the Lord was about to fulfill the Law, and he as explaining it to Moses, but that wouldn't explain Elijah. Then I thought it was because Elijah had been prophesied to return (Mal 4:5-6), but that didn't explain Moses, since he wasn't prophesied to return, at least not that I am aware. So I decided to read from 1 Kings 17 the story of Elijah, and it was when I got to 1 Kings 19 that I had an idea of why Moses and Elijah met Jesus on the top of the mountain - it was because they had met God there before! Of all the people of the old testament, only two that I know of had the Lord pass them by on a mountain top, Moses and Elijah - (Exodus 33:18-23 & 1 Kings 19:11-13).

Some commentators speak of them representing the law and the prophets as well, which may well be the case, but I like my theory. There is a certain culmination, and tie back to the great revelations of God in the Old Testament here. God didn't just speak to His prophets, but He had shown Himself to them, twice, and this third time left no doubt about Jesus being the Son of God. He allowed the future leaders of the early church to be present as well, solidifying in them the absolute assurance that Jesus was God's son. I am sure they need that assurance later.

As for want they talked about, it seems it was a lengthy conversation for Peter, in his glory delirium, wants to set up tents so they can continue meeting together. One other thing I like about the story is the fact that God the Father interrupts Peter while he was talking -"While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Matt 17:5. The more I think about this story, the more symbolism and fulfillment of scripture and parallels I see - God comes in a cloud, the cloud of incense in the Temple which hides God's presence, the Cloud that leads the people out of Egypt; Jesus' face shining like the sun, Moses face shining after his encounter with God; 7 individuals meeting on the mountain top - the perfect number in God; The Father's command to listen to Jesus - relating to the others times He spoke the law and through the prophets (Moses and Elijah), etc.

Suffice it to say, that this was one of the most significant events of Jesus' ministry period, and one I should think about in greater detail. I also feel like the Lord wants to invite us to experience His glory, His sovereignty, so that we also are assured of who He is, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. We all are invited up on the mountain!

Lord I pray that we all might experience You in such a way that our lives are transformed.

## Opposition Brings Opportunity - 2014-02-19 06:41

This morning I was reading through the book of Micah, one of the Minor Prophets, and the following few verses caught my attention:

Micah 4:11-13 NIV

[11] "But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, "Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!"

[12] "But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor."

[13] "Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations." You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth."

As I read these verses, I was greatly encouraged by the Lord's perspective towards difficulties, struggles and enemies (verse 12) - namely that He allows them to gather together so that He can cut them down like ripe wheat, and thresh them of everything of value, giving it to His people. In this case, He is talking about enemy peoples, but I am confident this also applies to any difficulties or struggles that we face. We just need to change our perspective.

One of my favorite saying from a Catholic teacher named St. Alphonsus de Ligouri is that everything we encounter is for our greater sanctification (becoming Christ-like) and His (God's) greater glory. One of my favorite authors and speakers, Graham Cooke, says it this way - 'behind every giant of opposition is a bigger promise and provision from God.'

So often we look at difficult circumstances as if we are being punished or have done something wrong, and sometimes we are encountering the consequences of bad or wrong decisions. However, what if the majority of the time, God is planning to reveal more of His Glory to us, and draw us deeper into relationship with Him, allowing us to become more like Him. If we start looking past our opposition to God, we can start to see His plans and thoughts. God isn't in this to crush us, or wound us, but rather to bring us freedom and life, and reveal to us that we are His sons and daughters.

It seems to me that this is a bit like a supernatural version of the TV show "The Amazing Race" where each week the task is more difficult, but the people continue to press through the tasks because they know that eventually the winners receive a great prize. The difference between that TV show and life with God is that in this scenario we all get to win the prize - awesome experiences with God, recognition of our true identity, and His greater Glory.

Paul clearly understood this whole idea, and wrote several times about the topic of suffering and dealing with opposition, leading to God's Glory. Just one of the many verses from Paul - Romans 8:17-18 NIV

[17] "Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. [18] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Peter also wrote about this same topic - 1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV:

[12] "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. [13] But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

So, let us be encouraged, especially if we are confronted with difficulty or opposition, knowing that God also has plans for our rescue, and His glorification. It is an amazing adventure, and He is the prize! We just need to change our perspective, and see it like He sees it; opposition is an opportunity for Him to shine, and for us to grow in our relationship with Him.

## Jesus, The Perfect Offering - 2014-02-20 06:35

Recently we were talking in church about how Jesus fulfilled the law, and this morning I was reading from Leviticus chapter 7, where the description of the different offerings is found. At the end of the chapter the author lists the different types of offerings - here is the verse: Leviticus 7:37 NIV

"These, then, are the regulations for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering and the fellowship offering,"

And here is David Guzick's commentary on that verse:

Jesus Christ and The Sacrificial System.

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever,

sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE BURNT OFFERING (Leviticus 1)

As Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma (Ephesians 5:2)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE GRAIN AND FIRSTFRUITS OFFERING (Leviticus 2)

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE PEACE OFFERING (Leviticus 3)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God though our Lord, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE SIN OFFERING (Leviticus 4)

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS THE GUILT OFFERING (Leviticus 5)

Who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:25)

You have made His soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10)

JESUS CHRIST FULFILLS ALL THE SACRIFICES FOR US!

"He is the Burnt-offering, the Meat-offering, the Peace-offering, the Sin-offering, and the Trespass-offering for His people. By His one oblation of Himself once offered, He has stood in all these different relations" (Jukes)

We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)

I would add:

JESUS CHRIST is the ordination offering (Exodus 29:22-34)

"...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5)

JESUS CHRIST is the fellowship offering (Lev 7)

"For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. [56] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. [57] Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me." (John 6:56-57)

"On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] 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." (John 14:20-21)

It is so beautiful how the imagery and pattern laid out in the law is fulfilled and accomplished in Jesus. He really is the answer, the way, the truth, and the life - (John 14:6)

## The Next Great Move Of God Is... - 2014-02-23 06:40

This morning I was thinking about the Kingdom of God, and when I opened my Bible, it opened to where I had been reading, Luke 17, but I was focusing on some other things, but when I red down through the chapter, I came across these verses \- Luke 17:20-21 NIV:

[20] "Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, [21] nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst."

I started thinking about the expectations the Pharisees, and really all the Jews, had concerning the coming Messiah, and His kingdom. They were expecting a military ruler and King who would restore the grandeur, power and God's presence back to Israel. They were looking for some great move of God, and Jesus tells them it's already here in your midst, some translations say "it's within you". The must have looked at Him like He was crazy, because their expectations wouldn't allow the paradigm and reality Jesus was talking about to be recognized by them.

As I was thinking through this, I felt the Lord take me one step further and say, and this is exactly how the church is today, always looking for the great move of God, the coming revival, the demonstration of His glorious kingdom, when it is in our midst and within us! That caused me stop dead in my thoughts...

So....

1. Another way to say this, is His Kingdom starts with me, with us

2. If I am not seeing His glorious Kingdom, maybe I need to look at myself

3. All great moves of God start with the prayers of individuals, why am I waiting for someone else to get things going?

4. I need to change my expectations, so I don't miss His presence - I am not sure what that looks like exactly, but I know I don't want to miss Him

5. Jesus gave me authority, and appointed me to be a representative of the Kingdom, but my actions say I don't believe that, or live that reality

I could keep going, but that is enough for me to think on and act on for the next several years. Lord, help me to live this reality, that Your Kingdom is within me. I could even say - the next great move of God is within me!

## Perception and Reality - 2014-02-24 07:27

I was just looking at my glasses, seeing how they correct things to make them clear, but at the same time they also make things look farther away. So even though I am seeing clearly, I am not seeing reality. There has got to be a spiritual principle in there somewhere. :-)

I know I discovered this when I put on contacts and everything seemed so much closer, and then understood why when I jumped down from a height I always hit sooner than I expected, my depth perception was off, based on the correction of my lenses. My depth perception was trained with perfect vision when I was a child, and apparently still interprets my vision as if it were perfect vision. I would never had known my vision was off if I hadn't tried contacts (seeing differently).

This directly relates to our own perception of people, as we think we perceive things correctly, and judge accordingly. However, all our interpretation of what we see is based on previous experiences, so likely affected (corrected) in some way. We need to have another experience with seeing to see reality, and that is where the Holy Spirit guides us, giving us eyes to see from God's perspective. This is why it's so important to listen to the Holy Spirit, to ask for His guidance, and then expect Him to lead us and guide us, as He wants us to see as He sees.

I was just reminded of these verses in Matthew - Matthew 7:3-5 NIV:

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

If we look at what Jesus is saying, remembering that they hadn't invented glasses to correct vision yet, He is talking about something that affects our vision, which would undoubtedly affect our view of everything. The Greek word translated plank in the NIV, actually is more closely translated log, or beam of wood. Talk about affecting ones vision, I would think that it more likely obscures one's vision. In essence, Jesus is saying that we are almost blind, but trying to be an eye doctors. We need to have our own blinders removed, and the best way to do that is to go to the one who can heal blindness, and sees all things - Jesus.

I am sure my perception of the reality I live in is either obscured, or incorrectly affected by my own experiences. Lord, help me to see clearly, to listen to You and to trust Your description of reality, for my perception of reality is skewed. I want to see Lord.

## Hope Does Not Disappoint! - 2014-02-26 07:15

This morning I was led to read from Paul's letter to the Romans - Romans 5:1-5 NIV:

[1] "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And 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."

Another translation for verse 5 (NASB) says "and hope does not disappoint.." The theme this morning seemed to be focused around hope. As Paul says here, one of the sources for hope is living in difficult circumstances. It is the belief and knowledge that there is a better experience coming ones way. It is mean to be held onto, to be relied upon, because it is based on the promise of God (see my earlier blog entry on hope - http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2014/02/hold-onto-hope.html ).

The simple message that hope does not disappoint is a powerful reminder to us all to not give up, to hold onto hope, to press through difficulty and suffering, knowing that our hope will be justified. God is good! God is faithful to fulfill His promises!

Hope turns our eyes upwards and outwards, and enables us to step free of the shackles of introspection and self-focus. We should not be surprised if we encounter difficulty or struggles or even persecution (1 Peter 4:12; 1 John 3:13), for these are common among all God's people. However, we should recognize that in hope we have the tools necessary to overcome these things, and bring glory to God our deliverer and savior.

Hope Does Not Disappoint! Amen!

## An Amazing Mystery - 2014-02-27 07:10

This morning I am continuing my reading from Paul's letter to the Romans.

Romans 5:6-8 NIV:

[6] "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Just thinking through these three passages, it is an amazing mystery, and amazing gift that we have been given in salvation. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians how were chosen before the creation of the world, and predestined to be adopted as His children (Eph 1:4-5) and we see here the action He took to make that possible, dying for us. Paul writes as one who was alive before Jesus death, and after, and saw in his own person the miraculous application of the mercy of God towards him. This mercy of God is no less available to us, for each of us, as we become aware of our own sinfulness and need for a savior, have already been paid for by Jesus' death.

His death and sacrifice is timeless, in that it is applied throughout all time to every person who comes to Him humbly. There is no one single time in our lives where His mercy is only available, but rather it is available every moment of every day, and regardless of our sin or situation He welcomes us to receive Him, for He has already paid the price for us all. This was not some blanket cancellation of sin, without emotion or feeling or knowledge, but rather a deliberate act of love, with full knowledge of the price to paid, and the ones who would receive the benefit, for He knew us and chose us before the world was created.

So let me paraphrase Paul's writings this way - God demonstrates His love for us in this, He sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for all our sins, ultimately dying on the cross. He knew what sins we would commit, and still loved us and wanted us for His children and paid the price with His body and blood. The price has already been paid, and we only have to ask that the price be applied to our life, and He will do so, for He knows us and loves us. That is an amazing gift, and an amazing mystery of love, sacrifice and redemption.

## His Loving Gaze - 2014-02-28 07:21

Today's verses for my meditation are from Isaiah 43:1-7 NIV:

[1] "But now, this is what the Lord says---he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

There is a deep reality here, that Lord created me, that He formed me, and that He called me. I am not some happenstance combination from my Mother and Father, but rather planned and purposed and created. I am not the result of chance, but of deliberate choice on God's part.

[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

He is with me, in the midst of all things, sustaining me, helping me and protecting me. He doesn't mention how I got into these situations, but rather says He will be with me. I know in my life, many of the difficult situations I have been in, have been the result of decisions I made, or actions I took. Regardless, He is with me.

[3] For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.

He gave His son Jesus in my stead. The life of Jesus, poured out for me, to pay the debt of my sin, so that I might be ransomed and restored to the Father.

[4] Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.

I am unique, and the Lord loves me as I am. I matter to the Lord. As I think of the last sentence, 'giving people in exchange', I am reminded of playing on the playground and having someone offer to trade several other people just to have me on their team. Or putting it in modern context, a football trade where one team trades 4 or 5 people, just to get me on their team. That is how much God wants me...and you.

[5] Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

[6] I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth---

Putting this in a personal context, He will gather around me those He wants me to be part of, those whose lives interconnect with mine, who will play an important role in my life, and I in theirs. I am not meant to live on my own, but rather as a part of a group of people, both my family and friends, and brothers and sisters in the Lord. There is God's purpose in these people.

[7] everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. "

I am part of the 'everyone who is called, created, formed and made'. I bring God glory through my existence, through my life, through my being. His desire is for me, and as I come into that relationship with Him, I bring Him glory.

As I am sitting here on my couch, the light of the rising sun just hit me, and I realized that even that small detail does not pass unnoticed by God. He is intimately aware of everything about me, of every moment and every thought and action. He thought of me, created and formed me, and wants me to be a part of His team, His family, His friends, His intimates. He doesn't miss anything in my life, my birthdays, my big games, plays or concerts, or any single moment of my life whether I am awake or asleep. I am reminded of holding my daughter in my arms when she was first born, and it didn't matter what she was doing, I was just happy to hold her and gaze upon her, amazed at the love I had for her. That is how I imagine the Lord looks at me every day, every moment, with a loving gaze, full of love for who I am, and full of anticipation for who I will become.

# 2014 - March

## Worries, Fears, Concerns and Treasure - 2014-03-01 09:34

Today, my meditation is out of Luke 12:22-34 NIV:

[22] Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. [23] For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. [24] Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! [25] Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life ? [26] Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

[27] "Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [28] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you---you of little faith! [29] And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. [30] For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. [31] But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

[32] "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. [34] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

In context of Luke, chapter 12, Jesus was addressing wealth, greed and such and after commenting on the wealthy and their desire to story up material wealth for themselves, He starts the teaching on our heart's focus, and our minds obsessions. He also is addressing fear, worry and anxiety, which are not from Him. He is trying to get to significant issues of the heart, mind and soul.

The questions that I ask myself after reading these verses are: What am I worried about in my life? What do I spend my time thinking about? What occupies my mind the majority of the time? Am I concerned more about material wealth or any other pursuit than I am about my spiritual growth, and the growth of God's Kingdom? What do I give my affections to? What do I really believe about God's attitude toward me, and His role as my provider? What percentage of my day and week is given to care for my stuff, or other things other than God?

When I read these verses, I feel the Lord drawing me to examine my priorities, my alignment of time and effort with priorities, and my pursuit of Him. I believe that if we look at our lives honestly, we can see how our values are lived out by what we send time doing. We may say we value time with our family, but if we never do, how honest is that statement (assuming there are no circumstances that would make it impossible to spend time with them)? Looking at our lives also shows us what we really believe. If I say I believe that God provides for me, but I spend every moment working, or worrying about my finances, I would question my belief statement.

Finally my meditation is upon Jesus closing statements around treasure. He says to "provide for yourselves... treasure in heaven" and "where your treasure is there your heart will be also." The idea of treasure is usually associated with money, jewels, and such - things of great worth. The only problem with treasure is that to know its true value you have to see it and count it, or reckon it. If our treasure is stored in Heaven, how do we know what's there? Then there is the question of what I need treasure in Heaven for? I am reminded of the description of heaven in Revelations chapters 21 & 22, and after a quick perusal see no mention of the need for treasure, but rather that it is a place of abundance and blessings, where earthly treasure is what the walls and streets are made of, and in great abundance.

So, I guess the real question is what is heavenly treasure? If we look at Jesus' statement about how to store up treasure there, it has to do with concern for others, for the poor, blessing those around us, and it has to do with the Kingdom of God. What if the real treasure of heaven is relationships, with each other and with the Lord? What if our treasure is about becoming like Him, and drawing others to Him? I dare say that, based on the rest of Jesus witness and life and words that is exactly what our treasure is in Heaven. And if that is what my treasure is in Heaven, then I should be looking at my actions and affections and aligning them correctly, as Jesus encouraged.

## The Care Of The Good Shepherd - 2014-03-02 08:48

Today my meditation is on Psalm 23, one of the most quoted psalms, and for good reason, for it speaks of a promise of relationship and care from the Lord.

Psalm 23:1-6 NIV:

[1] The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

[2] He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

[3] he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.

[4] Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

[5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

[6] Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

As I read these verses, I am reminded of Jesus' statements in John 10:11, 14-18, 27-29 NIV:

[11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

[14] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. [17] The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life---only to take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

[27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

I was thinking about how comforting these verses are to me, for they speak of provision, rest, food, protection, relationship, direction and guidance, all such good things. As I was thinking about that, I realized part of my comfort comes from the fact that I generally experience all this in my life. I live in a comfortable home, safe and warm and dry. I have plenty to eat and drink, do not have to work my body to exhaustion to make ends meet, or to just feed my family. I do not worry about persecution, or even really enemies of any sort. I am secure, comfortable and well fed. How different must these verses sound to someone in abject poverty?

As I think about my meditation yesterday, about our treasure being relationship, I am helped. So often I read these verses and think in terms of material things, but what they really speak of is relationship. They speak of an intimate caring relationship with the Lord, where we are the recipients of that care. He knows us like no other. He cares for us and leads us in paths that are best for us. He protects us, guides us and we are His.

Rich or poor, we can all experience this relationship that is the greatest treasure of all. The Lord calls us all to this place, and to a certain extent the impoverished have an advantage - they have little else to distract them from their relationship with God. For the wealthy, they need to get past all the stuff, to be able to see the Lord clearly, for so often they tie their material possessions into their faith and it becomes twisted. Jesus said it well - [25] "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" Matthew 16:25-26 NIV.

He is our good shepherd, and He will guide us and lead us to eternal life! He cares most about our eternal destiny, and our relationship with Him. He will give us comfort and care, even where there doesn't appear to be any, for He has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell with us. In receiving Him, I have the greatest consolation and care here in this present life, and in the life to come, and it really has nothing to do with material comforts or things.

## Waiting On The Lord - 2014-03-03 06:39

Today's meditation is from Psalm 131. I like the songs of ascents, section in the psalms, because these were the traditional songs the Jewish people sang as they traveled to the temple, to meet with God.

Psalm 131:1-3 NIV

[1] "My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

[2] But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

[3] Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore."

This is such an interesting psalm, as there is no great theme; rather humility and contentedness are the simple goals. There is almost an emptying of all, except for the hoping in the Lord, and that is enough.

This is such a good verse for quieting my mind and heart. So often when I come to prayer I have a hundred things going on, and I carry them with me. What I really need to learn to do is lay everything down, and just rest in the Lord, coming before Him, just desiring His presence and nothing else. That is what a weaned child with its mother is like, not needing anything from her personally, other than her presence.

The final verse - speaking of putting one's hope in the Lord, is interesting. The original Hebrew word is yachal, which means: to wait, hope and expect. So often we think of hope in a different light than this. If I rewrote this verse using a more complete translation of the word, it would read - 'Israel, wait for the Lord, expect that He will visit you with His presence, He is your hope, now and forever more.' I like the expectation, the understanding that it's just a matter of time and the Lord will be there.

I am reminded of the times when I was growing up with my brothers and sisters, and my dad wasn't yet home from work. I am sure we were driving my mom crazy, so she would have us sit by the big window in the living room, and wait for Dad to come home. We would all sit there trying to be the first one to see his car. Sometimes we would sing - Dad, come home'. I am reminded of this, because we had in our little hearts the sure expectation that it was just a matter of time before he would arrive. That is what I think Israel was called to in this Psalm, and so are we, expecting that we will see the Lord and experience His presence.

The Lord desires to come, to envelope us in His presence, to be our source of all hope, to put our minds and hearts to rest. He desires this for each and every one of us, regardless of our state of soul, life or situation. Come Lord Jesus, we wait expectantly for You.

## I Am Known And Loved - 2014-03-04 06:58

I recently decided to start a long-term self-guided retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I have been blessed by the design and goal of the exercises, whose primary focus is relationship with the Lord, and greater awareness of His presence in our lives. Continuing my journey through the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises - Day 5, week 1, the meditation today is from:

Psalm 139:1-18 NIV:

[1] "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

[2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

[3] You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

[4] Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

[5] You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

[6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

[7] Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

[8] If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

[9] If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

[10] even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

[11] If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"

[12] even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

[13] For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

[14] I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

[15] My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

[16] Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

[17] How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

[18] Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand---when I awake, I am still with you."

I have always enjoyed Psalm 139, for it speaks of the Lord's intimate knowledge of me. I sometimes lose sight of the fact that He knows everything about me, every thought, idea, action, desire, plan, purpose or intention. He is not surprised by me, is not ashamed of me, and He created me. He knows everything He has put in me, every gift, every purpose I was created to fulfill, every ability and capability. As David says, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

There is a saying - familiarity breeds contempt - but that is definitely not the case with the Lord. He knows us, everything about us, and this causes Him to love us all the more, for His purpose is intimately intertwined with who we are, and He is with us as we become the very people He created us to be. Our very existence brings Him Glory, for we bear His image and likeness (Gen 1:27).

Finally, He is everywhere, all around us, constantly present. There is no place we can go, no separation available, for He is present always. Any feelings of abandonment or separation are only on my part, never on His. He does not set us adrift in our lives waiting for us to come back to Him, instead He is present every day of our life, whether we are walking in fellowship with Him or not, constantly present. This is evidence of His desire to develop an intimate relationship with us, one we can always turn to. My desire is to be more aware of His presence, to live my life in such a way that I reflect that awareness and intimacy, and draw others into their own awareness of His presence, and His desire for intimate relationship.

I guess to summarize, I am known and loved by God, who is always present!

## Precious, Honored and Loved - 2014-03-05 06:33

Today's Spiritual Exercises meditation returns to either Psalm 139, or Isaiah 43 - I think that I will look at Is 43 again, as the Book of Isaiah is one of my all-time favorites.

I want to just focus on the first half of Isaiah 43:4 NIV:

[4] "Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life."

There is something in me that desperately wants to believe that I am loved by God, and then there is a part of me that can't believe I am significant to the Lord. I am reminded of the phrase "I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). I think that is the place many of us live, certainty; it is true of me throughout the changing of seasons in the Lord. There are times when I find it very easy to believe in the Lord's love for me, other times when I can't fathom His affection.

The other day I was contemplating the Lord's seemingly infinite patience with me, His willingness to continue to forgive me, in spite of years of failures. It is beyond reason, and beyond human endurance, but definitely true of the Lord. It is too good to be true, but true nonetheless.

The thought that hit me was that His infinite patience is related directly to His infinitely costly sacrifice on my behalf. He can love and forgive and extend mercy because His personal supply is endless. He never runs out of patience, never reaches the end of His rope, never experiences me getting on His nerves, and never loses faith in me.

The worth of an item is ultimately determined by what someone will pay for it. I know that from watching Antiques Roadshow where things that seem relatively worthless to me, are assigned great worth, because of what someone would pay. The value placed on my life is directly related to the price that was paid for me - His life was shed for me, making me infinitely valuable! I am indeed precious (of high value). I am honored - He has given His life that I might live (1 John 4:9). I am loved - because He laid down His life for me (John 15:13)!

I am indeed precious, honored and loved - by God! Amazing!

## His Awesome Creation - 2014-03-07 06:59

Today I start the second week of the Spiritual Exercises and the theme of the week is God's creation - which is awesome. I look forward to thinking about and meditating on His awesome continuous creation.

The first day's scripture is Psalm 8:1-9 NIV:

[1] "Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.

[2] Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

[3] When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

[4] what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

[5] You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.

[6] You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:

[7] all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,

[8] the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

[9] Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

I have always enjoyed this Psalm a sit reminds me of the astronomy class I took in college, where we studied the immense size of the universe, the galaxies, even our own solar system. The utter immensity, the billions of light years (a term we throw around lightly) is really beyond our grasp. Our own little corner of this reality is microscopic at best, in relation to all the rest. Yet, God is intimately aware of us, involved in our lives and has even become man, for our sakes.

In the face of all other creation, the question in verse 4 is so real, yet the Lord has given us the highest value, by giving His life for ours. He has invited us into the Kingdom, into His family as adopted sons and daughters. He has given us authority over all things on the earth. I am continually amazed at His plan.

As for the wonders of creation, that is an ever enlightening study. I love the absolute interdependency and uniqueness of all things. The fact that there are tiny living creatures with fully functioning body systems, almost too small to see, and on the other end of the spectrum, animals many times larger than us. The living flora, trees and plants, flowers are almost beyond cataloging, and each has unique characteristics. I find it all amazing and beautiful, and representative of the awesomeness of God.

Delving further downward, the complexity of all things at the cellular and even molecular level is astounding. There is an absolute order to all things even at this level, that if we calculated the odds of the chance development of even a single cell, we would find an almost incalculably large number. Multiply that by the number of different types of things, animal, plant, and organic matter and we begin to see how vast and how ordered creation is. I personally believe that intelligent design and creation are the only way to explain this span of ordered relationships from the molecular to the galactic scale. I would echo the psalmist and say - Oh Lord how majestic is Your name and creation over all the world, and beyond.

In addition to all the awesome creation, we find ourselves surrounded by people, able to relate, and interact and establish apparently eternal relationships. If relationships are the basis of the Kingdom of God (Jesus came to reveal the Father and make a way to the Father that we might have relationship with the Father), than we must believe that they are significant in eternity. If they are significant in eternity, than they cannot be by chance, in God's ordered creation. If they are not chance encounters, than there is purpose, eternal purpose in our relationships. How often do I just take the people I am surrounded by for granted? Do I understand the eternal links, the impact and effects in my relationships with others? I am sure I don't grasp pretty much of anything in this regard. Lord, help me to see people as You see them! Help me to understand the significance each of us have eternally.

I am reminded of the book, "Heaven is for Real" where a very young boy has an experience of heaven, where he is introduced to family members he has never met. In this experience, his family relationship to these people was significant in heaven, much beyond what I would have thought. This leads me to look at my family here, my extended family and even distant ancestors in a completely different light, for I am, in a very real sense, a product of them all. I am truly amazed and full of wonder at it all. God, Your ways are so far above my ways, so far beyond my comprehension. You truly are Glorious! You are truly awesome! How can I not be filled with awe, when I think upon this all?

## We All Are Good - 2014-03-11 06:12

I am on day 3, week 2 of the Spiritual Exercises and the scriptures today are from Genesis 1:26-31 NIV:

[26] "Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

[27] So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. [28] God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. "

[29] Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. [30] And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground---everything that has the breath of life in it---I give every green plant for food. " And it was so.

[31] God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning---the sixth day."

I was just thinking about the significance of mankind, how we are created in God's likeness. This is no small thing, to bear the likeness of God in our being. All other created things are extensions of His creative nature, beautiful and unique, but only we are extensions of His likeness. This divine likeness is found in every man, woman and child, and is something that we should recognize with honor. The totality of our uniqueness is found in God's likeness, and that is amazing.

As for each of us, there is also the knowledge of our being patterned after God, and in Him are all good things. This is really the foundation of our self-worth, for we are all equal in God's eyes. He looked at His creation and called it Very Good, and that included us all. Although creation was an event in time, He is eternal or outside of time, and I think when He created man and woman, He also was able to see us all, every man, woman and child, ever created in time. In other words, from His perspective I am very good, for I was included in His view when He looked and saw all that He made.

I am encouraged by this meditation, to look at those people around me and see their goodness as well. We are all included, every one of us, and we cannot randomly subtract some from God's statement. If He calls us good than we are, and I need to learn to look with His eyes, not the critical eyes of human judgment. Lord, help me to see Your goodness in all.

## A Right Pursuit - 2014-03-12 05:59

As I was praying through the Spiritual Exercise material this morning, I felt like I heard the word 'pursue'. I did a quick word search in the New Testament and it is used only 8 times. The following verses from Paul's first letter to Timothy caught my eye:

1 Timothy 6:6-12 NIV

[6] "But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. [8] But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. [9] Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

[11] But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

I think these verses speak of the balance that we must reach, as Christians, making sure that we are pursuing the right things. God knows we need material things and Jesus speaks to that in Matt 6:19-34. We however, should pursue the Lord and right behavior and right character. We are trained to pursue education, wealth, success, power, and authority in our educational system, but God has a very different list for us. I guess the Lord's question for me today is what am I pursuing?

So often, I think, our lives are just a bit in automatic mode, where we jump in and just follow the example of those around us, that which we see portrayed and demonstrated. It is like we hop on the conveyor with everyone else and don't really think about our ultimate purpose, our own uniqueness and potential, or destination. That is what I feel Paul is discussing here with Timothy. Tim was a Christian from the time he was a child, and was exemplary in His life, yet Paul is still warning him of the dangers of pursuing wealth, and losing sight of His greater call in God. I think this is valid advice for us all.

Paul is not saying wealth is bad, only that the pursuit of wealth can lead a person astray, and must be balanced with a pursuit of God. God is the wealthiest individual so clearly wealth is not bad; it is just not the end goal. There are many stories of wealthy and powerful people who learned these were in no way able to deliver happiness, peace, love, joy or well-being. Our end goal should be to fulfill that which the Lord, in His infinite love and knowledge of each of us, has called us to do. We are called to be like Him, to exhibit His character and nature to those around us. We are called to the highest attainment possible, that of a son or daughter of God.

My encouragement today is to examine my life, to see what I am pursuing, and to adjust my life so that I am pursuing that which is the highest calling. Wealth may or may not come, but I desire to be a son of God, one who represents Him to all I meet.

## I Wait For The Lord - 2014-03-13 06:25

Day 5, week 2 of the Spiritual Exercises and the meditation today is on Psalm 33. I have included so selected verses here:

Psalm 33:4, 6, 8-9, 13-15, 18-22 NIV:

[4] For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

[6] By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

[8] Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.

[9] For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

[13] From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;

[14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth---

[15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

[18] But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

[19] to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

[20] We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

[21] In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

[22] May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

I selected these verses, because they represent the progression of the Psalmist's thoughts, starting with God the creator, from ancient of days to His engagement in our daily lives. So often we only think of one perspective, or one revelation, but it is good to dwell on all aspects of God. One of the common meditations is on the many names of God, for each name reveals some character trait, so insight into the greater revelation of God.

For me, I really like the book-end verses from the selection above - God's word is right and true; He is faithful; His love is unfailing, and so we are right to put our hope in Him. There is an eternal constancy to God that we can depend on always. So often we feel like God isn't listening, or isn't there, but He is unchanging, unmoving, and eternal in His vigilance and view. He never changes - so what changes in these times are our emotions or our sensitivity to the Lord.

Sometimes we are led into the wilderness, even as Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit immediately after His baptism (Matt 4 or Luke 4). This is not to make us feel far from God, but to allow us time to listen, and remove distractions from our life. It is in the wilderness that God reveals Himself in greater measure. One of my favorite authors, Graham Cooke, loves the wilderness, for He has recognized that it's in the wilderness that God reveals who He will be to him in the next season of his life. In other words, the wilderness is a look-ahead to the provision and character the Lord will be revealing in the next season. If we can stop panicking when we find ourselves in the wilderness, and instead ask the Lord to help us see what He is dong, and what He is revealing, we might have a completely different perspective of our wilderness times.

Finally, the Lord desires our trust and faith, for He is faithful and true. It's funny how people will try to find what they need everywhere and in everything, before they turn to God. What is it in us that doesn't want to bend our knee to God and ask for His help? I think the answer is called pride. As for me, I am choosing to echo the psalmist - I wait in hope for the Lord; He is my help and my shield. In Him my heart rejoices, for I trust in His holy name. May Your unfailing love be with me, Lord, even as I put my hope in You - PS 33:20-22.

## The King's Shalom - 2014-03-14 06:01

This morning I felt I should read Psalm 72:1-7 NIV:

[1] "Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.

[2] May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.

[3] May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.

[4] May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.

[5] May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.

[6] May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.

[7] In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more."

My eyes were particularly drawn to verses 3 & 7, as I felt the Lord wanted to encourage me, and all of us with a message about prosperity (the word translated here is Shalom). The Lord's hand is meant to be visible in the abundance of prosperity (Shalom) in His Kingdom. When He is king, prosperity (Shalom) comes, for it is related to His nature, His sovereignty over all things. So, it is important to understand what the word Shalom actually means. The word Shalom is rich in meaning - here are the definitions from the Strong's Hebrew Dictionary - Shalom

Definition

1. completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

a. completeness (in number)

b. safety, soundness (in body)

c. welfare, health, prosperity

d. peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment

e. peace, friendship 1. of human relationships 2. with God especially in covenant relationship

f. peace (from war)

g. peace (as adjective)

This is so much more than just prosperity, or financial well-being, in fact that is the third minor definition (in the list above). When I read the list above, I think about a complete settled-ness, feeling peaceful and safe, provided for in all things such as health, relationships, family, friends, etc. There is completeness, a sense of everything being in its right place at the right time.

I think that is what the Lord wants to establish in our lives - His Shalom. I say Yes Lord, bring it!

## Prayer Is Our Life-Blood! - 2014-03-17 06:01

Today's meditation is on the Lord's teaching on prayer from Luke 11:1-13 NIV:

[1] 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." [2] He said to them, "When you pray, say: "

'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

[3] Give us each day our daily bread.

[4] Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "

[5] Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' [7] And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

[9] "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

[11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

These are such awesome verses to think on, for they open to us an understanding of prayer, the Father's heart, and the desire of the Father to give us what we need. The "Our Father" is so much more than just a prayer we say from memory, nor is supposed to just be the words we pray over and over, but rather it is Jesus' statement on how to pray. Praise the Father, acknowledge His goodness, and don't be afraid to ask Him for what You need. Seek His Kingdom; ask to be a part of it.

In Matthew's Gospel chapter 6, verse 10, we have the following addition after the prayer 'Your Kingdom come' - "Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven". I think these are a critical inclusion, as they direct us how to pray, asking the Father to make real here on earth the same things that are real in heaven.

The other thing I like about this meditation, or set of verses, is that they include the other statements Jesus made on prayer. The "Our Father" was just the start of His teaching, and He went on to explain about the effectiveness of persistence in prayer, the encouragement to ask, seek and knock in prayer, and finally the Father's heart toward us His children.

I think it is so encouraging that Jesus, the Son of God, is telling us to pray, helping us to understand how to approach our Father God. Jesus came to reveal the Father, and one of the things He revealed about the Father is that He wants us to pray to Him, to ask Him, to seek Him. He is not waiting in Heaven for our prayers, so that He can disappoint us, but rather He is waiting to give us good things, and the Holy Spirit!

Oh, that we would learn to pray, learn to seek God, learn to turn to Him for all our needs. I am so quick to try and work things out on my own, not wanting to bother the Father, but the Father is not weary of my prayers, is not tired by my persistence, and is happy to have me seek Him. Jesus said that everything He did and every word from His mouth were from the Father (John 12:49 & John 15:10), and for this to be true He had to be in constant communication with the Father. We would do well to follow His example and endeavor to pray to the Father constantly, and continue to listen to what the Father has to say.

Lord, continue to help us learn how to pray, for prayer is the life-blood of our relationship to You.

## His Mercy and Forgiveness - 2014-03-18 06:05

The meditation this morning is from one of my all-time favorite chapters in scripture - Isaiah 55:1-13 NIV:

[1] "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

[2] Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.

[3] Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

[4] See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples.

[5] Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."

[6] Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

[7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

[8] "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

[9] "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

[10] As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

[11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

[12] You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

[13] Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever."

Three is so much to think on in these verses. The invitation to come and listen; the fact that God is not like us, we are like Him; the fact that His word will accomplish exactly what He intended; and that it is God's desire for joy and peace to be present in our lives. Any of these significant themes is sufficient for weeks of thought and deep diving, and I have spent much time in these verses through the years.

Today the verse that stood out to me is verse 7 - "Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."

What struck me about this is the difference between a wicked and unrighteous person. This is by no means the only place in scripture that deals with these two terms, but here the distinction is between action and thought. The wicked are called to forsake, or stop their ways (actions), while the unrighteous are called to forsake their thoughts. I know for me, my thoughts are vastly different than my actions, but the Lord cares about both. The Lord knows our thoughts (Ps 139:2). He knows what we ponder, what we entertain, and what we pursue in our minds. It is these thoughts that birth desire, which lead to sin (James 1:13-15) and it is those thoughts which, the Lord says, make us unrighteous. These are not the fleeting thoughts that are dropped into our minds by the enemy, but rather those conscious thoughts and choices we make to think about certain topics and things that are outside of God's purpose and will.

We are called to turn away from disobedience in both categories, action and thought, and turn to God, and He will extend mercy and forgiveness. I love this message of grace and mercy. The Lord knows our ways, knows our thoughts, and yet is willing to extend mercy and forgiveness freely. In other words, the only thing we need to do is to turn towards God. There is no paying off, or earning forgiveness and mercy, they are freely extended and given. Mercy and forgiveness were not free to God, but they are free to us!

So let us be encouraged today to turn towards God, and forsake those things that are not of God, both thoughts and actions, and let us embrace His mercy and forgiveness, with joy and peace. He is near and waiting.

## His Overwhelming Goodness - 2014-03-21 05:35

Today's brief meditation will be from Psalm 63:1-8 NIV:

[1] "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

[2] I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

[3] Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

[4] I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

[5] I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

[6] On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

[7] Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

[8] I cling to you; your right hand upholds me."

I know that I say this often, but this is one of my favorite verses. I guess I like it so much because it echoes my heart, longing and thirsting for more of the Lord, while at the same time reveling in His love and blessings. It is an interesting dynamic, being full of thanks and gratitude, and yet longing for more, knowing that in reality I have only touched the smallest bit of God's goodness so far. There is so much greatness in God, it is unfathomable, and that is exactly what I want and need to experience more fully, His unfathomable goodness.

I continue to go back to Graham Cooke's statement that the "Good News is too good to be true, but it is true!" If I spend time trying count His blessings in my life I am astounded. If I try to understand His love for me, in spite of all my failings, I am overwhelmed. If I try to understand the price He personally paid to purchase forgiveness for my sins, I am blown away. If I try to contemplate His majesty, I am speechless.

I could keep going, but I think the point is clear; He is good, beyond comprehension. My goal is to enjoy His goodness all the days of my life and always thirst for more.

## Our Approachable Father - 2014-03-22 19:26

The meditation for today is Psalm 103. I love these verses - Psalm 103:8-13:

[8] "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

[9] He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;

[10] he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

[11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

[12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

[13] As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;"

When I think of the Father, these are the verses that resonate in my heart, the character He reveals here. These are the characteristics of Him that I have seen over and over in my life - His compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness, and graciousness. I am always amazed when people relate to God as an angry, rule-making, stern God. I know there have been times that people have expressed the importance of reverence and coming before Him as the greatest king, but I always interact with Him as my Father, who loves me, cares for me and treats me with kindness and compassion.

I don't want to lose sight if the fact that He is THE king, and we rightfully should hold Him in away and with great reverence. There have been times whore I have experienced His glory and power, been forced to my knees or been flat on my face before Him, recognizing His awesomeness, but the vast majority of the time He chooses to meet me with gentleness and mercy. He is totally approachable and desirous of my prayer and communication.

I am reminded of a verse I read the other evening - Galatians 5:6b NIV:..."The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." That seems to me to be the appropriate response to God the Father, faith in Him expressed through love of Him!

Amen Lord!

## Asking For Directions - 2014-03-23 06:55

The meditation for today is from Romans 8:26-27 NIV:

[26] "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."

I am so grateful for this reality in my life; the fact the Lord helps me to pray. In prayer, I am often unsure of how to view a circumstance or situation, but as I pray I receive insight and understanding. There have been times where I didn't know the Lord's plan or purpose, so I just asked for guidance, praying in the Spirit for extended periods, and watched as the Lord brought direction and guidance that I could understand.

The Lord desires us to ask Him, when we have questions or need understanding. He desires to provide that which we need, and just waits for us to ask, to seek, to knock. The Holy Spirit will bring strength and guidance to us when we admit our weakness, or lack of understanding or direction. I guess this is the verse where the Lord addresses all of us men, in our pride, who don't want to stop and ask for directions. :-)

We must be willing to ask for help, ask for directions, and ask for guidance. Holy Spirit I ask for Your prayers, help, guidance and direction.

## God's Love - 2014-03-24 05:50

This morning's meditation is from Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV:

[14] "For this reason I kneel before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. [16] I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

[20] Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

This morning I just read these verses through a few times and let the message pour over me. The one significant point that stands out is that it's all about understanding His love for us. That is what His power is at work doing in our lives, and that which we are called to dive into with everything we have - understanding His love. His love surpasses all knowledge; it helps us to be filled with the fullness of God. His love propels us, enables us and empowers us. It is this force of love that brings Him Glory.

These verses make me think I don't even have a tiny grasp of the real power of God's love for me! So often we think of love as emotion, and while that is true, that is not the fullness of the definition of love. There is a song that says - "love is a verb" and that is very true, as love is action. When we love our spouses faithfully, this is done though action, not just emotion. Living a life of love requires action and thought and emotion, all rolled together.

Love is also a person - God (1 John 4:8). That simple phrase stops me and causes me to consider how I think about God. We joke about how a certain person is the perfect definition of a word and if you looked in a dictionary it would have their picture next to the word, but that is the absolute truth concerning God and Love - He is Love. God is not angry, is not waiting to judge wrong-doers, is not too busy to be bothered, is not disengaged, is not the figment of someone's imagination - He is Love. Taking Paul's famous love verse 1 Cor 13:4-8 and substituting God for love we have the following:

God is patient, God is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He does not dishonor others, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. God never fails.

Amen - God is Love.

## God Who Comes Down - 2014-03-25 05:52

This morning I felt led to read from Isaiah 64:3-4 NIV:

[3] "For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. [4] Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."

I was just thinking about the reality of God visiting the earth. He intervened in the lives of the Israelites, He came as a man Jesus, and He resides in the believers as the Holy Spirit.

He is the only God who is God. Is 37:16

He is the only God who actually intervenes in people's lives. Is 64:4

He is the only God who reveals Himself as loving and compassionate, and full of mercy. Ex 34:6

He is the only God who desires relationship with us as sons and daughters, over servants. 2 Cor 6:18

He is the only God, who hears our prayers and answers them, who acts on our behalf, individually. Gen 25:21

This really is amazing, that the God of the Universe, the one true God, cares for me, interacts with me, and desires relationship with me. I am, and will remain constantly amazed by God. The depth of who He is defies understanding, and yet He provides us perspective that we can understand and embrace. The fact that He would desire to come down and reside with me is beyond comprehension, yet real and experiential.

Lord, I pray that You would draw me deeper into the mystery of who You are, and who I am to You.

## His Words Will Never Fail - 2014-03-26 06:24

This morning's meditation is from Luke 1:26-38 NIV:

[26] "In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, [27] to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. [28] The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

[29] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [30] But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. [31] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."

[34] "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

[35] The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. [36] Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. [37] For no word from God will ever fail."

[38] "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her."

There is so much to think about in these verses.

I thought about the fact that the Lord, sent an angel to Zechariah several month earlier, as a predecessor to the angel He sent to Mary. I wondered if Mary had any really significant experiences early in life to prepare her for this visitation, or if this was the first indication she had of the Lord's favor? I was thinking about the facts of this experience, about how they were reported, if it was Mary herself who told of these events? I was thinking about how much the angel didn't say about Jesus, but rather planted the word and some truth about Him, and how her understanding of who Jesus was and what He was about developed over time and experience. I thought about her willingness to say yes, even without all the Information.

Finally, I thought about the truth expressed in verse 37 - "no word from God will ever fail." That is such an awesome statement, and promise. It is both the foundation and the promise of our faith. I knew a guy who used to say, "Either God's word is true or it isn't!" I think we would be different people if we lived our lives like we really believe that statement. I know that I don't always understand God's words to me, or maybe I don't hear them, but that does not negate this truth. All of His words will accomplish exactly what they were intended to do, none will fail. Yes, all His words are true and will never fail.

Amen Lord.

## It Is Our Choice - 2014-03-27 06:05

This morning I am just thinking on yesterday's meditation, specifically Luke 1:35, 38 NIV:

[35] "The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

[38] "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her."

I was wondering what Mary experienced when the Holy Spirit came to her and overshadowed her. I know I have experienced the infilling power of the Holy Spirit and it is a significant event. So often Scripture is quite under spoken about significant things. This is the only time EVER that God comes in this way, and it is called overshadowing, and the Greek word means exactly that - to cast a shadow over. I imagine that Mary was very aware of God's power overshadowing her, and touching her body.

This is not some sort of possession, or taking control by God. Rather, He was given permission by Mary's choice in verse 38. Even in this most critical point in human history and salvation, God does not force her will, but honors the gift of free-will that He has given us all. God was definitely the initiator, but He would only go so far before He stopped and let Her choose.

So often people want God to just come in and take control of their lives, but He is always a respecter of our free-will. God is always initiating, but we must respond, we must extend the invitation to Him by opening the door, by saying Yes, by asking Him to come. I am reminded of the verse from Revelation 3:20:

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me"

This is also true for areas of our life; the Lord will not intervene, will never walk into an area and just start cleaning house, unless invited. He always waits for the invitation, although He may stand outside the area and ask us to open it to Him, He will not enter unless we say so. There is such a gentleness and patience in the Lord's dealings with us.

I am thankful that He lets us choose. He wants loving sons and daughters, who are in relationship because they want to, not because they have to be, like mindless servants.

## That Which Matters Most - 2014-03-28 05:30

This morning I am meditating on Mark 10:17-27 NIV:

[17] "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

[18] "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good---except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

[20] "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

[21] Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

[22] At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

[23] Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

[24] The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

[26] The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

[27] Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

This story is such a poignant reminder of what is really valuable. There was one thing that the rich man lacked, and that was a relationship with Jesus, for that was the invitation Jesus gave him in verse 21, to come and follow Him. I think these verses are often interpreted as a command for us to be poor, or to sell everything if we want to follow Jesus, but I think that is not the main message.

First and foremost, Jesus loved the man, and invited him to come and be his disciple. To do that he would need to leave everything behind, and as a man of great wealth, he had much he had to manage, which likely required daily interaction. Jesus didn't command him to give away everything, but to sell everything, in other words divest yourself of your responsibilities so you can follow me. The command to give to the poor could have been accomplished through his normal income, and was also probably something the man had not done. Although the statements are related, one doesn't lead to the other as requirement.

In Luke's version of this story (Luke 18:18-30) he calls the man "a certain ruler". The Greek word he used was Archon, whose definition is: a ruler, commander, chief, or leader. In other words this man was one of the magistrates, or leaders of a community, and his wealth was very likely related to this position. Jesus was inviting him to leave his role and responsibilities, to be His disciple; similar to what James and John, Peter and Andrew did (Matt 4:18-22) when they were issued the invitation. This wasn't an ordinary invitation, but apparently an invitation to become one of Jesus' close group of disciples, for those are the only invitations we see Jesus making throughout all scripture.

In our lives, all of us are invited to become followers of Jesus, but most of us are not asked to abandon our lives and follow Jesus, but rather to embrace Him in, and throughout our daily lives. There are those who ARE issued an invitation to completely change their lives, abandoning their former pursuits to live their lives totally in the Lord's service, but in my experience those invitations are more rare, and certainly do not apply to everyone with wealth. The key invitation is to have a relationship with Jesus.

Indeed it is difficult to follow the Lord when the cares of this world, the responsibilities and demands squeeze our time and energy. Jesus described this in His parable about the sower and the seed - Matthew 13:22 "The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful." People so encumbered have difficulty bearing fruit, or as Jesus said, even entering the Kingdom. As Jesus rightfully points out, the issue is the deceit of possessions and wealth providing everything they need. These will not lead to fulfillment, happiness or have any eternal significance.

He is inviting us to open our eyes to both the relational and eternal perspectives of His invitation, and join Him. Relationship with Him is the most valuable thing we can pursue. Let's pursue that which matters most.

## Fellowship of Suffering - 2014-03-30 06:44

The meditation for today is from Philippians 3:7-16 NIV:

[7] "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

[10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

[12] Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

'[15] All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

I love these verses from Paul's letter to the Philippians. They challenge me to continue to press forward in my pursuit of the Lord. Paul wrote thus letter sometime after his visit to Philippines, which occurred in his second missionary journey. This would put this letter late in his effective ministry years, and yet his pursuit and perspective remains unchanged. He continues to press on, doesn't feel that he has fulfilled that which He was called by Christ to do, and so he does not rest, does not coast, but presses onward.

This morning as I was reading these verses, I was struck by Paul's meaning of 'all things are garbage' as he presses into the Lord. He understands clearly that his actions, his efforts are ineffective in any way, for earning him righteousness and eternal life. It is Christ alone who has accomplished this. All accomplishments and actions in Paul's life, regardless of how significant, cannot earn him salvation. It is through relationship with and belief in Jesus that is the only path.

Finally verse 10 & 11 are two verses that I just don't like to think about. Its fine to read the first part of verse "I want to know Christ - yes, to know the power of the resurrection" but it is the rest of that sentence that is challenging. To think on and desire to join in participation with Christ's sufferings is not something that I generally find myself joyfully anticipating. The Greek word here translated participation is Koinonia, whose definition is:

1. fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse

A. the share which one has in anything, participation

B. intercourse, fellowship, intimacy

C. the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office)

2. a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship

What helps me with this passage is thinking back to the time my honey had cancer and went through chemotherapy. Although she suffered the ill effects of both in her physical body, I was there by her side, seeing the effects, serving her needs, caring for her, and walking through it with her. There was a fellowship, an intimacy that developed through that time, which although painful, is also beautiful. There is a depth of knowledge about each other that was attained in that season, unlike anything else we had previously experienced. This helps me understand what Paul is writing about, this fellowship in the midst of suffering, this deeper understanding of Jesus as he meditates and is brought into that place of suffering that Jesus went through on our behalf.

We generally don't like to be confronted with suffering and pain, and many of our friends were unable to deal with, or struggled with my sweetheart's suffering. However, there is a place of deep relationship that is established when we are willing to walk into and through suffering with someone else. That is our invitation in Christ, especially during this Lenten season as we look toward Good Friday. We are invited to delve into Christ's sufferings and in doing so, bringing our relationship with Jesus to a new place of fellowship and intimacy.

## Purpose, Primacy and Changing Seasons - 2014-03-31 06:07

Today the verse for reflection is from John 3:22-30 NIV:

[22] "After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. [23] Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. [24] (This was before John was put in prison.) [25] An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. [26] They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan---the one you testified about---look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

[27] To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. [28] You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.' [29] The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. [30] He must become greater; I must become less."

The retreat guide I have been working through has two good questions to consider, pertaining to these verses, especially verses 27-30:

1) How have I demonstrated such freedom and other-centeredness?

2) Where in my life do I still need to let go of excessive self-preoccupation and control?

I am so encouraged by John's ability to see and understand his role, and Christ's primacy. He didn't grasp for power, get threatened by Jesus entering ministry, even envy his success. He knew his role was to prepare the way. He wasn't worried about his reward, his recognition, or any accolades. There is a definite maturity to his understanding and expression of his role.

In my mind it's all about primacy and purpose. John knew where he fit, knew his call and purpose, and recognized the movement of God and the new season that was dawning in his ministry. I was thinking of an analogy of a professional pitcher whose role is the setup pitcher. His job is to prepare for the closing pitcher. That is his job, and he hands over the ball once he has accomplished his task. I am sure he would like to finish pitching, or pitch more innings, but his purpose and role is clear. John knew his role was to prepare the way for the Lord and had accomplished that task. He wasn't emptying himself, but had rather fulfilled his role and knew that the time had come to allow Jesus to become the focus. His role was secondary to Jesus, and he understood that.

I was just thinking about the unique privilege John had as the last of the Old Testament prophets, he actually got to meet the Messiah, actually saw and interacted with the one He was preparing the way for. I could just imagine the joy he felt when He baptized Jesus and saw and heard the Father's and the Holy Spirit's interaction. I bet he was ready to hand over everything right then. It makes me wonder how I would respond if the Lord really showed up at church, and whether I would willingly hand over the reins? I think that is a struggle that many churches have, the need for control and the desire to follow a plan, regardless of whether the Lord is moving or not. My prayer for us all would be that when the Lord shows up, that we react with joy and celebration and a willingness to enable His ministry. In reality we are all set-up pitchers, preparing the way for The One who is or Savior. It is not about us, it is about Him, but that does not diminish our role, responsibility or importance.

On a slightly different take, I like what Bill Johnson has to say about verse 30, which is sometimes turned into a prayer - 'less of me, more of Him'. Bill says that is a wrong prayer, as we should be praying all of me and all of Jesus. We often times get the idea from a mis-interpretation of this verse, that we need to suppress our personality and uniqueness and become solely like Christ. Bill's point is that Christ created us unique for a purpose and he wouldn't suppress that uniqueness, or ask us to become mini replicas of Himself. Jesus wants us to be all ourselves, fulfilling the purpose and plans He has for us, while at the same time being filled completely with Him, so that we actually have the power and strength to do the things He has called us to do.

Finally, another thought that relates to these verses is the recognition of a new season, and willingly adjusting to the new season. Many of us struggle with change, and do not welcome the call to adjust our ways to the new season we find ourselves in. This is true in ministry and in life. When the Lord is doing something new, we must not cling to the old ways, old patterns of thoughts or actions. We must recognize and embrace the new reality and learn to live in this new reality. Sometimes, the new is radically different than the old, which does not negate the old, but is simply something new to be embraced. If we had to move from one house to another, because our job was relocated, we don't have to feel Ike the old house was bad, but rather we just have a new house to live in. Sometimes the Lord moves us, or calls us to change our ways, and we need to be ready to welcome the change or move.

I was just thinking about how personal change, as directed by the Lord, is a bit like renovating a kitchen. Sometimes you have to gut the kitchen and rebuild from the studs and joists, other times you can just replace cabinet faces and handles, but either way it looks new. God in His mercy is constantly working with us to shape and grow us into mature believers who understand our roles and purposes, and to attain that will require personal change, so we might as well learn to embrace the change the Lord brings.

# 2014 – April

## Praise, Love And Serve - 2014-04-01 06:14

In the spiritual exercises, I am asked to meditate on the following personal constitution - "I am created to praise, love and serve God."

This seems like such a simple statement, but it carries an incredible depth of truth and opportunity for growth. In breaking this down, it starts with the primary truth that I was created. The author says it this way - "I was created by God out of love, in this particular time and place, with particular talents and temperaments, strengths and limitations." (The Ignatian Adventure, O'Brien). I am reminded of the following verses from Acts 17:26 - Amplified Bible (AMP):[26] "And He made from one [common origin, one source, one blood] all nations of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes),..." It helps me to know that I am not a random chance, a happy mistake that somehow caused my existence, but rather anticipated, planned and purposed for this exact time, at this exact place, with the abilities and talents I have - all for a purpose.

Secondly, that purpose includes praising God. To praise Him, I must know him. How else can I rightfully assign praise for all the incredible things I see and experience? If I think this world is all the result of chance and evolution, I lose my delight and sense of order that comes from the idea that there is a loving God who created all this to reflect His nature and delight us. Knowing God helps me to make sense of my existence, and the more I know Him the better sense I have of His purpose for me.

Praise comes naturally to us when we are confronted by majesty, by awesomeness, by beauty, and when we compare our limitations to that which is limitless. God's desire is that as we draw near to Him, we gain this same sense of perspective concerning Him - His majesty, awesomeness, beauty, and eternalness. Our natural reaction to Him should be praise and if we don't experience this, than we don't rightly know Him.

Thirdly, God's great motivation is Love. In fact John writes that "God is Love" (1 John 4:8). One of the ways God defines Himself is as love. He loved the idea of me, so He created me out of love for me. He loved me so much that He died for me. He loves me so much that He comes and dwells with me. He loves me so much that He surrounded me with His creation, friends and family. He loves me so much that He created a particular purpose for me, not so that I can slave away as some little cog in a giant wheel, but rather that I might find fulfillment and satisfaction in doing that which I was uniquely positioned, and equipped to do. His hope is that when I recognize all this love that He has poured out upon me, that I will love Him in return, for more than anything love is about relationship. He wants to have relationship with me, and He desires my love.

Finally, as it relates to today's meditation, I am invited to serve God. This is the third item for a reason, as we are called into relationship, and understanding of who God is, before we would be invited to service. In other words, service should come out relationship, out of knowledge of God. So many people bypass the first two invitations, and settle on third, and never fully grasp who God is, or His love for them. Their service towards God becomes that which is repugnant to God, as He does not desire servants but rather friends and sons and daughters.

As we get to know God and enter into relationship with Him, He invites us to join Him in loving others, and drawing them to Him, and caring for His creation. Our service, is really co-laboring with Him. As we understand His will and purpose, it is our great delight to see them fulfilled, because we love Him. We will never reach an end in our discovery of who He is, or love Him completely, so there is always newness and freshness available to us in our relationship with Him.

Amen Lord, I want to Praise, Love and serve You more.

## Be A Shining Light - 2014-04-02 05:50

This morning for my meditation I spent some time looking at my life and my pursuit of God, and my efforts to bring fulfillment of my foundational purposes to praise, love and serve God. It was both encouraging and challenging, as I do well in some areas, but have many areas where I can improve and grow!

As I was walking through this all and meditating on my life, the following scripture popped into my head \- Ephesians 3:16-21 NIV:

[16] "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

[20] "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Amen Lord, that is what I need, Your power strengthening my inner man, rooting and establishing me in Your love, and Your power working through me. I want my life to be lit by Your love and power, so that I shine for Your Glory! "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 NIV.

## The Calling of the Lord - 2014-04-04 05:01

The meditation today is from Exodus 3:1-15 NIV:

[1] "Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. [2] There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. [3] So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight---why the bush does not burn up." [4] When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."

[5] "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." [6] Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

[7] The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. [8] So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey---the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. [9] And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. [10] So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

[11] But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

[12] And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. "

[13] Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

[14] God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I am has sent me to you.' "

[15] God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers---the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob---has sent me to you.' "This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation."

A couple of quick thoughts: First, Moses wrote Exodus and its interesting how he writes about His earliest interactions with the Lord. As I read through the rest of Exodus, I see a growing relationship and familiarity with how the Lord works and speaks. I think that is encouraging, as it shows the reality of relationship. Whenever we are in relationship, we see growth over time and through interaction.

Secondly, Moses was comfortable asking God for clarification and questions. I think we sometimes psych ourselves out in relating to God, or hearing. Word from the Lord, and don't think we can ask for clarification or understanding. I think the Lord likes that, for He clearly wants us to be successful, and that is hard to be if we don't understand His plan and purpose. I know that I have definitely learned to ask questions, to seek clarification and understanding, knowing the Lord will treat me patiently and with love.

I always thought the story of Moses was interesting, as he was raised in the Pharaoh's household, and was similar to a prince of Egypt, yet when the Lord decided to send him back to Egypt to speak to Pharaoh he didn't feel qualified, or able to speak. I think he was uniquely positioned to address pharaoh, but it seems like Moses almost forgot who he was, what his upbringing was and his own abilities. I think this is not uncommon, especially when we have spent time away from a calling, or been in the wilderness. We almost forget who we are in Christ, and shift into some kind of survival mode. It is so important to hold onto our identity in Christ, for it keeps us engaged and on track. We often want to disqualify ourselves, but God sees us differently and will always take us back, and draw us into who we are in Him, and what He purposed for us. He is patient, and merciful, in spite of our failures, wanderings and mistakes.

Finally, I love the way the Lord draws us, with Moses it was a bush that didn't burn. For each of us, it might be different as we are all unique, but the Lord draws each of us, patiently drawing us, showing up in our lives over and over, and never relenting.

What an awesome God we have!

## We Are Chosen - 2014-04-04 05:55

Today the meditation is the same as yesterday (Exodus 3:1-15), although the focus I had yesterday was not the perspective they had directed, one of partnering with God. I was more focused on the call of Moses and his own disqualification of himself from God's call because of how he thought of himself.

When I think of the Lord choosing to partner with us, to partner with me, I am amazed. I am amazed that He would entrust such important work to such faulty beings, myself the chief. There is something wonderful, and at the same time fearful, about His willingness to Love us and trust us with His Kingdom. There is something that defies human logic with this arrangement.

When I think of the twelve apostles, I am in wonder of the men He chose, nothing personal... Looking closely at those men, and comparing them to who I would want on my team, I don't think I would have agreed with a single selection (maybe one or two). I would want to choose men of strong character, who knew the Word, who had the personal charisma and drive to lead hundreds, if not thousands. I would want to find men whose lives were exemplary in their pursuit of God, who showed evidence of deep faith. The Lord chose a group of men, none apparently remarkable at the time of their choosing, fishermen, tax collector, etc. The difference is that God saw their hearts, and knew their deep character. We so often judge by external appearances, or accomplishments, but God looks at the heart (Jet. 17:10). He understands who we really are, under all the stuff we think and do.

This gives me hope about myself, as God sees in me something that made Him choose me! He understands me, better than I understand myself, and has chosen me for a specific purpose. He has decided to entrust part of His plan into my care, because He knows I will succeed. Wow, I wish I had the same confidence in myself that God has in me! Also, God isn't dismayed by my set-backs or failures, but is able to use everything to fashion and shape me into the man he knows I am.

One of my favorite authors, Graham Cooke, talks about how God sees us from the future, and looks at us from that perspective. God knows who we will become and the depth of relationship we will have with Him, and treats us that way now! So if He knows we are going to be a King, He sees us and treats us that way now. The story of the anointing of David comes to mind (1 Sam 16). Samuel went to Jesse's house to anoint one of his sons as King, and was ready to anoint the eldest when he saw him, but God stopped him and said, "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." (1 Sam 16:7). God ultimately chose David who was a mere youth at the time, but God saw who he would become. Although David didn't exactly live an exemplary life, God never doubted His choice, or David's ability to fulfill his purpose.

Thinking on this makes me want to do my very best for the Lord, because He has seen who I am and knows what I can accomplish. It's like the football player who plays seemingly beyond his abilities because His coach has trusted him and put him in the game. The coach put him in because he saw the potential the player had, even though no one else could see it. That is how I think we should all look at ourselves; God chose us and has put us into His plan because of what He sees in us. I must learn to trust the Lord's choice and believe in myself, that I have in me what the Lord sees.

Lord, I pray that You would open our eyes and help us to see ourselves as You see us! That we might believe in ourselves, and that we might be able to believe in our brothers and sisters and call them forth, even as we encourage ourselves.

## Steadfast Trust - 2014-04-06 06:25

The verses I am focused on today are from Philippians 4:11-13 NIV:

[11] "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

These verses are such an insight into Paul's place of trust in the Lord, and his relationship with God. He recognized that circumstances were not a reflection on his relationship with God. So often we think that either our blessing in a situation or our problems we encounter are indicators of God's pleasure or displeasure with us. That type of thinking is relatively immature and typical of someone who doesn't fully understand the person with who they are in relationship, as in a child to parent relationship. Imagine if Paul had thought that only bad things happen to bad people, or to people God was displeased with, what would he have thought when he was beaten or flogged, or shipwrecked?

Paul recognized that God's love for him was constant whether he was experiencing awesome results, or if he was being escorted in chains. The secret he mentions can be no other thing than his intimate relationship with the Lord, which was unaffected and ever growing more deep. He understood his value in the Lord's eyes and was unaffected by the changing circumstances around him. Instead he rested in the Lord and let the Lord show Himself strong in desperate situations, and reveled in His love and provision when situations were good.

Let us throw off this immature view of God and pray for the steadfastness of heart and mind that Paul experienced and expressed here. Lord, help us to grow and mature into people who really walk in deep relationship with You. Let us be steadfast in our trust of the Lord.

## What Do You Want? - 2014-04-07 06:24

Today's meditation comes from Marks Gospel, and has been a part of my life's meditation for many years - the healing of Bartimaeus.

Mark 10:46-52 NIV:

[46] "Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging. [47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

[48] Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

[49] Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."

So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." [50] Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

[51] "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

[52] "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."

This has been one of my favorite stories for many years, and one I come back to over and over. There is so much that I like, from Bartimaeus's perseverance, to Jesus hearing and stopping. The main point of this all though is the question Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" I was always struck by this verse, for one would think that the answer to that question is obvious, he was blind!

I love that the Lord asked anyway, and that is a good lesson for us. The Lord will not assume anything, but is waiting for us to ask. This is not some controlling trick, where He only will give us what we ask for and only if we ask in a certain way, but rather is based out of His love for us and respect for our free will. God, even though He knows our every thought, will not break our free will. Because of this, we are in control of our lives and eternal destiny, it is our choice. Even in the daily interactions God will always honor our free will, loving us but waiting for our choice, waiting for us to choose His way. He will do everything He can to make the way clear, to show us which choice to make, but it is always our choice.

This does not mean that if we stop praying we will starve or anything like that, for the Lord has established work and employment as a means of provision. Just like He has provided each of us with families and friends that we might be loved and cared for daily, but rather this relates to the interactions we have with God.

Jesus taught us to pray - told us to ask for daily bread, for forgiveness, for protection, for God's Kingdom to be established here, to praise God in all things. These should be part of our conversations with God, daily if possible. Our asking God opens the door for Him to move in our lives. If we need to experience God's touch, love, mercy, forgiveness, healing, miracle or compassion, we need to ask. He is the ultimate respecter of us, of our will and personhood. Bartimaeus could have asked for anything, wealth, riches, new clothes, all of which would have given him a better life, but he asked to be healed of his blindness, which opened the door for Jesus to move and heal him.

So let us be encouraged to ask, to cry out to the Lord. Let us continue to cry out to the Lord, and not be swayed by those who say He can't be bothered with such mundane stuff as our needs. Let us pursue God's interaction, and when He asks what He can do for us, let us have an answer that is beautiful and courageous. When Bartimaeus chose to ask for healing, he was laying down his whole identity and crying out for a new life. Let us not be afraid of change and transformation, but ask the Lord to move in power and completeness.

Come Lord Jesus. You have what I need, help me to ask.

## Answering The Call - 2014-04-08 06:07

The verses for today come from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. He is my second favorite prophet next to Isaiah. These set of verses speak about his call and selection by the Lord.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 NIV:

[4] "The word of the Lord came to me, saying, [5] "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

[6] "Alas, Sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am too young."

[7] But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. [8] Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.

[9] Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "I have put my words in your mouth. [10] See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."

There is much to reflect on in these verses, but the obvious theme is being selected and called by the Lord. I have been thinking on this theme the last few weeks and I think it is so important for us to all understand that the Lord says the same thing about each of us. We have each been chosen before we were born, chosen for specific purposes. For some the call is to significant service to nations like Jeremiah, for others it is to smaller spheres of influence, but all are called. We do not know the overall significance of our lives, but when we look to the Lord, He will direct us and guide us and help us to fulfill our purpose.

Pastor Rick Warren penned a very popular book a few years ago called "The Purpose Driven Life" which had a significant impact on the Body, at least here in America. The idea that we have purpose and should think about that and be intentional in how we live our life was an enlightening message for so many, and it is true for us all. I like the Ignatian perspective that at the very core we all have the same purpose - to praise, love and serve God. Everything we do, all day, every day should draw significance from our core purpose. We should think about our lives and actions and be intentional in directing both to reflect our common purpose. I would probably add a fourth common purpose - that we love and serve others.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, [37]'Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40 NIV. When Jesus said that "all the Law and all the prophets hang on these two" He was indicating that these are the foundational purposes for us all. If we are doing these two things in our lives, we will accomplish that which were made to do.

I think much of my problem in being intentional is just simply the failure to think. More often than not, I just am going with the flow of the moment, and not viewing the situation from a transcendent perspective, meaning that I am not seeing how the situation relates to the bigger picture, or my core purpose. I just roll along, forgetting to think and act as someone who is pursuing God, or trying to be His representative to those around me. I am generally kind and helpful, smiling and good, but without the higher understanding of my purpose and calling, that is all I will ever be, and my life will have little impact. God's call and selection of me is meant to impact the world.

Now I don't want to get all religious, and start planning a hundred different ways to have an impact in my sphere of influence, because without the Lord's direction and guidance, I will just be working in vain. All of this is supposed to flow out of relationship to Him. It is in the place of relationship, and the development of love and affection, knowledge and understanding of Him that I am called to step out into the world as His representative, His son through adoption. My way forward should be like a loving son asking his Dad what he can do to help? Sometimes it will be big things, sometimes small, but my goal should be to ask. I like what Bill Johnson says, that we should all expect to be world changers, and if we aren't thinking this way we haven't fully understood our identity as His children (rough paraphrase).

My impact on the world might be one significant individual who then impacts others, who then has a world changing ministry. I might be like Edward Kimball, whose down-line of ministry includes Dwight Moody and Billy Graham. His primary mission was to teach Sunday school and to pray for members of his class. Not a significant ministry, but in the Lord's eyes, he fulfilled his purpose and affected change in the world,

So let us be encouraged, we have the opportunity to fulfill our purpose, and He will see that we understand our purpose and will provide the opportunities to grow and love and serve Him and our neighbors. Let us answer the call.

## The God Of The Impossible - 2014-04-09 06:19

The verse this morning is from Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV:

[11] "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. [12] Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. [13] You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. [14] I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

This is such a hopeful set of scripture, more so because it was written to the Jewish people when they were in captivity in Babylon. In other words, the Lord was drawing the eyes of their hearts back to Him, giving them hope for their future when there didn't appear to be any hope, and inviting them to re-establish their relationship with Him. He promised to return them to their land, to their homes and reestablish them as a nation, all things that seemed impossible at that time.

I love that God is the God of the impossible. He is the God of the underdog, those that appear forgotten, or defeated. He is the God of the widow and orphans, those without a family. I am reminded of some verses from Psalm 68:5-6: "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. [6] God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing;..." I am also reminded of Paul's experience in prison in Acts 16. They were singing while in prison and suddenly they were all set free by an earthquake. That night they converted the jailer and his whole family - it seems to me they probably came out of that jail singing. He truly is the God of the impossible.

So let us place our trust in the Lord, for He is faithful, and able. Regardless of our situation He is with us, and brings us hope and assurance of His love. As we seek Him, we will find Him. The invitation to relationship is always there, we just need to turn to Him.

I was also just thinking how the Lord positioned some of the people that were carried into exile, and gave them great power and authority in the land of their captors. (See the Book of Daniel 1-3, for more info.). What struck me about thus is that the Lord placed them in the place that probably felt the farthest from Him, and allowed them to be taught all the beliefs of the Babylonians. I imagine that from the outside, it looked like they had abandoned their people, their God and all their beliefs. God had a plan to use them as the ultimate insiders, to influence that government towards God. I wonder how Manny times we would look at people in that position and think they were turn-coats or traitors. But the Lord didn't see them that way. It is clear that the Lord was more than capable of preserving them, and their belief in Him, and ultimately using them to bring Glory to himself and release for the people.

Yes, He is the God of the lonely, the dejected, the prisoner, the fatherless, the husband less, the rejected, the weak, the lost, the hopeless, and those in impossible situations. He is also the God of those who are strong, those who are in authority, those who are healthy, those who are well employed, and those whose lives seem whole. He does not discriminate, He loves us all! His help is always available, even as He us always available, welcoming us all into His family as sons and daughters.

## Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks! - 2014-04-10 05:49

I felt like I should read from Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians this morning. The following verses are full of material for me to think upon:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 NIV:

[16] "Rejoice always,

[17] pray continually,

[18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

[19] Do not quench the Spirit.

[20] Do not treat prophecies with contempt [21] but test them all; hold on to what is good,

[22] reject every kind of evil.

[23] May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

So often I would just read these verses all together like they were a few sentences, but as I was reading them this morning, I was struck by the idea that each was its own complete thought worthy of reflection.

Starting on the list, the question is how do I rejoice always? How can I set my heart with the right attitude and my mind to see things in such a way that my response is to rejoice? Can I develop this through practice, through guarding my mind, or through the old 'fake it till you make it' method?

I think much has to do with our perspective, our mindset and our identity in Christ. Graham Cooke calls the Holy Spirit the happiest person He has ever met, which I think reflects the very nature of God! He is Happy! He is excited about His creation and joyful. I am reminded of a verse from Isaiah 62:5 NIV: "As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.". This is not a picture of a stern and angry God, but one full of love and affection. If I choose to look at my life from God's perspective, seeing His hand, watching Him draw me to Himself, seeing His provision, understanding His faithfulness, then I can start to rejoice always, for I will see how everything is leading me towards Him. I will see how He is using me to draw others to Him. I will see and understand His incredible love for me. I will become more and more like Him - rejoicing in all things!

How do I pray continually? I have read some interesting books and heard stories of how some people have succeeded in this throughout their lives, and I have tried a few different things myself. I believe this encouragement is addressing our heart and mindset as well as our relationship with the Lord. Prayer is really conversation with God, and the encouragement, as demonstrated by Jesus, is to live my life in constant communication with the Father. This doesn't mean that I am talking non-stop, but rather that I am listening and aware of His presence.

When I spend time with my sweetheart, we don't need to talk every minute to communicate; we know each other well enough to know what the other is thinking just by looking at each other. Our times together involve talking, listening, resting, and just being in one another's presence - it can be the same with the Lord. It is about awareness and inclination. I am aware of the Lord, and I incline myself towards Him. I have certainly not mastered this by any means, but I believe it is attainable. I know the Mother Theresa prayed the rosary non-stop, and although that might seem like just repetitive prayer, the reality is that it caused her heart to be constantly inclined towards the Lord, and helped her direct her heart to Him.

The last reflection for me today is based on the encouragement to give thanks in all circumstances. This flows out of the first encouragement, and is definitely related. Thankfulness is to me one of the most attractive characteristics in another person. The understanding that life is a gift, and meant to be treasured helps to develop a heart of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, while it seems to be self-focused is actually the opposite. When I return thanks I am turning my heart towards the person who has given me a gift and seeing their sacrifice, their heart towards me and expressing the same back towards them. Thanksgiving allows us to set our eyes off ourselves. Also it has been my experience that tire thanksgiving opens the door for further gifts!

Lord, I pray that You will help me to have a heart filled with gratitude, rejoicing, thanksgiving, and You! I want to live my life in constant awareness of You, Your blessings and mercies!

## Come, Follow Me - 2014-04-11 06:22

Today's meditation is based out of Luke 5, specifically the calling of Peter.

Luke 5:1-11 NIV:

[1] "One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. [2] He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. [3] He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

[4] When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."

[5] Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." [6] When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. [7] So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

[8] When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" [9] For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, [10] and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people." [11] So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him."

Honestly, I have always been both amazed at this story and a little afraid of this story. Amazed at Peter, Andrew, James and John's willingness to leave everything and follow Jesus, afraid because I wondered if the Lord would call me to do the same. I have actually spent a good bit of time digging into the background and follow-up to this scene, maybe to understand it better, more likely to convince myself there isn't anything to fear.

From reading John's Gospel's, and just focusing on Peter, we see earlier interactions between Peter and Jesus (John 1:35-43) and these by an eye witness - John. Also reading John, we see that Peter apparently still had a boat, after Jesus died (John 21:1-14), so apparently leaving everything didn't mean selling the boat. Also we find that Peter, although clearly traveling with Jesus still had time for his family (Mark 1:29-34), and in 1st Corinthians we see it mentioned that Peter's wife traveled with Him (1 Cor 9:5).

However, none of this removes the amazing nature of the call, the response, or the life of dedication and following Jesus, as lived out by Peter and the other Apostles. Prior to the story of Peter's calling, Jesus had moved to Capernaum, and was obviously active in preaching and speaking, for already people were gathering around Him by chapter 5. Peter would have surely heard His teaching, and as demonstrated by John, already had personal interaction with Him. I like to think that Peter was favorably inclined toward Jesus, but had not made any solid decision about following Him. It was the experience of the divine nature hidden in Jesus, but evidenced through the catching of a record number of fish, that ultimately sealed the deal for Peter. It is one thing to be aware of the Lord; it is another thing when He intervenes in our life in such a way that only He could do.

Peter's immediate response to recognizing who Jesus really was, falling on his knees, demonstrates the overwhelming experience of God invading one's life. It wasn't just his life that got invaded, but his employment as well. I've heard a couple of good teachings about how Peter, the master fisherman would have scoffed at the idea setting out into deeper water to fish, as he knew where the fish were in the Sea of Galilee, and the location Peter was now fishing wasn't one of them. Jesus demonstrated His ability to provide for His followers, and the effect of fishing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. What Peter saw and experienced, convinced him to follow Jesus, no matter the cost. He was still overwhelmed and convinced of his own sinfulness, but absolutely convinced about Jesus.

I guess in summary, we all fear things, and we fear change and we fear that God might call us to do something we don't want to do, or aren't prepared to do. As I at Peter's response and experience, I believe the Lord will work with us, help us to recognize who He truly is, and convince us of our need to follow Him. Most of us won't get the call to leave everything, but will more likely be called to follow Him right where we are in our day to day lives. I know for me, following Him is the best thing I have ever done and I become more convinced every day of my need to follow Him. I might have left a few things behind when I decided to follow Him, but I don't miss them or need them in my life. He has more than made up for any loss, for knowing Him is the great treasure of my life.

## What Do You Want? - 2014-04-13 06:02

Today's meditation is from John 1:35-41 NIV:

[35] "The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. [36] When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

[37] When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

[38] Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"

[39] "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

[40] Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. [41] The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ)."

I have a couple of quick observations. First, there were people who followed John the Baptist and were his disciples. In other words, there was a spiritual stirring in the land, God was moving and drawing people's hearts even before Jesus revealed Himself. One would maybe conjecture that this was due to the fact that Jesus was living there and just by His physical presence, He was increasing the presence of God for the whole surrounding country. I think this increased stirring is due to the Father preparing to move, preparing to visit with His presence, this time in the person of Jesus.

When we look throughout the history of the church, specifically at revivals, we see that God stirs the hearts of a few in the place, often time's years before He visits with His manifest presence. I am not sure how long John's ministry lasted, but the combination of his role as the fore-runner, and the Father stirring the hearts of the people prepared the way for Jesus to come, and one could say probably accelerated the effects of Jesus' early ministry. So, key point, the moving on a group of people, by the Holy Spirit, stirring up their hearts, expecting Him to move is often an indication of the Father's heart to visit that place with His manifest presence.

Secondly, the question of Jesus, in verse 38, is so important for each of us as we relate to Him. He does want to know 'what do we want', what we are expecting as we come to Him. I think that often the answer is simply, 'not much, just a quick blessing'. His invitation was to relationship, inviting the men to spend the day with Him. So my question today is 'what do I want when I come to Jesus?'

Am I wanting a good Sunday service where I hear about Him, maybe see Him work through the Holy Spirit, maybe hear a stirring sermon? Do I want Him to bless me or answer my prayers? Am I desiring someone to tell me what I should or shouldn't do? Am I wanting someone I can tell all my troubles too, but not wanting any real conversation in return? Am I wanting a friend? Am I wanting to be His disciple? Am I wanting to have deep, life changing relationship? Am I wanting to see His name glorified over all the earth? All of these are good, and the Lord will willingly accept us in any way we come, but His desire is always toward the deeper path, the deeper relationship.

What we experience when we come to Jesus is in large part up to us. Our depth of relationship with Him is our choice. Much is determined by how we answer the question 'what do you want?' He won't force us to go deeper, but He will always invite us deeper. The disciples of John could have said, "We just want your blessing" and that would have possibly been the end of it. Instead they went and visited Jesus, saw where He lived, spent the day with Him and at the end of the day, were convinced He was the Messiah!

Amen Lord, stir my heart that I might desire that deeper place, that I might see You for who You truly are!

## Palm Sunday - The Coming King - 2014-04-13 06:23

My Palm Sunday Meditation.

I was just thinking about the significance of Palm Sunday. I was thinking about the procession into the city of Jerusalem, thinking about why it was important, and I suddenly had an idea pop into my head that I have never had before, namely the parallelism of Jesus' life events leading up to the crucifixion, and the coronation of an earthly king.

There is a procession where the soon-to-be King enters the city, either as a victor in battle, or as the prince who will inherit the crown = Palm Sunday

There is feasting prior to the coronation = Last Supper

There is often the night before the coronation when the king to be, prepares himself = the Garden of Gethsemane

There is the public gathering prior to the coronation = Good Friday crowds

There is the crowning = the crown of thorns placed on Jesus head following the scourging

There is the public display of the newly crowned king = the crucifixion

The king begins his reign by sitting on the throne = Jesus is now seated on the right hand of the Father in Heaven

So as we enter into this Holy Week, let us be reminded that we are celebrating the crowning of our King, not as it happened with the crown of thorns, and scourging and crucifixion, but as they occurred in Heaven - for although there was an earthly representation, which was twisted by the sinfulness of men, Jesus was crowned King, and entered into His eternal reign! We have a King who loves us and laid down His life for us, and who will reign forever and ever!

As we celebrate this Palm Sunday, let us celebrate the coming King!

## Conviction or Offense? - 2014-04-14 06:26

This morning I was reading from 1 Samuel, and saw something interesting. Here are the verses - 1 Samuel 17:24, 26-28 NIV:

[24] "Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

[26] David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

[27] They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, "This is what will be done for the man who kills him."

[28] When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."

I had recently read about the anointing of David by Samuel, and the first person that Samuel saw when he went to Jesse's home was Eliab, and he was greatly impressed by this young man's appearance and apparent strength. Yet here we see what was in his heart. He like everyone else was filled with fear when they saw Goliath. He had no faith in God, didn't turn to God, and didn't believe that God could rescue them. He saw things only as a man. When he was confronted by his lack of faith by the statement of David, rather than recognizing his sin and wrong belief in humility, he instead yelled at David, and called him conceited.

This is a great example of how some people react to the word of the Lord. Rather that accepting it and allowing their hearts to be moved, they rail against it and try to attack the one who brings the word of the Lord, and the conviction it brings. Eliab was confronted by his fear and lack of faith by his youngest brother and he didn't like it, and didn't recognize the hand of the Lord, or the word of the Lord. He only knew he felt bad inside and so struck at the messenger - David.

How often do people change the channel when they are listening to someone who has the word of the Lord, and they are struck to the heart by their words, but rather than embrace and listen, they change the channel so they aren't convicted in their hearts by the words? How often do people leave churches because the Preacher has unknowingly exposed their fears or lack of faith and rather than confront these, the people have moved on so they didn't have to listen and be convicted. How often will people, when challenged and experiencing conviction by someone's Word of the Lord, choose to be offended and try to attack the very person who brought the Word, looking for error in that person's life so they can disqualify them as a messenger.

Conviction by the Holy Spirit is not a fun experience, for He lays bare our sins and unbelief, but He does this to heal us. It is similar to a cancer surgeon who, when he does surgery, goes all the way to the root of the problem, and works to remove every last cancer cell so that he can heal the person and eradicate the cancer. The Holy Spirit, although thorough is also gentle, for He provides us the opportunity to deal with our stuff love and over again. In Eliab's case, he was given the chance to look into his own heart when Samuel didn't choose him to be king, primarily because of what God saw in his heart. Eliab could have heard that and decided to root out anything that wasn't Godly, but apparently he didn't go there.

In my experience, the Lord will address an area of my life, and if my response is to be offended rather than convicted, He will just bring it up again until I am ready to deal with it. He does this because He loves me and wants to see me grow into the man He knows I am, and He knows this issue will affect me and cause me trouble or stunted growth, or limit my fruitfulness.

So let us not run from those words, or experiences that reveal our weakness, fears and unbelief, but rather let us turn to God, recognize His promises are true, and that He loves us, and allow His Word to change us. Let us recognize our sin, embrace conviction and choose to live by faith in the Lord, the lover of our souls.

## The Father's Crazy Love - 2014-04-16 05:54

This week's meditations from the Ignatian Spiritual exercises focus on our sin and God's response to our sin. The first scripture for meditation is the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke's Gospel 15:11-32. It is quite a long passage so I will just include the first half here:

Luke 15:11-24 NIV:

[11] "Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. [12] The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

[13] "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. [14] After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. [15] So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. [16] He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

[17] "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! [18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.'

[20] So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

[21] "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

[22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. [24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

I, like many people, love this story, and for me this is how I experience God, as a loving Father. The love of the Father is evident through the whole story, and most evident to me in verse 20. It says while the son was still a long way off, the Father saw him, and ran to him. In other words, the Father had been watching for the son to return, he had been waiting and watching, probably daily, waiting to re-establish their relationship.

It is important to note that there is no punishment. That is probably quite challenging for many of us who have been taught that the Father punishes us when we sin - for that is clearly not the Father's reaction here. In fact, the Father's reaction is quite the opposite; He calls for a celebration and restores the son to his former position, authority and relationship! That is definitely worth thinking about for a while. There is an opposing thought very present in the Body of Christ that teaches us that God punishes us when we sin or lack faith. This train of thought says that if something bad happens to us, or if we get sick, that it is due to the Father punishing us for either our lack of faith or our sin. This thinking, according to Jesus, is incorrect, and worse it is a judgement against the true character of the Father. The Father's heart is for reconciliation and relationship always!

Jesus is expressing the Father's heart, teaching the people what the Father is like with this story! There would be no clearer place for Jesus to teach about the Father's response, and He makes it VERY clear. His response is restoration of relationship, intimate affection, and rejoicing! Wouldn't it be grand if this was the way the church responded to repentant sinners! So often our response is to demand contrition, penance, and the re-earning of the right to walk in relationship and identity, but the Father immediately restores these, and requires nothing of the son.

My other thought is how the Father freely gave the son his inheritance, likely knowing full well what he was going to do with it. There were no strings attached, no form of legal binding that would only allow the son to use the inheritance certain ways, but rather a gifting of the whole amount. The son really wasn't entitled to the inheritance until the Father died, so the Father was a making a conscious choice to give the son an incredible gift, with no strings attached. I believe this is also an important point to think on, for this represents the Father's heart to all of us. He gives us incredible gifts and blessings, often knowing we will abuse or misuse them, but He still gives them. The Father knows our every thought, every day of our life from beginning to end, and He still chooses to pour forth His blessings on us all.

Common wisdom would say that if you have a wild son, the last thing you do is give him a pile of money, yet the Father did exactly that. The Father knows we are all sinners, yet chooses to bless us with good gifts nonetheless. We don't earn them, He gives them to us. If one of us did this same thing to one of our problem children, in spite of the knowledge the Father has about that child, we would think them crazy. I guess that is a good definition of the Father's love, it is 'crazy love' for us!

So, as a sinner, my humble expectation of the Father's reaction to my sin should be that He is waiting for me to return to Him. He loves me, and is watching and waiting for me. It is right to feel ashamed both of our sin and waste of the Father's good gifts, but we shouldn't be expecting punishment. It is right to ask for forgiveness, and the Father's answer is restoration of relationship!

## Don't Be The Older Son - 2014-04-17 05:43

Yesterday I was meditating on the story of the prodigal son, (Luke 15:11-32) and saw something I never saw before concerning the older son. Here are the passages concerning him:

Luke 15:11-12, 25-32 NIV:

[11] "Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. [12] The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

[25] "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. [27] 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

[28] "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. [29] But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

[31] " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. [32] But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

As I was reading verse 12, I was struck by the last sentence - "He divided his property between them". I have read this story and heard this story maybe hundreds of times, yet never noticed the words "between them". In other words the Father gave the older son his share at the same time as He gave it to the younger son. I read the original Greek for clarity, but it isn't definitive to me, so I checked multiple different translations, done by people who understand the nuances of the Greek, and they all say the virtually the same thing.

What amazed me about this is I always believed the older brother's narrative to the Father, although it was clearly a mis-judgment of the Father's character by the older son, I still thought the basics of what he said were true. He had never received anything from the Father, mostly because he never asked. NOW, I read this and realize the Father had given him a huge amount of cash at the same time as the younger son, and my whole understanding of the story has changed. The older son, wasn't just misjudging the Father's character, thinking he worked for a taskmaster, instead it is about the older son's complete ungratefulness, and own character!

The older son had received the greatest gift his Father could give him, and in his eyes it was nothing! He was so ungrateful, so angry and so works oriented, that he refused relationship with the father, with his lost brother, and even turned up his nose at the feasting available to him. He refused to go in, and made the Father come out him. He accused the Father of being over generous, over merciful to the lost brother, and then accused Him of never giving him anything, which was a complete and utter lie!

One wonders if this was the result of the deception of bitterness? Was he so ungrateful that whatever he received was never enough? Was he so focused on his own self-worth, and convinced of his utter superiority that what the Father had given him was an insult? Was he just and angry, hateful individual who was contrary or confrontational about all things?

Personally, I think that this character represents many of us, who have lost our sense of the great gift we have been given in the forgiveness of our sins, and restoration of relationship with the Father. He represents those of us who live a life of dissatisfaction and disappointment based on certain things that haven't gone the way we think they should have, and we blame God. He represents those who expect the Father to answer their every prayer for self-indulgent things. He represents those who have a works mentality, who think they have to earn something that has already been given them. He represents the prideful who say, 'if God wants a relationship with me, He knows where I live and He can make Himself known to me'. He represents those of us who don't recognize that everything we have, even our very lives are a gift from the Father. He represents those of us who judge others, having lost all sense of our former or present day depravity, and the forgiveness we have been extended.

The really good news is that regardless of this all, the Father still goes out and meets him, pleading with him. The Father loves us all; regardless of our attitudes, our mis-information, our judgements against Him, or the deception we live under. The Father loves us all! He will do everything He can, in addition to everything he has already done, to win our hearts back to Him.

So my one encouragement today is to not be the older son! I have been given the greatest gift, have the most generous and loving Father, and His desire is for a loving and intimate relationship with me. I need to check my heart motives, my thoughts and expectations and make sure that none of the older son's attitudes live in me!

## Freedom From Sin And Death - 2014-04-18 05:25

The verses for today are from Luke 23:20-23, 25-46 NIV:

[20] "Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. [21] But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

[22] For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."

[23] But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. [25] He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

[26] As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. [27] A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.

[28] Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. [29] For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' [30] Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' [31] For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

[32] Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. [33] When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals---one on his right, the other on his left.

[34] Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

[35] The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One."

[36] The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar [37] and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

[38] There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.

[39] One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

[40] But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? [41] We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." [42] Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "

[43] Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

[44] It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, [45] for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

[46] Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last."

There is not much to write, but much to think about, for Jesus suffered these things that our sins might be forgiven, and our relationships to the Father might be restored. He took our sins upon himself, paid the price with His body and blood. He died that we might live eternally.

I am reminded of verses from the Letter to the Hebrews 2:14-17 NIV:

[14] "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death---that is, the devil--- [15] and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. [16] For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. [17] For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

Lord, I am certainly not worthy, but I thank You for setting me free from sin and death by Your sacrifice.

## He Is Not Here, He Has Risen! - 2014-04-20 07:55

This morning I was looking at two sets of verses, recounting the happenings around Jesus crucifixion and Resurrection, as follows:

Matthew 27:51-54 NIV:

[51] "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split [52] and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. [53] They came out of the tombs after Jesus' resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. [54] When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

-and -

Matthew 28:1-10 NIV:

[1] "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. [2] There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. [3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. [4] The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

[5] The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. [6] He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. [7] Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

[8] So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. [9] Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. [10] Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

I was just reading back through these verses and the angel's statement to the women just grabbed me - "He is not here, He has Risen, just as He said!" That is such an awesome statement, my heart just resonates with that proclamation! That is the proclamation the church is making today! Our God is not dead! He is alive!

Amen and Hallelujah!

## Hades is For Real - 2014-04-22 06:05

The meditation this morning is from Luke 16:19-31 NIV:

[19] "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. [20] At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores [21] and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

[22] "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. [23] In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. [24] So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

[25] "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. [26] And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

[27] "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, [28] for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

[29] "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

[30] " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

[31] "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

The first thing I thought of this morning as I read these verses was that Hell/Hades is for real - a play on the title of the recently released movie, "Heaven is for Real". One could possibly try to ignore hell, just not believe in hell, or believe that no one is going to hell, it Jesus makes it quite clear in these verses that there is a place where torment exists after death. He describes Hades as a place of fire and a place of separation from God and that which is good and satisfies.

The Hades He is speaking about is commonly believed to be the holding place of the dead, prior to Jesus' death and resurrection. This is not the final Hell, or lake fire, as described in Revelation 20:13-15 NIV: "The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. [14] Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. [15] Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." For a fuller treatment of this, see David Guzick's discussion at: http://classic.studylight.org/com/guz/view.cgi?book=lu&chapter=16&verse=23#Lu16_24">

Regardless of how Hades is defined, Jesus is speaking about eternal destinies affected by our lives here on the earth. This is something we need to pay attention to, for we only get one life. I think the final verse is interesting, considering we just celebrated Jesus' resurrection. There are those who will not believe "even if someone rises from the dead."

It's important to note that those who wouldn't believe had heard the prophets and Moses proclaimed. The Lord is not one to hand out random punishment, to unknowing individuals. We, thus, know more about the rich man as well. He had heard the Prophets and Moses teachings proclaimed, yet his life was unchanged, and he ignored the commandments and scriptures, choosing instead to live a life of selfishness, self-focus, and greed, for he wouldn't share anything with the poor man who he passed at his gate. That he knew Lazarus is clear, so we see that his choice to ignore his need was part of the issue. Jesus speaks of the lost and hungry and poor in Matt 25:41-46, and how one's ignoring their need will affect one's eternal destiny, as described in this parable.

So let us examine our lives. Let us notice and care for those around us in need. Let us set our hearts on something other than our own selfish desires, and let us consider our eternal destinies.

## A Glorious Inheritance - 2014-04-23 06:00

The verses for my morning meditation are taken from Paul's letter to the Romans 5:1-11 NIV:

[1] "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And 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.

[6] You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

[9] Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! [10] For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! [11] Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

There is so much to think about in these verses. Conversations about sufferings, grace, faith, salvation, redemption, justification, and the like. Each topic could be a book.

The first theme that comes to mind, as I let these verses resonate within me, is the difference a mindset and heart connection towards the Lord can make as we experience our life. I was thinking about a normal response to suffering, and how it doesn't usually lead to hope, but often times anger and bitterness.

The Greek word, here translated suffering, can also more accurately be translated as pressure, oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits. The root of the word is a word which is used to describe the pressing of grapes. Paul speaks about glorying in these situations. I think a more common response in these situations is 'why me, Lord?'.

In a person, whose heart is fully connected to Christ, whose mind is set on Him and eternal life together with Him, trials and suffering can take on a completely different color. The heart connected to the Lord in intimate relationship, understands that the trials and struggles of life are opportunities to grow closer to the Lord, and see His love expressed and experienced. It doesn't mean the struggles will be easy, but that result will be good, and there will be a pouring forth of His love into their hearts. Not that these people become masochists, enjoying the suffering, but rather they allow the experience to drive them deeper into the Lord's embrace, and in that place experience great hope and love.

The second thought concerns verse 8, that the Lord died for me while I was still a sinner. This is true for us all, as God, with His eternal perspective, knows us all, understands all our sin, and yet chooses us as His sons and daughters. There is no earning of His love, no deeds we do that qualify us, no cleaning up our act to gain entrance, but rather His sovereign choice and accomplishment. He chooses and acts, and we receive, by way of faith and relationship. This never ceases to amaze me, this gift of God, this salvation that is freely given, this desire for relationship with me.

The equally amazing thing is that the gift of salvation doesn't end with the payment for our sins, but culminates in a life of blessing and intimacy. He doesn't just want to see us debt-free, but wants us to live as sons and daughters of the King! He calls us co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17), and as such we have the same glorious inheritance, except He doesn't have to die that we might receive this inheritance. Jesus already did die, and now He lives, and we can share this glorious inheritance with Him every day, here and eternally. As Paul writes in Romans 8:31-32: "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

Amen and amen, we serve an awesome God. Let us embrace Him and go deeper in relationship, allowing our lives to be transformed and our hearts to be filled with His love.

## Drink for the Thirsty, Food for the Hungry - 2014-04-24 05:57

This morning I felt I should read from Psalm 107:1-9NIV:

[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.

[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."

The whole of Psalm 107 is a wonderful song about the faithfulness of the Lord, regardless of the situation a person finds themselves in, whether wilderness, chains, sickness, near death, or on the sea in a sinking ship. The Lord is faithful to hear and act.

The first verses speak of someone in the wilderness who is hungry and thirsty. Although this speaks of a physical reality, I believe it can equally apply to our spiritual condition. I know there have been a few times in my life when I felt completely and utterly alone, lost, dry as a bone, and starving - spiritually. The Lord has been faithful to meet there and help me to find my way forward. It says that "He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle", indicating His desire to settle us, and the importance of others.

Finally, "He satisfies the thirst, and fills the hungry with good things" which is exactly want we need at that moment. This is a promise of provision and comfort, physically and more importantly, spiritually. I know that we can be full physically and absolutely starving spiritually, and I think that is unfortunately the case for many people in our land. We have a bounty available to us of fresh water and food, and yet we hunger and thirst for more of God. For many of us, we are not even aware of our need. John writes about this condition in the Book of Revelations - 3:17-18: "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. [18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

So let us cry out to the Lord, and seek Him. He is faithful to satisfy our thirst and still our hunger. He is what we need. Let us heed His invitation from Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV: "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. [2] Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."

\- And again in John 6:53-57 NIV: "Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. [55] For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. [56] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. [57] Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me."

He is the source for everything we need - drink and eat and be satisfied.

## A Culture of Honesty - 2014-04-25 05:57

I felt like I should read from James 5 this morning and I settled on these verses for my meditation - James 5:13-16 NIV:

[13] "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. [14] Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. [16] Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

I was just thinking about how these four verses define the simple, yet healthy culture of the church of James' day. There was a real power to prayer, experienced in their midst. They shared joy, sadness, troubles and helped each other. They had a healthy attitude towards each other, recognizing that they were all sinners, but that the Lord's forgiveness and healing was for them all. There is evident a healthy transparency, a simpleness to just being who they are and what they are experiencing. There is a trust in each other, and reliance on one another, not out of desperate need, but out of relationship. One gets the feeling that there is a culture of honesty - people are free to be honest, not putting on airs, not trying to act a certain way, not trying to appear religious, not trying to impress one another or their leaders - people just being honest with who they are and how they feel.

Oh Lord, that You would help the church today to live and operate with this type of culture. That the world would see a place of complete honesty, mercy, grace, life and healing, and that You the source of all of this would be glorified!

## Of Exercise, Faith and Deeds - 2014-04-27 05:56

This morning I felt led to read from James again. This morning's verses and meditations are from James 2:14-18, 22-24, 26 NIV:

[14] "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

[18] But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

[22] You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. [23] And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. [24] You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

[26] As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

These verses remind me of something that Randy Clark and Bill Johnson talk about when praying for healing, they ask people to activate their faith, by trying out the movement that they couldn't previously do, after they have been prayed for. They say that about half the people who they pray for don't feel anything, but when they try to move the part find they are healed and sometimes are healed only when they move the part.

In light of these scriptures, if I applied them to healing, that makes perfect sense. As James says in verse 26, "faith without deeds is dead." The Greek word here translated deeds, is Ergon, related to the word which is the root of Ergonomics, study of movement. Ergon means work, deeds, employment, moving for a reason and purpose. In the case of prayer for healing the request to "move" the part of the body that was just prayed for makes perfect sense.

In other areas of our life, I think Lord wants to highlight this as well. We could rephrase these verses into simply - 'if we say we believe something, then our actions must support our statement, otherwise we don't really believe that something'. If I say I care about the homeless but do nothing to show that, then I am only saying I like the idea of caring about the homeless, but personally don't believe in it. James's statement is really an equation that works both ways - faith and deeds/works are mutually dependent on each other. Faith requires deeds to stay alive, deeds without faith becomes self-serving.

Recently the Lord is encouraging me to look at my life, and see what I really believe, by proof of my actions. He is not leading me down this path to make me feel bad, and to beat me for disobedience, but rather to help me grow my faith. There is much I believe intellectually, that is kept barely alive by the limited actions associated with that belief. He wants to see my faith grow, and is showing me the path forward. He is like a strength training coach, who is describing the process of building muscle and it requires movement, or work. If I want to grow the muscles in my arms, leg exercises won't help, I must exercise/move the parts that I want to grow.

So putting this into simple terms, if I want grow in faith for healing than I need to start praying for people who need healing. If I want to grow in my faith and knowledge of the Word, I need to study the Word, and seek out teachers who know the Word. If I want to grow in my faith in my ability to represent the Kingdom of God, then I need to be in conversations with people who aren't in the Kingdom, helping them to see the difference Jesus makes in my life. If I want to grow in my faith and knowledge of the ways of God, in knowing what He is like and what He will do, I need to study His words and actions (scripture) and listen to others who know Him better than I do. If I say I want to grow in my faith, than I need to allow the Lord to put me in places that require greater faith.

Finally, our actions should be with purpose driven by a desire to grow in our faith, not just because someone else is doing them. When we do works and deeds without a faith connection, we are often times doing them for recognition or some other self-serving reason. When I first got involved with a retreat ministry, I served really well, setting up and tearing down chairs, moving tables, packing, unpacking, all without complaining or anyone asking me to help. From the outside it looked like I was an exemplary humble servant, on the inside, I was doing it to convince people of my maturity, and was hiding from having to talk to anyone about anything important. I was motivated by fear; fear that they would see my actual immaturity and fear of man, those I didn't know. I wasn't doing the work, because of my desire to grow in faith in my ability to show mercy and compassion, or service to others.

If we want to grow in our faith in an area, that is excellent, because that desire ultimately was birthed in God's heart for us. We should ask Him how to grow in that particular area. If we go to a gym and want to start exercising, we should probably talk to someone to show us how to use the machines, how to maintain proper form, and even build a plan that will help us grow, without injuring ourselves. In the same way, God will help us grow and mature. He doesn't want us to flame out and fail, but rather wants to grow us and mature us with optimal results. If I go to the gym and try to lift 500lbs the first day I will likely fail, and may not come back to the gym. In the same way if I want to grow in faith for healing, and the first person I pray for has cancer and doesn't get healed, I may never pray for another person, and my faith, that little bit of faith that I had for healing will dry up.

Also, deeds by themselves won't make our faith grow. I had a friend who wanted to grow in his faith for healing, and one day while driving down the road, he threw his glasses out the window. His thought was that by wearing glasses he was showing he didn't have faith, and so was trying to exercise his faith, or create faith for healing by tossing his glasses. His heart was in the right place, but his approach might not have been what the Lord wanted, nor what He was telling him to do. He was trying to lift 500lbs, thus creating faith and didn't succeed. Ultimately he had to go back to wearing glasses, and his faith in healing was probably weakened. I know the Lord can heal eyes, I have personally seen Him restore sight to a blind man through prayers, so it wasn't that the Lord wasn't able to heal him. The Lord does want us all to grow in our faith for all this, and He will guide us and grow us. He also doesn't mind or discourage us from trying to lift the 500lbs, but He doesn't want us to stop believing because we can't.

His charge for us all is the same as the charge He gave the Apostles, "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." Matt. 10:7-8

So my encouragement this morning is to allow the Lord to guide me to the areas of faith that need to grow. I then need to allow Him to show me how, expecting Him to be better than the best athletic trainer, because He knows everything about me. I know He wants me to grow in my faith, and He will give me plenty of ways to exercise my faith through movement/exercise, works and deeds.

Amen Lord, let's do this!

## A Sin Exchange - 2014-04-28 06:12

The meditation this morning is from Luke 7:36-38 NIV:

[36] "When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. [37] 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. [38] 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."

-and -

Luke 7:44-48 NIV

[44] 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. [45] You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. [47] Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven---as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

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

I was thinking this morning about the women's motivation and purpose in coming to Jesus. She is clearly on a mission from the start, for she showed with a jar of perfume. She had lived a sinful life, the consensus is that she prostituted herself; she brings her perfume, which was likely one of the tools of her trade, and pours it on Jesus' feet. She weeps at His feet, wetting his feet with her tears then dries His feet with her hair, also likely one of the tools of her trade. We know of no other specific interaction between this woman and Jesus and yet she comes, drawn to Him, unafraid of the opinions of others.

I am reminded of stories I have read of revivals where the people of towns come running forward to the altar, confessing their sins in front of all their towns-folk, but under such a sweet Spirit of repentance, they are almost unaware, and certainly don't care what others think. I think there was probably a similar unction of the Holy Spirit upon this woman. She knew she had nothing to fear from the Lord, and that what was available was freedom from her sins, and forgiveness for all. She laid her sinful life at His feet and received His love and forgiveness in return. He wasn't repulsed by her sin, didn't reject her touch, but accepted her. He did a great work in her life that day, and she was certainly changed.

So often we are afraid to come to God in our sin, and yet we never see Jesus reject a truly repentant sinner. He extends forgiveness and mercy to all, and He draws these people out of their sinful lives into His Kingdom of Light. He sets them free from the chains that have bound them, and restores their dignity. Their lives are changed, they are saved and redeemed. Our natural inclination is to run away from God in our shame and sinfulness, but running to Him is the right decision and action. He is willing to exchange our sinfulness for salvation, our wretchedness with a new life, and our chains for freedom.

Lord I pray that You will quicken our hearts for repentance, that we might be cleansed, healed, and set free. Thank You for Your mercy, compassion and forgiveness.

## Hard Choices and Stumbling Blocks - 2014-04-30 06:27

This morning I felt led to read from John 6:60-69 NIV:

[60] On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

[61] Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? [62] Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! [63] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you---they are full of the Spirit and life. [64] Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. [65] He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them."

[66] From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

[67] "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

[68] Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. [69] We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God."

These are some very interesting verses, for we see many who once followed Jesus becoming offended and leaving. They were offended by His teaching about being the Bread of Life, and about being the Son who came down from Heaven, and how they need to eat His body and drink His blood. This was very confusing and challenging, and rather than press in to understand, the people became offended. The Greek word here is Skandalizo, which is where we get our word scandal. The word literally means to cause someone to stumble or trip, to impede their path.

Looking at this from the people's perspective, Jesus had been healing people, casting out demons, multiplying food to feed multitudes and teaching with real authority. He was completely different than other teachers and He offered so much blessing, He was attracting people from all over. It is clear that many of the people were following Him for what they could experience and receive from Him. Everything was going well, and then He started teaching about being the Bread of Life. One can imagine if this happened in our world today, how quickly people would turn on Him if He said one thing that didn't make sense, or was challenging. We are attracted to what pleases us, but the moment that changes we are willing to leave everything and move on to something new.

I think this is often the case for many of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, those who have given their lives to the Lord at some point. They have a glorious experience initially, but then something challenges their thinking or belief or behavior, and they quickly abandon this new faith for something different or less challenging. Maybe the excitement wears off and something new catches their eye. This is sad because they never really came to understand who the Lord really is, nor His call to them and His desire for relationship. When Jesus asked the 12 if they were going to leave, they answered that they knew who He was and would continue to follow Him, because His words brought eternal life. That is the transition that we all need to make, we need to understand who Jesus really is, and respond to Him accordingly. We need to answer the question that Jesus asked the 12 in Luke 9:20, "Who do you say I am?" Then we need to look at our lives and see if our actions align with our belief.

Relationships always give us the opportunity to look at our lives and see areas for change. The question is whether we are willing to change? This is often the root cause for divorce, selfishness and unwillingness to change one's ways to accommodate another. These opportunities for change are potential stumbling blocks, things that can cause us to trip up. The question is always whether change is worth it, are we willing to make the hard choice? Do we value the other person more than our own opinion or behavior? This is the same question we confront in our relationship with the Lord, is He more important to us than our ideas, opinions or behavior?

The good news is that the Lord is patient, forgiving and always faithful. He is constantly drawing us toward Him, and will never abandon us, even if we abandon Him. We may outright deny Him, yet He will take us back, and continue to reach out to us until we do. The story of Peter's denial and then restoration in John's gospel are so encouraging in this regard (See John Chapters 18 & 21).

Ultimately, who else has the Words of Eternal life, loves us unconditionally and has given His life for us? So let us not stumble over things we do not understand, or challenge our thinking or lifestyle, but let us press in to know Christ as our Messiah, our Savior and Lord.

# 2014 – May

## Representing the Father - 2014-05-02 05:48

This morning I felt like I should read from John 14:6-14 NIV:

[6] Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

[8] Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

[9] Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

I was reading back through these verses today, and as is always the case, I saw something that caught my eye that I have read before, but that now stands out and requires some additional thought and recognition. Jesus makes an incredible statement in verse 9. He says, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." In other words, if you want to know what the Father is like just look at Jesus. He is the exact representative of the Father (Heb. 1:3).

That is one of the reasons I spend so much time in the Gospels, where I can see and come to understand Jesus, and thus the Father. As Bill Johnson, one of my favorite authors, says "Jesus is perfect Theology". If you want to study God, study Jesus - He is the perfect representation of God.

I have heard that there are people who don't read the bible because all they see is an angry God. Clearly the emotions and actions ascribed to God in the Old Testament can make Him sound that way at times, but the culmination of all revelation about God is found in Jesus. Thus, when we endeavor to judge what God is like, we must consider the revelation of Jesus life as the final example. I have read several authors who describe the Bible as progressive revelation about God, starting in the Old Testament, and ending in Jesus. The New Testament being then, the further explanation and understanding of what Jesus revealed, as it is applied to our lives. Finally the Holy Spirit continues to reveal God's character to us, through His inner ministry to our hearts and minds.

Also, very important to note verse 11, where Jesus says, even if you don't believe me, at least believe in the works themselves (miracles). These miracles were meant to validate Jesus' ministry, as proof that He was from the Father and was revealing the heart of the Father. The Greek word here is Ergon, which interestingly is the same word that James uses in his writing about faith and works, which I recently wrote about. When using the word Ergon, Jesus is referring to that which He did, that which He demonstrated (miracles, signs and wonders, and love and mercy), and was proof of His revelation of the Father, or that He was from the Father. In the same way, our invitation to do the same works and then actually doing these works is meant to help us validate that we represent the Father as well.

I think one of the issues of the church today is that we see too few "works" and way too much talk, judgement and religion. The world's not convinced that we represent the Father. The world needs to be convinced that we represent the Father not by our words, but by our works. As James says,"...I will show you my faith by my deeds (works)." (James 2:18b)

Amen Lord, help us to faithfully represent You. Help us to learn to do the same works You did, and greater still (John 14:12)!

## Struggles and Persecutions - A Right Mindset - 2014-05-03 07:39

This morning I felt like I should read from Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. These verses are interesting in focus - 1 Thessalonians 3:2-5 NIV:

[2] "We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, [3] so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. [4] In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. [5] For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain."

The issue that Paul is discussing here is the persecution and struggles that they were experiencing, and the response of the people in Thessaloniaca upon hearing about those struggles. Paul understood that the message of the Gospel, the Good News) can sometimes become confused with a message of - 'only good things will happen now that they have experienced salvation'. In our modern church we have the proponents of the prosperity gospel which is somewhat related. There is a false belief that the signs of God's favor are directly tied to physical blessings. Boiling this thought down to a simplification - If a person is blessed financially than God loves them, if not, then they are likely in sin somehow. Paul is speaking about persecution, but the thinking can be the same.

The other thought line is accusing God of not protecting His sons and daughters and somehow becoming offended at God. This is often the thought of those going through struggles or difficulty. I know if I am in a difficult situation, I am tempted to think this way, and it's a very dangerous path. We know that satan is the accuser, we find his lies laid out and exposed even in the story of Adam and Eve, and he is always accusing God. Thinking that God is causing trouble is a complete lie concerning the nature or ability of God, and it is rooted in the thought that God is somehow like us. Nothing could be further from the truth; we are like God, not the other way around. He is all-powerful, all-knowing and always loving and good. The struggles we find ourselves in are not rooted in the plans of God, but rather in the sinfulness of human kind, and the efforts of the enemy to destroy and kill the things of God.

Paul was right to teach people that difficult times would come, persecutions would come, and we are all likely destined for similar experiences. This might not sound like Good News, but that is a very limited view. We have an eternal destiny. We have a God who has paid the price for our sinfulness, who has made a way for us to Heaven, who has come to live in us, who provides His power and understanding to us, and who is always with us, even in the midst of struggle. We have the unique opportunity to be co-heirs with Christ and His representatives of the Kingdom. We are called to do the same things Jesus demonstrated, and see God work through us in power and authority. Our lives will make a significant difference in the world. Anyone who is a world changer knows that there will be those that resist and struggles to overcome. We are not called to a life of ease and comfort, but rather of power and significance.

Amen Lord, help us and strengthen us.

## Scripture and Revelation - 2014-05-04 07:07

Last night one of the topics we discussed was interpreting the Bible, and how to read it and understand it. One of the things that I believe, and that is demonstrated literally in scripture, is the progressive nature of the revelation about God found in scripture. In other words, if you don't fully understand who God is and what He is like, you may not be able to perfectly and accurately communicate His motivation for His actions. We know this is experience personally, as I know there are many times my perspective about a person's actions and motivation completely changes once I get to know them. This is clearly the case with our parents as we grow up and gains a more mature perspective of their actions and motivations, we come to understand why they did what they did, and often find ourselves doing the same or very similar things, things we might have detested as a child.

In the same way the authors of scripture, especially the Old Testament were growing in their understanding of God and their language reflects that growing revelation. When I read my journals from years ago, I see many areas where I have grown in my understanding and knowledge of the ways of God. This doesn't negate my earlier views, or what I felt that God was saying to me at the time, for God knew my mind, knew how I thought about Him and related to me in ways that I could understand. As I have matured, I have adjusted my thoughts to more closely align to what He has revealed to me. He hasn't changed; it is my thinking that has changed. How He addresses me has changed, as well, as I have grown. Again, using the example of parents and children, I don't talk to my son, now that he is 23, like I did when he was three. Conversely, I didn't talk to him like a young-adult when he was three. My language and conversation with him has changed as he has grown and matured. One could argue that I have changed and that is why I talk differently to my son, and that is true of me, but that is not true of God. He is I Am. He is the same always. He is the one who was, who is and is to come. He is the same today as always and eternally He will be.

So as we read the scriptures, we must understand that our understanding over time can change. We also must understand that the revelation the authors had in the Old Testament was limited. As I wrote a couple of days ago, Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father and we must always interpret the Old Testament through the revelation of Jesus. Also, we must understand that we will never fully comprehend or understand God fully, for His ways are above our ways and His thoughts are above our thoughts (paraphrase of Isaiah 55). That being said, we also must understand that God knows our limitations and has mercy on us, and speaks to us within the limitations of our understanding.

Applying this to scripture interpretation, we can see the evidence of limited understanding in the response of both the disciples and the Pharisees to the revelation provided by Jesus. One of the reasons the Pharisees didn't accept Jesus is that He didn't fit their expectations of the messiah. They had studied scripture and knew the prophecies concerning the Messiah, yet totally misunderstood the real meaning of those prophecies. The disciples were constantly thinking that Jesus was going to overthrow the Romans and establish His kingdom here on earth. Again, these thoughts were based on the revelation or understanding they had at the time.

Another great example is the revelation of the throne of God, as described in scripture. The perspective changes from Isaiah to Ezekiel to John in the Book of Revelations (Isaiah 6:1-13, Ezekiel 1:1-28, Revelations 1:9-20) One thing that doesn't change is their inability to describe with words, what they experienced and saw. The best they can do is say it is like something else we can understand. One day we will see for ourselves and then our revelation of Heaven will be much better than it is now.

So how do we approach the reading of scripture? How do we work within the constraints of our own limited understanding? How do we deal with others who think differently or teach differently? First we must settle in our hearts that Scripture is part of God's revelation of who He is to us. What is written is the Word of God. This is not the complete revelation of who God is, for words cannot possibly or adequately describe the eternal, infinite creator of all things. We must read the Old Testament with an understanding of who God is, as revealed by Jesus. We must read, seek to understand, and prayerfully meditate on the Word of God, for this must become our frame of reference for our interactions with God, His conversations with us. We must give others the grace to be on the same journey of revelation that we are on, recognizing that there are those further along in their revelation of God, and those just starting out. We must learn to dive deeper into who God is, knowing how He thinks, how He acts and how He loves us and others. We must mediate on the life of Jesus, for He is the perfect revelation of the Father.

Arguing about certain words, certain ideas and facts contained in scripture, while sometimes helpful, really distracts us from the real purpose, that of revealing to us the nature and character of God. That doesn't mean we don't try to understand the correct interpretation of the words, don't endeavor to clearly understand the truth contained in Scripture, or don't believe and understand all that is written in Scripture. What is does mean is that our study must always lead us to Him, to understanding Him. If we are stumbling over something that we don't understand, move on and the Lord will bring you back to that point later, when you can understand it. It is impossible to intellectually know all about Scripture and settle everything in our mind, without knowing God, and that is the whole purpose of Scripture, to bring us to relationship with Him.

So let us pursue God together, encouraging each other, sharing with each other our revelations of God, and give each other grace t think differently and understand differently from each other. Let us dive into scripture with the purpose of coming into deeper relationship with God. Let us pursue God in relationship, knowing that He is pursuing us.

## Thoughts On Sin And Forgiveness - 2014-05-05 06:24

The meditation for today is on Psalm 51:1-17 NIV:

[1] "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

[2] Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

[3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

[4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

[5] Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

[6] Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

[7] Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

[8] Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

[9] Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

[10] Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

[11] Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

[12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

[13] Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

[14] Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

[15] Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

[16] You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

[17] My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."

This is such a beautiful Psalm, and it is surprising to me in a few ways. It was written by David after his adultery with Bathsheba, and murder of Uriah. Most of the verses are actually focused on the mercy of God and his forgiveness, rather than wretchedness of David himself as a sinner, adulterer and murderer. He has a simple recognition of his sin, and the reality of the seriousness. David acknowledges his sin and his state, in verse 4 he writes, "...so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge." David isn't trying to blame shift, to side-step his own guilt, but when confronted He admitted and recognized his sin, and the fact that he rightfully deserved judgement.

Another interesting note is that David did not try to earn his way back into favor. There is not action plan of redemption, no re-earning the Lord's trust, but rather a simple acknowledgment, and contrition for his sins. Most of the heavy-lifting in this situation was on God's side. David knew there was nothing he could do to re-earn His trust, or to earn His forgiveness, rather he depended on God's compassion and loving kindness.

I was just thinking about forgiveness and the incredible gift that it is in our lives. Forgiveness from God and forgiveness from one another. There is a conscious choice that is made to cancel the debt of sin, to restore relationship and to choose love. Sorrow and contrition are important on the one side, the sinner's side, but the one who has been sinned against must choose to forgive. Forgiveness is not so much a feeling, as an active, conscious choice. The feeling of forgiveness seems to me to be the restoration of relationship and renewal of trust, or the healing of the wound caused by the sin.

One other note, forgiveness is not always about sin, but can also be related to unintentional wounding. Again, the one who wounds another must express sorrow and contrition, but that is usually after they have been confronted, or made aware of how they hurt someone else. We can easily hurt someone and be completely unaware. Our words can be received completely differently than they were meant, we can interfere, cause trouble, fall short of expectations, all without any conscious knowledge.

In the same way we can actually be sinning in many areas of our lives and be completely unaware, due to a lack of knowledge, or understanding. When we first come to the Lord, we have little or no knowledge of His purpose or plans for our life, nor of His law or will. In the same way when we first enter into any relationship, we don't know the other person's sensitive areas, where they are easily wounded or hurt. We may be doing something that is completely wrong, and not know it at all. One of the things that is interesting in reading the Catholic saints, especially those that focus on the internal struggle, the closer they get to God the more they are aware of their own sinfulness. They become aware of things they have been doing wrong their entire life, but until they have revelation from God, they had no idea. I find this is the case in all our lives, the deeper we go in the Lord, the more areas He touches and the more areas we understand need to change, because we are outside His will for us. We could just choose to never grow deeper and thus remain unaware, nor is this an invitation to remain naive about sin in our life. In reality we must understand the flow of revelation, and how it related to an awareness of sin, and the see the grace we must extend to ourselves and others as we potentially all operate at different levels of revelation.

Another important thought, there is a huge difference between the sins that we knowingly commit and those we commit unknowingly. Sin is sin, and the Greek word that is most often translated as sin, actually means to miss the mark. In other words, anytime we miss the mark, miss God's will or purpose, we are sinning. Sometimes we knowingly are sinning, other times we are sinning, missing the mark, and have no idea. The Catholic description of sins had something called venial sins, sins that were not serious. I think this is somewhat related to those sins that we are unconsciously committing, although not completely as we could be committing some serious sin, just completely unaware that it is sin. Anyway, I think the Lord, considers our heart, our conscious choice, in the same way that we would consider the conscious choice a loved one or acquaintance makes in doing something they know will hurt us, but still chooses to do that very thing. It is the conscious choice to sin that I think the Lord considers serious, for this is outright rebellion and rejection. We may not think we are trying to hurt God, but we are saying we don't want to follow him, or that we like anther plan for our life better than His.

Lord, my desire is to live my life within Your plan and purpose for me, as well as to live in such a way that I am not hurting others. Help me to grow in revelation, and strength of will to consciously choose the right path always.

## Light To The Lost - 2014-05-07 06:01

The verse for meditation this morning comes from the Gospel of Mark 2:13-17 NIV:

[13] "Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. [14] As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

[15] While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

[17] On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

These verses are so encouraging, in that we see Jesus openly ministering among the sinners. Last Sunday we were talking about how Jesus is not offended by or uncomfortable with sinners. He is not looking for the perfect, the person with their act together, the one who is convinced of their own righteousness by way of some works or religious observance (Pharisee), rather He is looking for those who need forgiveness. He was sent for all who are sinners, and that being the case is totally at home among them.

I remember another meditation I had concerning these verses, or similar ones, that Jesus went to the sinner's homes. He did experience many of them coming to him to hear Him speak, but He also went to their houses and visited with them and their friends. He was not willing to let them come to Him; he went to where they lived. If the church is going to effectively represent Jesus, we need to learn to do the same.

There is sometimes a focus in the church on separating ourselves from the world, making sure that the world doesn't influence us, that we might be holy and pure. The focus can become so extreme, that there becomes a fear of associating with sinners lest some of their sinfulness taint us. I think Jesus clearly demonstrated that this was not His ministry style, nor should it be ours.

I am so grateful that Jesus called me while I was yet a sinner, and that is the case for all of us, we were called while we were yet sinners. The church must learn to do the same, and must learn to be comfortable around sinners, that they might see the light of love that burns within us. We must learn to visit them where they live, to show them their significance, and lead them to the life that is eternal. As Jesus says, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matt 5:16NIV.

## The Least of These... - 2014-05-08 06:35

This morning the verses for meditation come from Matthew 25:31-33, 41-46 NIV:

[31] "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. [32] 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. [33] He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

[41] "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. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, [43] 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.'

[44] "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?'

[45] "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.' [46] "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

The focus of the Ignatian exercises I have been going through for the last few weeks has been on my own selfishness and sinfulness, never fun topics, and I think something we spend less time thinking about than we should. I know in my life, maybe because I am an optimist, liking to focus on the positive things, I spend very little time thinking about my own actions and how they might affect me or others negatively. I spend even less time thinking about how my absence or lack of action might affect others or myself. The last 5 verses aren't even underlined in my Bible!

These verses are meant to make me think, make me examine my life and see how my perspective is not the same as the Lord's, so that I can change to take on His perspective, and more importantly His actions. Yesterday I was looking at Jesus' comments about being sent to the sinners and being a light to those in darkness. In these verses, He takes the conversation up a notch and identifies the eternal significance of our actions, or lack of action. In Catholic services we ask forgiveness for the things we have done and the things we have failed to do, and that is exactly what Jesus is pointing to here.

There are plenty of good ministries out there that allow us to get involved with the "least of these" making a difference in many lives and enabling us to follow Jesus example. These are great opportunities and things we should support with our time, actions and money. I think that Jesus wouldn't stop there though, but would press on with us to see our hearts truly changed, that ministry to the least of these would flow naturally out of who we are and what we believe.

This is also not a command to do everything for everyone, for not even Jesus did that. When He healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, He walked right by a room of sick people. He did what the Father showed Him to do, and so should we. The charge is more to do that which the Father shows us to do, to actually ask for direction and then act upon the direction. Finally it is about our heart. Care of others comes from our own sense of gratitude and understanding how much we have been given. As Jesus says, "freely we have received, so freely give" (Matt 10:8). Our heart and our actions should be in unison, and our actions most effectively show what we really believe - James 2 paraphrase.

Lord help me to look at my life and recognize the opportunities for change, and then act on those opportunities. Help me to see the "least of these" and recognize their significance and treat them as I would treat You.

## Mother's Day - I am Blessed - 2014-05-11 06:03

A fitting set of verses for today from Proverbs 31:10-12, 15, 20, 22, 25-31 NIV:

[10] "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

[11] Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

[12] She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

[15] She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

[20] She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

[22] She makes coverings for her bed (I assume this means quilting); she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

[25] She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

[26] She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

[27] She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

[28] Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

[29] "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

[30] Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

[31] Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

I must say that I am exceptionally blessed to have both a Mother and a wife who have noble character, and have blessed me and loved me.

My mother has been a great source of inspiration in my life. She is one who worked every day to feed and nourish her family, who was always there to love and comfort us, who taught us the value of family, the value of discipline and dedication, creativity in the kitchen, successful parenting. She sewed, cooked, cleaned, did the laundry, often in less than modern environments, and yet she always amazed me with her consistency, strength and love. Much of who I am today is because of my mother. Thank You Mom!

The rest of my refinement is due to my lovely wife, and mother of my children. She is truly one in a gazillion, and I am forever blessed. I am so blessed to have a wife who continues to amaze me daily with her love and care, her capacity for love and affection for all, her smile and generosity, her peaceful and sweet spirit, her dedication and loyalty, her strength and endurance, her listening and empathy, her love for the Lord, her sense of humor and willingness to laugh at herself, her care and concern for our children, her support of me, her encouragement, her resiliency, and her lovable personality. I have been married to her more than half my life and I couldn't be happier. Thank You sweetheart for all you do!

Thank You Lord for the gift of these amazing women in my life. I am a better man because of them, and I am blessed beyond measure.

## Overcoming a Lack of Belief - 2014-05-11 07:18

I felt led to read from Mark 9:21-25 this morning:

[21] "Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"

"From childhood," he answered. [22] "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

[23] "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."

[24] Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

[25] When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

I love the humility of the father's response in verse 24. I think this is true for all of us, we believe, but we can always grow more in our belief, because there is some level of unbelief in us. We haven't seen everything that God can do, and so when confronted with something new, some new need, we often respond in unbelief wondering if God could or would act - which is the same thing. We all can grow in our understanding and experience of the Lord, and the more we see the more we believe.

Adversely, some people take Jesus' statement in verse 23 and turn it into a theology that blames unanswered prayers on the belief of the individual who is praying. It is important to note that Jesus didn't require the father to belief any more before He healed the child, He didn't chastise the father for his lack of faith, rather He healed the boy and gave him to his father. I dare say that after that event the father had more belief than previously, and Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit had answered that man's prayer and helped him overcome his unbelief.

There are so many great examples of Jesus healing people, where their belief or faith is never mentioned. We often want to figure out some equation of action and belief that results in answered prayers every time, and the Lord just doesn't work that way. Sometimes, Jesus says your faith has a healed you, (Matt 9:22) sometimes He forgives sins (Matt 9:2), others times He never mentions sin or faith (Matt 8:15), one time He heals a blind man by touching him (Matt 9:29), another blind man by spitting in the dirt rubbing it in his eyes (John 9:6-7), another by spitting in his eyes (Mark 8:23-26). Sometimes Jesus heals all the sick that are brought to Him (Matt 8:16) and another time he walks into a room of sick people and heals one man (John 5:1-15). We are mistaken to try and develop a theology around one verse or one statement, as we must look at all the examples that Jesus gave us, and recognize that it is walking in perfect step with the Father that will increase our success in praying for people.

I love reading about some of the men and women who have had successful healing ministries. One of my favorites is John G. Lake, who ministered in the USA extensively in the late 1800's up to 1935. He had an amazing gift of healing, and as he got older and looked at his life and his desire to see everyone healed that he prayed for. He never saw that level of success and in explaining this, he stated, it must be within himself, not the people, that the faith or understanding was lacking, for Jesus healed everyone that was brought to Him, regardless of the level of faith, sin, or understanding. It is for this similar understanding that I love the statement of the father in verse 24, he believed, but he knew that he could grow in his belief. That is a very honest position to take. He didn't know what to do, but he knew the one who did. He didn't give up, helpless at his own lack of belief, but persisted out of love for his son.

We would be wise to take a similar approach in recognizing our own lack, and ask the Lord to help us overcome this in our lives.

## Obeying Into Weakness - 2014-05-12 06:32

Yesterday we were listening to a sermon by Bill Johnson where he was speaking about radical obedience and the effect it can have on our lives, and how the Lord responds. This morning, the verses I am reading are related as they are talking about obedience and God's ability in the midst of our lack or weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NIV:

[6] "Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, [7] or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [9] But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. [10] That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

This is another set of verses that most us would prefer were not in the Bible, if we were honest. Talking about one's weakness, one's embracing weakness, insults, hardships, difficulties and persecutions is not something we like to do. In fact our natural inclination is the opposite. We would rather boast about our awesome experiences in God and inspire people forward with stories of God's awesomeness, with our miraculous redemption from a former way of life, into the abundant blessings of God - none of which is bad. Paul, however, has recognized that there is a different level, an understanding of the nature of the God, and the limitations in our humanness that really only comes from the place of weakness or extreme need.

Again, just as a note - this kind of talk might not be welcome in the prosperity gospel crowd, or the word of faith crowd, as they often see weakness, difficulties, troubles and hardships as either the attack of the enemy or a sure sign that you are walking outside the will of God. The truth is that sometimes the Lord will use difficult times to teach us about His great love, mercy, compassion and provision. That is what Paul speaks of here, and what Bill Johnson was discussing as well. Bill was describing how sometimes the Lord calls us into place where our obedience leads us into uncomfortable places of need. It is important to note that he was speaking about obedience to a Word from God, not just poor judgement on our part.

The example that Bill used to describe this whole area came from 1 Kings 17, where Elijah was fed by a widow who had to give up her last bit of flour and oil, to receive a miraculous supply of flour and oil for the next year, for the jars never ran dry. My guess is that the jars didn't fill up either; they just always looked like they had just one meal left in them. Another great example of this is when the Lord asks the apostles to feed the crowds, and they ask a boy with some loaves and fish to give them up, which obviously was his own lunch, or dinner. In both of these examples the Lord invited the people to willingly step into hunger, into real need, prior to releasing His blessing. It is one thing to give out of the overflow or overabundance of our stuff; it is a completely different experience to give in such a way that we must now depend on the blessing of the Lord just to eat. As Paul recounts this, he provides the answer to his many questions with the statement the Lord gave them. The Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

For Paul, ultimately his obedience led to his being sent in chains to Rome, but in all that the Lord worked through him in power and authority. In Bill's case, the Lord gave him a word that He was going to provide Bill a new home, much larger than his present home, in response to that, and some additional guidance from the Lord, he and his wife gave away their old house, and ended up living in a smaller condo for three years before the Lord opened the way for them to move into the house that has been prophesied. The fruit of radical obedience is often a period of testing and trial and difficulty where they are tested in their belief in the Lord. From the outside, well-meaning brothers and sisters will say or think that the ones living out the radical obedience are crazy for doing what they did. Paul was a continually warned that his obedience would lead to him being bound and led where he didn't want to go, yet he persisted, because He had a word from the Lord. It is as if in every city Paul's dedication to following the express word of the Lord was tested. For the widow, it was every morning as she poured out the last bit of oil and flour, for Bill the testing was in being grateful for less than what he had, but still believing in the promised house.

On the other side, there will be those who out of religious fervor try to press the Lord into things He didn't say, by taking radical steps or actions. This is not an area to be taken lightly, or steps to take on just a single thought from the Lord, or single verse received in prayer. These are things the Lord draws us into, and often times warns us about ahead of time of the cost, things that even very mature believers will be challenged by. The Lord loves the one who is running after Him with fervor and passion, and I do not want to dissuade that in anyone, but rather am trying to provide some guidance. In my experience, if the Lord is calling someone to this place, He will make it very clear, and will often times provide warning statements as He did to Paul (Acts 20:22-24). That being said, there is a definite biblical precedence for this type of experience in the Lord, so let us encourage one another, give grace to those who are pressing into the Lord, and not judge those who are in the time between the promise and fulfillment of the promise. It is in these places of weakness and need that power of Christ will rest upon us (2 Cor 12:9).

## We Were Once Lost - 2014-05-13 06:55

This morning I am reading out of the Gospel of Luke 18:9-14 NIV:

[9] "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: [10] "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people---robbers, evildoers, adulterers---or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

[13] "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

[14] "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

When I read these verses, I am reminded of the verse from James 2:13, "Mercy triumphs over judgment." That is so clearly evident in this story, for the Pharisee comes before God judging others, while the tax-collector just pleads for mercy. One has misunderstood the heart of God, the other is aware of his need for a merciful God.

I think these verses demonstrate an important theme for all of us in the Body of Christ, namely that we must never lose sight of our own humble state. We would all be condemned if not for the gift of mercy, grace and forgiveness from the Lord. We would all be lost except that He called our names, and drew us out of the darkness and deception we lived under. We are the results of God's actions, not our own, and the only righteousness we have comes from Jesus. For us to look down on the lost, the lowly, the sinner, those who have not yet responded to the Lord, is foolish, for we were exactly like them, we were once lost.

Amen Lord, Thank You for Your mercy.

## Neither Do I Condemn - 2014-05-14 05:53

This morning the verses for reflection are from John 8:3-11 NIV:

[3] "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group [4] and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. [5] In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" [6] They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

[7] When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." [8] Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. [9] At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. [10] Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

[11] "No one, sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

I have always been intrigued by this story, as the situation was such a dangerous one for the Lord. As I think about it this morning, I can see the hand of Satan all over this trap, trying to accuse the God of being an angry, punishing God, trying to force Jesus' hand to either negate the law of Moses or to stand by and let this women be killed, and thus have blood on His hands. He did neither, and instead turned the question back on the accusers and they all left the scene - it was a brilliant, if nothing else, tactic.

More importantly, it was about the life and salvation of the woman. I think about another verse from John 3:17 where Jesus says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Jesus was demonstrating that truth here, not condemning her but saving her. He will judge all men, but this was not the time. Her life, like the life of every sinner, could still be redeemed, and she could repent and be saved. That was His invitation to her, and although we have no proof in scripture that she did repent and leave her life of sin, I certainly believe she did, for she had encountered the Son of God.

I am so encouraged by the mercy of God, by His individual care and concern, by His forgiveness and compassion, and by the fact that He took upon Himself, as Jesus, my sins, and paid for them all with His blood. In this case as well, He paid for her sin, and this helps to put a face on the sin and the payment required. Her punishment would have been stoning, a brutal and bloody way to die, and Jesus paid with His blood on the cross.

This payment and punishment is described in Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV:

[5] "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. [6] We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

And again in Colossians 2:13-14 NIV:

[13] "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross."

So, let us be grateful this day, for the forgiveness and mercy of God, for we had all gone astray, and every day we need His new mercies. Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV: [22] "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Amen!

## Bringing Back The Lost - 2014-05-15 05:50

The verses for meditation today come from the Gospel of Luke 15:1-7 NIV:

[1] "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. [2] But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

[3] Then Jesus told them this parable: [4] "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? [5] And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders [6] and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' [7] I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

I have always liked this story, and specifically the first two introductory verses, for they speak volumes about the attitude of Jesus toward the lost. As the Pharisees accurately said, "He welcomes sinners". Not only that, but He attracted them!

There are several churches that have taken up this model for church, being what is called seeker sensitive, and when I look at these verses, I can see the wisdom of the approach. We are meant to expand the Kingdom of God, and to do that we need to reach those that aren't in the Kingdom and to do that we need to find ways to attract them.

I don't know that personally I would want to go for that model of church, but the basics of what really must be included in all churches are clear, it is about relationship with Jesus, and drawing people relationally. They gathered to eat and drink, and talk, and listen. These are things that the vast majority of people in the world are comfortable doing, and these situations open the doors relationally. If I wanted to introduce one friend to another, I would do it over a meal or coffee, often times at home or in some public setting where both would be comfortable.

Where the seeker sensitive church approaches this thinking programmatically, I would approach it at a personal level. If we look at the directions that Jesus gave to the disciples when He sent them out, it was focused on establishing relationships, staying with the same person the whole time they were in the town - see the following verses:

Matthew 10:6-8, 11: "Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. [11] Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave."

The focus at that time was the lost sheep of Israel, and that is whom Jesus is speaking about in the verses we started out with from Luke. These are people who were raised with an understanding of God, a lifestyle of religion, but who didn't recognize Him, or understand the relational opportunity they had with God. They had lost their way, were starving and thirsty. He wanted to bring them back to the true source of life and nourishment. Later, first through Peter and then Paul, the Gospel message was expanded to include the gentiles, and for that I am eternally grateful.

So drawing this all together, at least in my mind, there is in the Lord a call to reach to those who are lost sheep of the church, those that once knew their way, were once part of the flock, but have now become lost or separated from the church (clearly not saying that reaching the lost, who never knew God, is a wrong focus). The heart of the Lord is certainly on them, and there is great rejoicing in the Heavens when one is brought back. The way to do it is through invitation and relationship, feasting and conversation. Showing them, allowing them to see there is more than religion, that there is rich relationship with the Lord.

If one wants to get really controversial, one could dig deeper into where the focus of the Lord was in this story, for it clearly wasn't with the 99 other sheep, but was focused on the lost one. I won't go there, but it does cause one to stop and ponder where should I be putting my focus? Clearly this is just one of many stories that Jesus shared, and as such cannot become a theological position on its own, but I do think there is a legitimate calling of the Lord to this type of ministry. His heart aches for the lost sheep, those who have lost their way, those who knew the Good Shepherd, but have somehow become separated and can no longer hear His voice.

Lord, help us to find the lost sheep and bring them back to You!

## A New Heart and Spirit - 2014-05-16 05:18

The verses for my reflection this morning are from Ezekiel 36:25-28 NIV:

[25] "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. [26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. [28] Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God."

As I read these verses, I am amazed at how much God does, and how little I need to do. He will cleanse, He will purify, He will put a new spirit within me, He will give me a new heart, He will put His Holy Spirit within me to move me, and I just need to cooperate. What a great deal! It is amazing that our flesh and will buck against this most awesome deal. Yet it is true, we don't want to be obedient, we long after things that are not good, not healthy, or downright sinful. We have the blessing of the Lord, passion for Him and His things available and yet we repeatedly choose the wrong path.

I don't know if it's really a consolation, knowing that the nations of Israel and Judah struggled with exactly the same issues. This really is a divine romance, or a sad divine comedy. God is constantly drawing us, wooing us, speaking gently to us, extending us mercy and forgiveness. He has beautiful plans for us, purpose and destinies, and He offers it freely, only asking for affection and relationship in return (the divine romance). Yet, we continue to give ourselves to the opposite stuff, things that will hurt us, wound us, demean us, and ultimately kill us, the whole while seeking for life, meaning, purpose, love and belonging, which are the very things God offers us (this would be a comedy if it wasn't so sad).

Those of us who have found the Lord, and experienced His love, mercy and forgiveness still find ourselves wandering the paths of disobedience, which is equally sad. I am not sure how I find myself thinking that anything other than the Lord and His plans are good, but I do. The good news is that I recognize over and over again that I am choosing poorly and come back to the Lord, where He continues to extend mercy, forgiveness and grace. I am His, and He will never reject me nor forsake me. I am so grateful that He always forgives me, always maintains relationship, and is constantly calling me to the higher ground, to my destiny and purpose. He never gives up on me, never abandons me.

Lord, I am so grateful for the new spirit, the new heart and Your Holy Spirit which You put within me. I am so grateful that more and more I am choosing You and walking in Your purpose and calling. I am so glad that my life is more and more focused on You, for You are worthy of all my life. I pray that You will continue to stir the passions within me, to move me in accordance with Your will.

## Why Do We Follow Jesus? - 2014-05-18 06:46

This morning I am reading from John 6:1-2, 14-15 NIV:

[1] "Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), [2] and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick."

[14] "After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." [15] Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself."

These verses discuss an interesting dynamic, that of Jesus refusing to be exalted. He was gathering thousands of people, he was ministering miracles, signs and wonders, healing everyone, and yet he did the very thing that most men would ever do, He walked away. He walked away because He knew the thoughts of men; He knew they were misunderstanding His purpose and goal for being on the earth. They wanted to make Him king, which would have caused a major issue for both Romans who had Caesar and the Jewish people who had King Herod. In one way, Jesus was protecting the people, for they would have borne the brunt of the reprisals, had they tried to make Jesus King.

I think the same type of thing happens when a person, especially a minister gains a level of recognition, and people flock to him, or her. This is an exceedingly difficult test, for so often we look at the greater numbers, and think they are impacting so many for the Lord, yet there is great danger for those that are gathered, as well as for the minister. If the Lord is not continually glorified, continually lifted up, the people can mistakenly put the minister on some sort of pedestal, or dais. This is very unhealthy and ultimately will lead to disappointment, wounding, betrayal, and even destruction. Jesus is the Lord; we are all just His vessels, through whom He chooses to move. We must be willing to lay down everything for the sake of our relationship with Him. He is more important than any ministry we do, any great work. He is the Lord of all, and everything we do should be at His direction and with His approval.

In this case, Jesus walked away, went to the other side of the lake, and went to a different group of people. Interestingly, many of the previous group followed Him and when He saw them, He confronted them - "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." John 6:26. He knew what drew them, and it wasn't the healing or miracles, it was because He had fed them. They were willing to look right past the spiritual food, the healing of their bodies, minds and spirits, and going for that which would sustain them just for the day. There is a sad reality there. How often do we bypass that which is for our deeper need, so we can just satisfy our immediate need?

There is also an important point concerning why we follow Jesus, or why we pray to Jesus. Do we come to Him for the blessings He bestows? Do we expect Him to answer our prayers for stuff, and then get angry and abandon Him, when we don't get what we want? The purple of signs and wonders, healing, multiplication of food, is to draw people to the Lord, which is good, but the result is supposed to be relationship. We are called to deeper relationship, deeper purposes than just having our needs met. God loves to heal us, loves to bless us, but the purpose is for relationship, shared life.

So, let us pursue the Lord, for His sake, for the sake of deepening relationship. Let us seek Him, and His leadership, not the leadership of one of His messengers, one who ministers in His name. Let us be grateful for the blessings and immediate needs He provides, but let us press on into deep abiding relationship.

## Purveyors of Hope - 2014-05-19 05:57

Recently we got together with some friends and talked, catching up on each other's lives. As the night wore on the conversation was a bit depressing, as we caught up on people, and revealed the pain and brokenness around us affecting so many. At one point my friend asked, "and what can we do about it?" Which I think is exactly the right question we should be asking. What can one person do to make a difference?

I think for me the answer is to be a beacon of hope and a fountain of life, God's life, to those I meet and those I know. We talked yesterday about a renewed mind being the ability to see things from God's perspective. When we are confronted with the pain and sorrow, we need to see it from His perspective, and then speak of the life and hope that He has for that person. Sometimes, it just takes a different perspective.

God never sees a hopeless situation; He never sees defeat or an unalterable situation, for He is the God of the impossible. In James 4:2b, he writes "You do not have because you do not ask God." That is what I must learn to do, when confronted with the hopeless, distraught, hurting, wounded, or depressed, I must learn to ask for God's perspective. That is what we must learn to do for each other, so that we can bring that light of hope, the change of mind-set.

We are called to be purveyors of hope, carriers of the Word of God, bringing His perspective! We must learn to ask "how does God see this situation?" And then speak that forth. We don't need to have the answers; we just need to introduce the One that does! As purveyors of hope we bring the belief that things can change, that things can be different. We bring to light God's belief that all can be saved and redeemed, and He is able. When Jesus was talking to the disciples about their not understanding, after having seen Him multiply the loaves and fishes to feed thousands, He was encouraging them to start looking at life and the situations the way His Father did, for to Him all things are possible (Mark 8:17-21).

So I am encouraged today, to endeavor to look at the world, the people around me and to see with God's eyes, and to then speak that which I see from God's perspective. He is the God who loves us, who cares for us, and who is capable of all things.

## Wealth and Prosperity - 2014-05-20 06:36

This morning I felt like I should read some verses from 1 Timothy. There are two sets of verses:

1 Timothy 6:3-5 NIV

[3] "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, [4] they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions [5] and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."

\- and -

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV

[17] "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. [18] Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. [19] In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

It is clear the theme is financial gain and wealth this morning. Paul has two significant things to say. First, in verse 5 he makes it very clear that the idea that godliness is a means or path to financial gain is devoid of the truth! This doesn't mean that God doesn't bless us, but it is directly opposing the prosperity gospel message that God wants to bring financial gain to all His followers, and the more you have the more He loves you and is pleased by you and your godliness. He says that those who think that way have a corrupt mind, and are robbed of the truth.

He also doesn't have a problem with wealthy people, as he indicates in verses 17-19. His only encouragement is that they do good with their resources. He encourages them to be generous and willing to share, to do good deeds. He doesn't command them to sell everything and give to the poor. The truth is that we need people with resources in the Body of Christ, in the church, to help provide for those without. He doesn't preach a redistribution of wealth, but rather a good deed and sharing focus. He does warn the wealthy against arrogance and pride, reminding them that God is ultimately the provider of all.

I think it is refreshing to hear balance and right perspective in this area of wealth and prosperity for so often this is an area of abuse, and wrong teaching. The church is not in place to make the pastor wealthy. There is not a requirement to sell all and embrace poverty to be holy. There is no special blessing on believers to make them wealthy. God loves us all and He provides for us all. He invites all of us, rich and poor to enter into relationship with Him, and with the rest of the Body of Christ. He calls us to have compassion and mercy on each other, and as our hearts lead us, to share that which we have been given with those in need. The NIV translation, in verse 17 and 18, uses the word command, and that can give a wrong connotation to what Paul said. The Greek word can be translated that way, but its first definition means to give a message or instruction. In other words, it is not a hard command, but rather encouragement and instruction.

So let us think with a balanced perspective about wealth and prosperity. Let us recognize that the Lord is our provider, and let us do good deeds and share freely from what we have received.

## The Revelation of Jesus - 2014-05-21 05:38

The meditation this week is focused on God's view of the world, how He is involved, how He sees us and interacts with us, and has chosen to interact and reveal Himself to us. This is actually a pretty significant topic, for it is in recognizing God, and understanding how He works that we become more aware of His ways.

I was thinking of what verses to read to give me clearer insight into this theme and I was reminded of the Letter to the Hebrews. Here are two sets of verses that are helpful:

Hebrews 1:1-4 NIV

[1] "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. [3] The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. [4] So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."

Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV

[1] "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. [4] God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."

Summarizing these two sets of verses, God has chosen to reveal Himself in the past through the prophets, but now through Jesus has revealed Himself fully, at least as much as we can grasp. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father, and is our savior and now sits on His throne. He announced salvation, redemption and restoration of relationship to the world and the Father confirms His words through signs, wonders, miracles and the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit. We should pay most careful attention to that which Jesus revealed and said that which we have come to understand, for His word and reality is superior to ours and that which is eternal and life giving.

Finishing this thought with a Quote from C.S.Lewis (via Bill Young)

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." C. S. Lewis

## Waiting On God To Move - 2014-05-22 07:25

The theme of reflection this week in my Ignatian exercises is the revelation of God, and how He chose to reveal Himself in Jesus. I was reading this morning though the first couple of chapters of Luke's Gospel, and was drawn back to a theme I have reflected n from time to time, namely the quietness of Jesus' life prior to His ministry. Not only was His life quiet, but so was John's prior to His release into ministry. What I find interesting is how God moved in power for both John's and Jesus' conception and clearly was moving on the earth, after about a 400 year drought, and then waited about 30 years before revealing them to the world. The following verses date the time of John's beginning ministry:

Luke 3:1-3 NIV

[1] "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--- [2] during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. [3] He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."

One wonders about the purpose of the waiting, the time of quietness prior to their release into ministry. I include John for he was the last of the Old Testament prophets, and from the perspective of the Hebrew people, they had been waiting for a very long time for God to speak again through a prophet. The common belief is that the last prophetic book Malachi was written about 430BC, shortly after the return of Jews from their Babylonian exile. This is an incredible amount of time without a visitation of God, and I wonder if they were ravenous for a fresh word of God, or if their hearts had grown accustomed to the dryness.

Good question for us is how long has it been since we were stirred by a word of God for us? How long has it been since you felt the touch of God in your life? How have you responded to this time of quietness?

It is evident that there was a hunger in the land by the time John is released to preach the message of repentance, or turning back to God, for shortly after his ministry begins there crowds coming out to hear him speak. In Luke 3:15 it says "The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah." Clearly 430 years had not put out the fire of faith, for many people were waiting, and when John started speaking they knew he was from God.

So again I ask myself, why did God wait another 30 years or so from the time of Jesus birth to reveal to the world this new move on the earth?

I can think of a few answers, and also draw from the writings of some of the commentaries I read. First, God chooses to work in both natural as well as supernatural ways. He could have just appeared as Jesus, as a human, but that would have caused us to question whether he became fully man, which was essential to the fulfillment if the law. He chose to come as a human, and to completely embrace our condition, down to being born of a woman. He didn't accelerate the natural process of pregnancy, but chose to limit Himself, to that which was already known and understood.

This is really a significant point, for so often we expect God to always work in supernatural ways, and yet in the birth of Jesus we find a very normal and natural birth (other than the external angelic announcements). God allows the natural to bring about the supernatural. He works within the confines of time, patiently allowing the natural course of things to work out. Jesus grew in stature and maturity as a normal child. So often we want to accelerate everything, to have Him move in power right now, and yet when the world desperately needed a savior, when it had been waiting for 400+ years, God still chose to be patient and take a low and slow approach. He allowed Jesus to become fully man, growing through his childhood, teen and even all His 20s, before He started to move and reveal himself. I wonder how many moves of God we are missing because we are looking for the supernatural, while God is patiently working things out in the natural? Clearly the Jews would have had a completely different response to Jesus, if He had come surrounded by all sorts of supernatural signs, kingly pomp and trappings, and miracles from the time of His coming, yet He chose to be born into a lowly life and live in relative obscurity until He turned 30.

The second possible reason that Jesus and John were not released into their ministry until their 30th year has to do with the law and also the life of David. The required that a priest be 30 (Num 4:2-3), and King David although anointed as King over Israel while still a youth, did not begin his actual reign until he was 30 (2 Sam 5:4). Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy concerning the reign of David's line, and so the parallelism was significant. Again we find God choosing to wait on the time lines He had previously established, rather than supernaturally accelerating things.

God sees all things, know all things and having an eternal perspective, is always perfectly on time. We must learn to flow in the ways of God, and understand that sometimes He will allow the natural course to set His timing. We must learn to see God at work in the natural, and enjoy the times He works in the supernatural.

Lord, open our eyes and hearts, and help us to see and know You more, and help us to learn to wait.

## Waiting On God To Move -2 - 2014-05-23 06:18

So my meditation yesterday was a bit new to me, and somewhat helpful, at least to me (see: http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2014/05/waiting-on-god-to-move.html). Thinking about the way the Lord allowed the normal course of human development and His previously ordained time-lines and such to influence the way in which He moved on earth, gave me a whole new perspective on the patience of the Lord. And more importantly, it gave me perspective on our own impatience. We so often think that because God can act in an instant, that He should act that way. We think that instantaneous response to prayer is what demonstrates His divinity, and to one extent we are correct, but He also clearly doesn't always respond that way.

When we reflect on the 30 years He waited to begin His ministry on earth, the fact that He became truly human, being born and developing like any of us, it is just amazing! Jesus was coming to earth bringing the single greatest revelation of the Father that the world would ever see this side of eternity, and He patiently waited for 30 more years, at the Father's direction, before revealing Himself. I was trying to think of an analogy, but nothing comes close, no gift we have ever received, no awesome surprise that we waited to receive even comes close to the massive revelation of love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness that Jesus bore. Yet, He lived a lowly life, starting as a baby, developing normally as any child, working as a carpenter, 'living a completely normal human existence for 30 years. He did such a great job of being human, that when He started ministry, his home town couldn't believe in Him, and couldn't figure out where He gained all the wisdom and understanding and authority. Here are some verses from Matthew that show their surprise:

Matthew 13:54-58 NIV

[54] "Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. [55] "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? [56] Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" [57] And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home." [58] And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith."

So why am I fixating on this point? I think it is really important that we gain an understanding of this particular way God chose to wait. This was the greatest message of all time, the most profound revelation, the single most important thing to happen between creation and the end of the world, and God sat on it for 30 years, and then when He started to reveal Himself, did so in a lowly manner. If He had this type of patience with this revelation, He might have some similar patience with other things He is doing in and through our lives. We are such a microwave, want it now culture, that for us waiting is unacceptable. I won't wait more than 30 minutes for a table at a restaurant, I don't like to wait in traffic, I don't like cooking meals that take more than 30 minutes to prepare, I don't like waiting more than a few minutes for someone to reply to my text, email is too slow sometimes so I use texting and even that is too slow for my liking. We want everything now, and yet God sometimes demonstrates great patience, allowing things to take a natural course, and if we don't understand that we may miss what He is doing, and may miss some of the greatest things He will ever do.

One of the things we need to understand about God is His patience. We need to learn to wait on Him, trusting in His timing, trusting in His faithfulness. For example, I was reading about the healing ministry of John G. Lake, and was amazed at the fact that they would sometimes pray daily for people to get healed, and sometimes they were healed on the 30th day. I was recently listening to Bill Johnson, Pastor of Bethel Church in Feeding, CA which is a church that regularly sees God move in healing and miracles, and he was saying that recently they have been receiving reports of people being healed after 2 years of praying for the same sickness. That is an amazing example of faith and persistence.

So often we associate a delay in the Lord's action as either a lack of will, or maybe attention on His part. The enemy tries to convince us that it is because God doesn't love us, or that we don't have enough faith, and that is why He isn't moving upon the situation. The problem with all of this is that our time perspective and understanding of the patience of God is off. Waiting 30 years to move didn't mean Jesus didn't love the world or wasn't paying attention. I imagine his heart was breaking for the pain and suffering he saw all those years while He waited for the Father's release, trusting Him completely. We need to learn to have faith and persistence for the long run, as Paul writes about training and persistence to win the crown (1 Cor 9:24-27) speaking of years of preparation and training. James speaks about the farmer waiting patiently for the land to yield its crop (James 5:7-8). We need to learn to lean into the Lord, and realize that His timing is perfect, and years of waiting doesn't mean He has forgotten or isn't going to move.

Going back to Jesus birth, and the prophecies spoken and signs that accompanied this event, it says in Luke 2:51-52 that Mary, "...his mother treasured all these things in her heart. [52] And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." As I was reminded of those verses, I realized that this meant Mary was holding onto the promises of God concerning Jesus. For 30+ years she treasured in her heart the promise of God concerning her son Jesus, patiently waiting for the day He would fulfill His destiny, and the promises spoken to her and about Him. That is a very long time to hold onto a promise, waiting expectantly, trusting that all she had heard would come to pass. Nowhere in the recorded revelation of the angel, or the prophecies of Simeon or Anna does God mention 30 years of waiting, yet she waited and trusted.

So my encouragement this morning is to realign my expectation of God, to include long times of waiting, knowing that He is still actively engaged and planning to move. My encouragement is to dust off the promises that have been made, that haven't been fulfilled yet, and to let the Lord renew them to me. I am encouraged anew to realize that His delay doesn't mean He doesn't love me or plan to fulfill His promise. I am encouraged and renewed in my long prayers for healing for those that need His touch so desperately. I am encouraged that God will move, and I will treasure these promises until He does move!

## Jesus Is The Way - 2014-05-24 08:21

This morning I have been thinking about and reading from Hebrews 9:2-3, 5-7, 11-12, 15, 22, 24-25, 28 NIV:

[2] "A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. [3] Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,

[5] Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. [6] When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. [7] But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

[22] In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

[11] But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. [12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

[24] For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. [25] Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. [28] so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

[15] For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance---now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

I rearranged the order a bit to bring a bit more focus to certain things. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews does a great job of explaining the significance of the temple and the sacrifices offered there which served as a pattern that was fulfilled by Christ Jesus. The author also does a great job of explaining why it is only through Christ that salvation and eternal unity with the Father in Heaven is available. He calls Jesus the mediator of the covenant, and the word used there is the Greek word Mesites whose definition is "one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant."

There within the temple and tabernacle is the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place, which is where the presence of God dwelt, and spoke. This represents Heaven. In the same way that man cannot enter Heaven bearing sin, the High Priest could not enter the Holy of Holies unless they were sprinkled with blood, which clean seed them of sin, providing forgiveness, so they could appear before God's presence without sin, and thus live.

Jesus, through His perfect sacrifice, entered Heaven for He was without sin, yet His blood was shed. His blood was not shed for himself, but rather for us all purchasing forgiveness for all who believe. It is His blood that covers us, that cleanses us and allows us to enter into the real Holy of Holies, that is Heaven itself. There is no other way, no other person, no many ways, there is only Jesus. You can't get into Heaven by being a nice person, by thinking good thoughts; the only way is through Jesus.

He is called the mediator because He offered Himself, and His blood as the means to restore relationship between us and the Father, the two parties mentioned in the definition. He took our place, took our sin upon himself, paid the price, poured out His blood for the forgiveness of all sin (Isa 53:4-12), and even now intercedes for us at the Father's right hand (Rom 8:34)!

Amen! Thank You Jesus!

## A Deep Personal Relationship With Jesus - An Invitation - 2014-05-25 07:51

This morning I was reading through the introduction to the next section of the Ignatian spiritual exercises I am working through, and really like what the author had to say. He said, "We really cannot love someone unless we first know him or her on a deeply personal level. Ultimately, it is possible to follow Jesus, with the sacrifices that entails, only if we a rooted in our love for him."

This is exactly the theme and pursuit of my life for the last several years, establishing and building a more intimate relationship with Jesus. It is something we are all called to do, but I fear that many don't. It is in relationship with Him that we understand who we really are and recognize His motivations are always rooted in love. His command to "love one another" is followed by the statement, "as I have loved you" (John 13:34). His love is always first, or previous as Graham Cooke says. He doesn't begin to love us once we come to Him; He has always loved us and has always been calling us into deeper relationship with Him. There is nothing we can do to earn His love because He already loves us. That would be like working at a job to earn the money that is already in your bank account, it is already yours.

We do, however, need to understand Him to understand His love for us. It is much the same for any child. They don't really understand love, but grow up under the love of their parents, as they grow older, they begin to understand their parents love, understand the choices the parents make to continue to love them. Even is this model, with the constant presence and interaction, love in relationship takes time to understand.

Take a new couple as another example, there may be an immense attraction, but over time that develops into love as their relationship blossoms, and deepens. As they come to know one another more thoroughly, more intimately (not speaking of the physical nature presently) they hopefully grow in love for one another. Relationships are always a two-way street.

Conversely, we say someone is sick in their mind if they believe they have a relationship with someone they have never met, the term we often use is 'obsessed', and if they become active in pursuing that relationship they become a 'stalker'. One sided relationships are not relationships at all and at the very least are unhealthy. I was just thinking that much of the wrong behaviors in the name of Jesus or in the name of the church must come about because of this type of one-way relationship. People become obsessed with rules, totally misrepresenting Jesus, because they don't know Him. We are not called to this type of relationship with Jesus, but rather to a normal two-way relationship. We are called to love one another the way He loves us, and that means loving one another, He and us.

So, if we are called to a two-way, healthy relationship with Jesus, than we must be able to come to understand Him more. We must be able to converse, to share, to learn, to communicate with one another. That is what prayer is supposed to be, not some rote recital, but a living conversation. There are several prayers I learned as a child which are meant to give us words, and ultimately give us understanding of the Lord, but they are not meant to replace real communication. Our conversations with the Lord may be audible, or of the heart or mind, He doesn't mind what form, for He actually does know what we are thinking (Psalm 139:2), unlike our spouses. :-)

The Lord has made a way for us to know Him more, and He is named the Holy Spirit. Look at these verses from John's Gospel focused on the role of the Holy Spirit - John 14:16-18, 26-27 NIV:

[16] "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--- [17] 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. [18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

[26] 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. [27] 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."

And continuing in Chapter 15 - John 15:26 NIV: "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father---the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father---he will testify about me."

In other words, one of the reasons the Holy Spirit has been given to us is to help us know Jesus, who is the exact representation of the Father (Heb 1:3). This is the wonderful mystery of the Trinity, they all speak for each other and when we know one, we know them all.

Jesus continues on about the Holy Spirit in John 16:7, 12-15 NIV:

[7] "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.

[12] "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. [13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. [14] He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."

The Lord couldn't be any clearer, the Holy Spirit will speak and we will be able to hear Him. He will guide us, and will make known to us, and will speak to us. For this to work, we must be able to understand His guidance, know what He makes known and hear want He says. This is what our times of prayer will bring about - an understanding, knowing and hearing.

So let us endeavor to listen, know, and understand, that we might know Jesus more, and love Him more. He wants us to have a two-way love relationship with Him, and that is only possible if we know Him on a deeply personal level. Let us dive deep into His love, for He has made the way, and has sent us the Holy Spirit as our guide.

## Jesus' Proof He Is The Messiah - 2014-05-26 10:13

This morning I felt that I should read from John 10:24-38 NIV:

[24] The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."

[25] Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one."

[31] Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, [32] but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"

[33] "We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."

[34] Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are "gods" ' ? [35] If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came---and Scripture cannot be set aside--- [36] what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? [37] Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."

This is an interesting dialogue between Jesus and some Jews. The clearly ask Him if He is the Messiah, and He clearly answers them in verse 30, and yet their response is that they want to stone Him, rather than welcome Him and the salvation He brings.

These verses caused me to do a bit of research on the term messiah (which I did not include here for the sake of brevity) because so much hinges on the expectations of the Jews, and how Jesus presented Himself. Jesus equates Himself to the Father, as He claims sonship. He does not make the claim without proof, and for those proofs, He points to the miracles, or the works of the Father, as He answers in verse 25 and again in verse 37&38. One would thus make the logical transition that if these are the signs Jesus points to that identify and prove who He is, that His Body that remains, namely the Church, should be able to point to the same, as proof that they are the Body of Christ (Greek for Messiah). In fact Jesus clearly states that they should not believe Him unless He does the works of the Father.

So, as I look at this line of thinking, one wonders how the church could have ever developed cessationist theology, claiming that signs, wonders, healing and miracles were only for the direct apostolic age, and are no longer needed? As I reflect on the church today, it seems to be growing exponentially in places where miracles and signs are worked regularly (South America and Africa) and it is losing power, influence and people in places where we have few miracles, and generally rely on rhetoric and well-meaning teaching (USA and Europe). For reports on the growth of the church in South America see ( https://globalawakening.com), and for Africa see either Heidi Baker's ministry ( http://www.irisglobal.org/home) or the Ministry of Reinhardt Bonke ( http://us.cfan.org).

I can only cry out for more of the Lord as He ministered, as He did the "works of the Father". Our desire is that the world would know that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah the Savior of all. Let us pray that the Lord would come and demonstrate the same proofs in the church of America that He did in His days.

## Taking Time To Pray - 2014-05-27 05:55

This morning I was reading from The Gospel of Mark, mainly because it's been a long time since I read His Gospel, and the following verse caught my attention - Mark 1:35 NIV: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.". I was encouraged when I read this because that is exactly what I do, get up in the morning, find some place quiet where I can pray. I am blessed in that I can use my living room, rather than a mountainside, as Jesus did regularly.

I was also struck by the fact that Jesus took time to pray even though He walked in perfect obedience to the Father. He said that everything He did (John 5:19-20) and everything He said (John 8:28-29) where at the direction of the Father. Despite this intimate relationship Jesus still needed to take time to go and pray. Often times after a time of prayer He would introduce something new to His ministry - in the case of the verse above, it was after this time of prayer that Jesus started His itinerant ministry. In Luke 6:12-13 He went up on the mountain and afterwards announced and appointed the 12 Apostles. The simple point is that Jesus needed time to pray, and so do we. So, let us learn from Him and do the same!

## Jesus Delays His Visit to Jerusalem - JOHN 7 - 2014-05-29 05:33

This morning I am reading from John, starting in the 7th chapter. It starts with Jesus not going to Judea, because the leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. The issue was that He had healed the man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, and then when questioned about it, He said He was God's son, which to them was blasphemy. This healing and conversations that followed caused widespread wonder as well as hatred among the leaders (See John 5: 1-30). Anyway, here are the verses I want to focus upon today - John 7:1-8, 14-15, 25-27 NIV:

[1] "After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. [2] But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, [3] Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. [4] No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." [5] For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

[6] Therefore Jesus told them, "My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. [7] The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. [8] You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come." [9] After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

[14] Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. [15] The Jews there were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having been taught?"

[25] At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? [26] Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? [27] But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from."

I had forgotten about the situation with the leaders in Judea thinking of ways to kill Jesus. I guess it just caught my imagination this morning, thinking of Jesus going to the festival in secret. How would he do that? Did he send the Apostles away so He could travel alone?

Also, it's interesting that His brothers encouraged Him to go to Jerusalem. I believe that their encouragement wasn't related to the death threats Jesus knew existed, but rather they wanted to see Him on more of a national stage. The feast of the tabernacles was one of three feasts where all men were supposed to go to Jerusalem, so it was a perfect time to reveal oneself to the masses, at least that is the way we humans tend to think. If a stage is available use it.

However, Jesus was following the Father's plan and the time wasn't right, but would be soon. Also, it wasn't about Him, as His brothers thought. He was fine operating in "secret'. Galilee wasn't exactly secret, but it was the more rural, back country area. There was a time and a place for His to "up His game" and He would do that when the Father said to, not a moment sooner.

I did a bit more reading on this set of verses and it is interesting to note that there are many who think that Jesus lied in telling His brothers that he wasn't going to the feast yet, and then went secretly. That wasn't my focus at all; I was focused on why He wanted to go alone. I think it had to do with His desire to protect them from themselves, and trying to glorify Him in some way, for they still thought that anyone who would be the Messiah was going to become the ruler, and there would be positions of glory waiting for his companions. Also, if they were trying to kill Jesus, his companions would be in danger as well, as we see later the night that Jesus was betrayed.

Additionally, the feast of the tabernacles was in the 7th Month, and Jesus knew that the feast of significance for His sacrifice was Passover, for He was the Lamb of God. So truly it was not yet His time, nor the time when the Father would glorify Him. Thus, the key to understanding this verse and Jesus actions is seen later in John when He was again in Jerusalem for a feast, but this time His time had come and entered in full public view.

Finally, my thought is simply that Jesus embraced His purpose fully, and was completely obedient to the plans and desires of the Father. He also, through the power of the Holy Spirit, knew the hearts of men, and understood what they were thinking, and why. He was not afraid of opposition or danger, or anything else of man, for He knew the Father was firmly in control, so He just did what the Father showed Him to do, and explained to His brethren what He could say.

## The Dynamics of Prayer - 2014-05-30 05:39

I just opened my bible to Daniel 9, and was encouraged by reading the following verses - Daniel 9:17-23 NIV:

[17] "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. [18] Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. [19] Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

[20] While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill--- [21] while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. [23] As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:"

I was encouraged when I read this because of the swift response from Heaven. Gabriel says to him that it was as soon as Daniel started praying that word went out. The understanding is that the word, that command as other versions translate it, was response from God. I love how quickly the Lord responds, yet it is at the end of his prayer that Daniel sees Gabriel and receives the answer, or I guess it is more appropriate to say that Daniel's prayer ended when Gabriel showed up. Either way, he received an answer quite quickly.

The answer, however, plays out over the next many years, for he was praying about the restoration of Jews to Jerusalem. So if we think about it, the prayer was heard, the command was issued and things were set in motion by the command that were in answer to Daniel's prayers. I like that because it helps me understand the dynamics of prayer, and answers to prayer. So often we think we must see a specific answer to our prayer when in reality it is the proper answer from Heaven's perspective. A command comes forth with God, in response to our prayer, and it accomplishes exactly what it is commanded to do. Sometimes the notification of the answer comes immediately, sometimes a bit later, but the results are guaranteed by the God, for they are His commands. That helps me.

The final bit of encouragement comes from Gabriel's answer to Daniel, saying He was highly esteemed. The Hebrew word here translated highly esteemed, actually literally means the "heat of God", and is a proper name Chammuw'el. In other words God has a term of affection for Daniel, and it's a bit of a nickname. I really do believe that the Lord looks at each of us in the same way that He looked at Daniel. We are all highly esteemed. The same Hebrew word is sometimes translated treasure, precious thing, valuable. Each of us has been personally called, individually redeemed, and our sins have been paid for by the blood of the Son of God. If that doesn't make us valuable in God's eyes nothing will. Because we are valuable and precious to him, he listens to our prayers and answers them with a command from Heaven.

So, today I am encouraged that my prayers do make a difference. God's words will fulfill that which they are meant to do (Isa. 55:11), and He answers my prayers with commands! Amen!

## Reflections On Jesus As A Baby - 2014-05-31 07:31

This morning I have been contemplating the fact that Jesus became human, and in that, experienced a truly human life, including being a helpless in fact, newly born. I was thinking through these verses in Luke 2:21-32 NIV:

[21] "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

[22] When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ), [24] and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."

[25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. [26] It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. [27] Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, [28] Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

[29] "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. [30] For my eyes have seen your salvation, [31] which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: [32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."

As I was reading this through, I was remembering the utter helplessness of a few day old child and I was wondering whether Jesus knew who He was at that time? I was thinking about the natural development of a baby, and how the first few months there is very little interaction, or personality evident. The baby is learning and experiencing, just developing quickly, but still very helpless and vulnerable. Clearly God thought all of that through when He decided to have His son become fully human. It really is astounding!

So my question is how much was Jesus, as a baby interacting with His Father in heaven? We know that even in the womb, that the Holy Spirit was upon Him, because the reaction of Elizabeth, and John who was still in the womb (Luke 1:39-45). So are our spirits fully functional as a baby? Do we develop spiritually as well as physically? Are we conscious of the difference at that point in one's life?

Personally I have seen babies respond to the power of the Holy Spirit, so I believe our spirits are fully functional even as a baby. I believe there was a level of communication between the Father and Jesus, but clearly not the type of understanding Jesus would later develop. I believe that the Lord does put spiritual deposits into us as babies, and I believe that children operate in spiritual giftings early on, as well. Just interesting things to think on...

Regardless of all these questions and thoughts, we do know that Jesus came, was born fully human, having chosen to live as us, emptying himself of his divinity. Paul writes about this in his letter to the Philippians 2:6-8 NIV:

[6] "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross!"

The Young's Literal translation says this:

Philippians 2:6-8 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

6 "...who, being in the form of God, thought [it] not robbery to be equal to God,

7 but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made,

8 and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross,.."

It really is amazing. Thank You Jesus for humbling Yourself to become like us, so that You might fulfill the requirements perfectly and open the way for us to come to the Father.

# 2014 - June

## The Gift of the Gospel - 2014-06-01 06:50

This morning I felt like reading Paul's letter to Titus. The following verses are just really healthy - Titus 3:3-8 NIV:

[3] "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. [4] But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. [8] This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."

It is so important that we remember where we came from, how we became saved and the methods God used to draw us to Him. Salvation was a free gift, not something we earned. It is through love and kindness that we were drawn, and it is love and kindness that we must express to those in our previous state. He saved us, and this was accomplished through the Holy Spirit, washing us and cleansing us (sounds like repentance to me). We are now heirs having the hope of eternal life, and we are always justified because of His grace.

How easy it is for us to slide into thinking otherwise. Paul, in this letter, warns about the "circumcision group" which was a group who didn't want to let go of the religious practices of the Jews. They felt they had to add to the Gospel, and add additional human effort or actions to satisfy the requirements of righteousness. The Gospel was just too good to believe for them, so they added to it. This is unfortunately the case all too often for many churches. What starts as the pure Gospel, soon becomes loaded down with religion. There are ways to dress, ways to act, expectations and activities that are required. I am not saying that we shouldn't be changed by our salvation, for we are a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) and that should be evident in our lives. We are to encourage each other onward in our lives in Christ, but we must not take on His role as Lord, nor take away from His gift of grace and His righteousness.

So let us remember how we once were, and express the same love and kindness to those who are lost and deceived. Let us not add to the Gospel, but rather hold it up as the greatest gift to all mankind and let us preach it without reservation or reduction.

## God is Engaged in Our Futures - 2014-06-02 06:31

This morning I am reading from Daniel 7:9-14 NIV:

"As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. [10] A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

[11] "Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. [12] (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

[13] "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

I have been jumping around a little lately as seems right. This morning I felt I should read from the Book of Daniel. He is clearly one of the most prophetic and accurate voices concerning the coming times the Jews would experience. When he was prophesying, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. The dream he had immediately before these verses had to do with the next four regional empires that would control the Middle East region and the Promised Land. He had this dream in the 560's BC, and foresaw the Chaldean (500s), Alexandrian (334-300), Greek (300-30) and Roman (30BC) empires. More importantly, he foretells the coming the Son of Man, namely Jesus, and the establishment of His kingdom that will never be destroyed.

What caught my eyes concerning these passages were the description of Heaven, and the parallels we see in the other descriptions of Heaven, notably those found in Isaiah, Ezekiel and Revelations. I am encouraged by the description of Son of Man, establishing a kingdom which will have no end, and everlasting dominion. He will be worshipped by people of every nation and language. These same themes can be found echoed by Jesus in Matt. 28:18-20. These couple of verses really establish the foundations of the Gospel, and they were written 500+ years before they happened. Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God, and established it here on earth, with authority and power unlike that which had previously been seen.

For me, all of this just continues to confirm the reality of the Word of God. He is active and involved. He sees the future and brings understanding and perspective. He prepares people, and gives them understanding and insight of circumstances and situations that they will encounter, so that they will not lose heart or hope. These verses from Daniel gave the Jews helpful direction concerning the coming Empires, so that they would understand and have long-term vision. They knew, as time progressed and kingdom's rose and fell, that there day would come. They also maintained their own national identity.

So let us be encouraged personally, for just as God provided prophecies and insight and understanding to the Jews, so can He do for us. He loves us and wants us to know that He is engaged in our lives and is aware of all things, and His purposes will be fulfilled.

## Jesus Understands Our Struggles - 2014-06-03 05:43

This morning I felt like reading from Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are---yet he did not sin. [16] Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Lately, I have been meditating on the fact that Jesus came to earth, fully human, and developed from a baby to a man; in the same way that each of us develops. It really is an amazing thing, His emptying Himself and in humility becoming man. The author of the letter to the Hebrews is flowing in that same mindset, as he describes the fact that Jesus was tempted in every way.

I don't think there is any clearer example of the complete emptying of His divinity than that statement found in verse 15. The Greek word Peirazo that is translated 'tempted' has the primary meaning of being tested, as in trying to do something new and being tested in one's abilities and character. The secondary meaning has to do with temptation. I think both translations are so important for us to understand. Jesus, in becoming man, was tested in the same ways that we are tested by new challenges and struggles. He was tempted to go against the will of the Father (the basic definition of temptation in this context) and there is no way either could be the case if He didn't empty Himself of His divinity.

I am greatly encouraged to know that Jesus really understands our struggles and the work that is required to overcome difficulties, struggles and temptation. It is because of this knowledge that He has mercy, and provides us grace to help us in our time of need (verse 16). He understands our struggles. He knows how deceptive the enemy is, and how alluring sin can be. He has lived without, has been uprooted, has been rejected, has lived a life of being overlooked and misunderstood. He has dealt with the loss of loved ones, seen sickness and disease. He has worked hard, learned the aches and pains of our frail human bodies, and in all of this - "He did not sin" (verse 15).

We can approach the throne with confidence, not fear, when we come to Him for help. He can empathize with our weakness, our pains our struggles, because He has lived them. He didn't live a life of privilege and prosperity, but rather a normal human life. As I write this I am reminded of the story of "The Prince and the Pauper" by Mark Twain, where the prince and the poor boy exchange places, and the prince has no ideas of the struggles of the poor in his father's kingdom until he trades places with the poor boy. This makes him into a fair and just king one day, and the same is true of Jesus. It is because He was fully human that He empathizes with us, and has mercy upon us.

So let us be encouraged as we approach Jesus. He understands our situation and will have mercy on us and provide us the help we need (grace).

## Jesus, Creator and Child - 2014-06-04 05:14

Continuing my meditation on Jesus' life, thinking about Him as a little child this morning. The verses are from Luke 2:39-40 NIV:

[39] "When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. [40] And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him."

I was just thinking about Jesus as a toddler. So much of what a child does during their first two years is discover new things, figure out how they work, etc. I remember my son was able to figure out any restraint system we used on drawers or cabinets and he was always interested in any button or knob on any electronics. He was constantly learning, excited to figure out something new. My question this morning is whether this was true of Jesus as well?

In the beginning of the Gospel of John, he makes it clear that the world was created through Jesus - John 1:1-4, 14 NIV:

[1] "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

[14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

As I was sitting here thinking about Jesus, I realized that everything was created through Him, so how would he look at the new things He discovered as a toddler? Would it be the joy of discovery, or maybe the joy of finding something very familiar that you haven't seen for a long time? Not that this matters at all to our faith, or salvation, it is just an interesting line of thought and reflection.

As I wrote yesterday, I find the thought that Jesus really was a child comforting. There is an ability to approach Jesus as we would another human being. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Lord speaks about how different His ways are than ours, yet with Jesus we have one whose experiences and understandings are very similar to ours. So we can be confident when approaching Him in prayer, knowing that He will understand us. This really is a significant point, for understanding and empathy aware not always found in those who have authority in our lives.

So let us approach Jesus as one who understands, one who created this glorious world, yet fully knows the struggles of living in it. His perspective of life here is truly unique.

## Drink Deep, My Soul - 2014-06-06 05:22

This morning I am reflecting on Psalm 42:1-2, 7-8 NIV:

[1] "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

[2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

[7] Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

[8] By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me---a prayer to the God of my life.

I was thinking about the deep need we all have for God. There is a longing in each of our lives to know Him and to be loved by Him. It is the same internal need that causes men everywhere to worship a god, or animal, or something greater than themselves, for we have a deep longing that can only be met by something or someone greater than ourselves.

I think we have within us a need to belong, a need to know that our lives matter, and a desire to connect to something greater than ourselves. Some people give themselves to causes, some to different pursuits, some to adventure, some to people groups; all of this is just a symptom of the greater longing, to connect to God (at least that is what I think). Verse 7 describes this perfectly to me; the deep (God) calling to my deep (need for God).

In our relatively shallow western lifestyle, we often times don't understand this deep flow within ourselves, so our answer is to try and find something to quench the thirst. We run after things believing they can still the hunger inside us, the thirst for the deep, but all things fall short. The problem is that this thirst, this longing, can only be filled by God. Other people, our jobs, money, food, drinks, movies, television shows, sex, drugs, adrenaline, cars, houses, none of these, not individually, nor if they were all piled together, can fulfill our deep longing.

So let us choose to drink deep from the only fountain of life that can truly satisfy. As Jesus said in John 4:13-14 NIV: "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

## Dealing With Anxiety - 2014-06-07 10:06

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians, which is one of my favorite letters from Paul.

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV:

[4] "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

These verses are an interesting prescription for dealing with anxiety. I think verse 4 and 6 and 7 all go together in this perspective. Paul's starts with and repeats the first step, rejoicing! Rejoicing is more of a choice about attitude, than an emotion. It involves our giving thanks and choosing to review a situation in a positive light, recognizing that there is something good in store for us regardless of the way it appears.

In verse 6, Paul continues the prescription by directing one's mind away from the anxiety causing issue, towards God. Changing our focus away from ourselves, and reviewing our situation from God's perspective is healthy and helps us to gain a different perspective. Secondly, doing this opens us up to God's peace, for when He views our situation, He views it from the place He sits which is filled with peace. When we bring our situations before God, it should be with the expectation that He will provide us with His perspective, and His plan, otherwise why would we bring it before Him? He is not asking for us to file our complaints, but rather to come to Him for answers and direction.

Anxiety is often the result of feeling out of control, and when we come to God, we come to the one who is in control. He helps us see what He thinks and what He is doing in our regard. When we bring these issues before Him, this establishes His dominion over the area that is causing anxiety. In God's dominion, peace reigns supreme, which is why peace then guards our hearts and minds, the two areas the enemy tries to attack. When we are before God, the enemy is unable to bring His attack to bear.

I was just thinking that coming before God into His Presence, where peace reigns, is much like seeking asylum or sanctuary from the attacks of anxiety. Anxiety can't penetrate, can't touch us there, and as a long as we stay in that place before God, we are safe and guarded. The enemy tries to get us to leave that place; tries to get us to pick our concerns and worries back up and carry them back out of God's presence, where he can renew the attack. That is why Paul encourages us to come to the Lord in every situation, which means we are constantly before Him. If we are constantly before the Lord, we will be guarded and protected.

Finally, often times anxiety can be the result of habitual lines of thinking, such as self-doubt, self-hatred, self-condemnation. When we come to God, He reveals His truth, which breaks through the lies and deception of the enemy. So, once again, following the prescription laid out by Paul, we can experience victory in these areas of our life.

Lord, break the chains of anxiety in our lives, with Your peace and Your presence!

## New Directions Via The Holy Spirit - 2014-06-08 06:04

This morning I am reading from the Book of Acts, chapters 9 & 10 - (see Acts 10:1-48, I didn't include it here due to the length). It is so encouraging to see how the Lord guided Peter, how He directed actions and situations. He sent an Angel to Cornelius and told him who to look for, and where. He gave Peter a vision and then directed him specifically; all to break him out of a mode he was operating in, namely working only with the Jews. Reaching out to the gentiles had been alluded to, even commanded by Jesus, but the church had not yet either caught on, or felt specifically directed to do so.

I was wondering how it was that they didn't understand Jesus' command in Matthew 28:18-20 NIV:

[18] "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

As I was thinking about that, I thought about a few things: First, the Gospel of Matthew was written well after these events that Peter experienced, so although they had heard the commands of Jesus at His ascension, they might not have fully understood them until later when, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Peter was commanded to preach to the gentiles. Second, they might have believed that the command was to preach to the Jews in all the nations, for they were a scattered people, and that is exactly what they were doing at the time, spreading out and talking to the Jews. In fact Paul had focused primarily on the Jews until his visit to Corinth - (see Acts 18:6).

Regardless of the reason, the events of Acts 9 & 10 (I am including Paul's conversion in Acts 9) were a significant turning point for the Church. I am encouraged because these were not the ideas of men, but rather the direct result of the Supernatural interruption of the Lord. He provided visions, visitations, power encounters and perfect timing to change the course of history. I am encouraged, because if He did it before, He can do it again. I am encouraged because God cares about our lives and our direction to do the same for us. We can't forget that the direct result of these events was salvation for Cornelius's whole household, and this situation was partially in response to the prayers of Cornelius. I am encouraged because the Holy Spirit didn't even wait for Peter to stop speaking before He jumped all over Cornelius's household - (see Acts 10:44) indicating His desire to move and to empower.

It was precisely because the Holy Spirit had already been poured out that Peter felt it was right to baptize them. In other words, the Holy Spirit wasn't worried about the preacher, He was already moving before the altar call. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in the church, and we need to recognize and follow His leading!

So my prayer today is that the Church prays for the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit, through Supernatural guidance, visitations and visions for new moves of God. That we make way for the Holy Spirit to interrupt us, and we pay attention to Him when He does. He does so for good reason, and is often bringing new understanding and maybe even a new path to explore. We can be confident the Lord will guide His Church, but we also need to follow His lead. He might have a new direction for us!

## The Invitation Of Christ - 2014-06-09 06:11

The theme this week is hearing and responding to the call of Christ and this is actually a very interesting topic, and one that is very significant to those that have walked in the ways of the world. Lord we pray for grace and mercy for all who are lost, struggling, fumbling or tripping in their life.

This morning I was reading my Ignatian Exercise book and he had a great quote - and I figured out how to copy it!

"At times, we may resist opening our ears to Christ's call because we are afraid of what we'll hear (for example, we may not want to change something about our lifestyle). Or we may resist because we have an image of God as imposing the divine will on us to make us pay for some past sin. To the contrary, God's call is meant to give us a fuller life of deeper meaning and authentic joy (though not without the sacrifices that accompanies a life of discipleship). Far from being imposed from above, God's will-or God's desire-for us is found in our own deepest, truest desires." The Ignatian Adventure, O'Brien

This is so true, and probably something that many struggle with, especially the first line. Lord, help us all to see both our need for you and Your awesome glorious relationship.

I am reminded of Jesus statement from John 10:10b "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The Lord is not after a limited life, but rather the fullest possible life. The enemy would lie to us and tell us that the Lord is all about rules and regulations, things that we can't do anymore. The truth is that the Lord desires nothing of the sort, what He wants is relationship, and for us to come into our destiny as His children, His heirs.

We are often so focused about the here and now, the things right in front of us, and the Lord is inviting us to the deeper places, to the greater realities. We have the opportunity to change the world, to make an eternal difference in our lives, and the lives of those around us. We have the opportunity to extend healing, health, peace, joy, mercy and compassion to the world. We have the opportunity to step into the destiny we were created for in the first place. We are invited to walk in complete fulfillment. The invitation is to step into the dream life, the life that fulfills us at the deepest level.

To put it in a car analogy - we have a nice little Ford escort that has a decent sound system, and has been the car that many good memories were made in. Its old, a bit rusted, we don't quite fit comfortably, and several options don't work, but it is our car. Now we are being given the opportunity to receive a Rolls-Royce that was custom built just for us, all the options you want and need, seats built exactly to your measurements, and the exact right color. The car comes with the privileges associated with the owners of such a car. The only thing we need to do is trade in the Ford. Seems like it would be an easy decision, and yet many of us choose to stay with the old car.

Lord, I pray that You would help us to see the reality of life with You, seeing through the lies and deception that the enemy has constructed about life as a Christian. Help us to recognize that You are all about inviting us to a deep, meaningful abundant life that was designed specifically for us.

## The Cost and Reward of Following Jesus - 2014-06-11 06:19

This morning I am reading from Luke 14:25-30 NIV:

[25] "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] "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. [27] And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

[28] "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? [29] For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, [30] saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.'

I was thinking about how different Jesus is than pretty much any man that has ever lived. Here we find large crowds following Him, and rather than encourage them, or trying to use the crowd to His advantage, He issues some very strong challenges. He wasn't worried about popularity, about their feelings, or their agreement, He was worried about their souls.

These verses represent another set of verses that most of us would rather not read, for they challenge our thinking about our lives and our commitment to the Lord. We would like to believe that following Him, truly being one of His disciples, is easy, and does not require much effort or sacrifice. In the relational paradigm of the Kingdom, these words challenge us, so it is important to understand what Jesus was saying, and why.

First, putting these statements in a historical context, He knew what was likely going to be the fate of His followers, as He understood His life would ultimately end on the cross. He was looking for those followers who would put Him first in their life, because to do so could mean their death. The Lord couldn't build the Body of Christ upon anyone but those fully committed to following Him.

Secondly, He talks about taking up our cross and following Him. This statement is a direct indication of the cost of following Him, that it would lead to sacrifice, and in most of the Apostles cases - martyrdom. For Jesus to say anything else would have been less than true, and He is the Truth. He knew, from conversations with the Father, that there would persecution and difficulty for His followers, so He told them that would be the case. He valued the truth over popularity.

Finally, these verses should help us evaluate and set our priorities in our life. I think of this as the back side of the chief commandments. He said we must love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, that is the first great commandment. To love God first, means all other loves in our life must take a secondary position. Nothing can come before God. This is very challenging too many of us, for in many of our lives our faith is an optional extra. While the Lord is for any step we take towards Him, we must know that His call is an invitation to abandonment unto Him. The call is for us all, our experience will be a journey of deepening relationship, but the destination is the same for us all, Him.

So, let us not become fearful of what we lay aside, but let us look to Him and all that we gain in Him. He is the great reward. He does love us, has a plan for us, and it's for our ultimate fulfillment and eternal joy. Amen!

## Keep Pressing On! - 2014-06-12 05:37

This morning I am reading from Philippians 3:12-14 NIV:

[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I like the fact that Paul, despite his own personal accomplishments, continued to drive forward into the Lord and His purposes. It's thought that Paul wrote this letter in 62-63AD, which is 27-28 years after his conversion in 35AD, yet in his mind he still had not accomplished his purpose in Christ. There is no resting on his accomplishments, no limiting himself because of past failures or successes, instead he is forgetting what is behind him, in the past and only looking forward.

I like the verse from Lamentations that says "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lam 3:22-23-ESV). This is true in the case of a past of regrets, or of great accomplishments. The mercies extended to us by the Lord today are new, they are fresh, and they carry the same strength, encouragement and power that they did yesterday or last year.

So whether we disappointed or excited about yesterday, or our past, our minds should be set on what is before us, and we should be looking to the Lord to provide that which we need to fulfill His purposes. We are encouraged by Paul, who leads by example, to embrace the day and see that which is in front of us, that which we can accomplish for the Lord. Regardless of our past, our age or our accomplishments, we will always have more to do out of love and passion for Him. So, let us keep pressing on toward the Lord, for He is the prize.

## Uncovering the Temptations of the Enemy - 2014-06-13 05:42

This morning I was going to read a few verses later in Matthew, Chapter 4, but the story of Jesus' temptation caught my eye. Here are the scriptures - Matthew 4:1-11 NIV:

[1] Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." [4] Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. [6] "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " [7] Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "

[8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. [9] "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." [10] Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' " [11] Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

My first thought on reading these was that they probably only cover the high points of the temptations, because the enemy is very deceptive and works in many behind the scenes ways that were not described here. However it is good to look at these temptations and the enemies tactics so that we are aware and can recognize his ways.

First, he waits until Jesus has fasted for 40 days. The enemy generally doesn't tempt us or attack us when we are strong, but rather at our weakest. He doesn't fight fair, nor does he want a fair fight, because those he can't win. He will always attack us at our weakest point, at our most vulnerable spot. I heard one preacher say that he always goes for our Achilles heel in other words the single spot we are most vulnerable.

Second, he doesn't give up and can lay in wait for many days and even many years. I heard another man who ministered to fallen pastors say that in most cases the pastors he worked with had fallen into sin after years of walking in an area in victory. His point was that the enemy will wait for years, even decades to try and snare us, so we must always be on guard, and never believe we are beyond the point of temptation in any area of our life.

Third, he hits us in not only the vulnerable spot, but in the spot that hurts the most. Jesus was hungry after fasting for 40 days, so where does the enemy strike first? In the same way, if we have areas of wounding in our lives, that is where the enemy will strike, right where we are wounded. If we have been betrayed in relationships, or wounded by rejection, the enemy will aim for those spots first as we often lack faith in those areas. It is easier for him to deceive us or cause us to lose our grip on the truth that we have been living in these areas.

Fourth, he is relentless and will change tactics if we are victorious in one area of temptation. He is like the door to door salesman who won't take no for an answer, he keeps on coming up with new and creative ways to attack us and tempt us. So it's important to not let down your guard after scoring a victory, for he will be coming back, and often with a new approach.

Fifth, the enemy is the deceiver, so anything he says is half-truths, and may sound good, but the underlying affect is to have us fall short of God's glory and presence, and purpose for us. He also isn't beyond twisting scripture to his own end, so not only do we need to know the Word; we need to grasp the heart of the messages of God so we can judge correctly that which we hear. It is knowing what is true that will help us recognize that which is false.

Finally, he tempted Jesus in the areas of provision and need, power and authority, and in assumption, unbelief and idolatry. He will often test us in any or all three of these areas.

Lord, thank You for uncovering the enemy's ways, so that we can recognize them and resist them. The final point is that Jesus has authority over the enemy in all areas of our life, so we can command the enemy to leave and he will have to leave!

## A River of Love - 2014-06-14 07:43

This morning I have been just resting in the Lord's presence, enjoying my time alone with Him. Here are few verses I was meditating on from Psalm 36:5-10 NIV:

[5] "Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

[6] Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.

[7] How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

[8] They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

[9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

[10] Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart."

I am so amazed by the love of the Lord and His constant, abundant, unfailing and unchanging love. It is out of this abundant stream of love that everything else flows from the Lord. He truly is the fountain of life.

I was just thinking how that which is primary with the Lord, is what He asks for first in return. The first commandment reflects this in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV:

"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 strength." We are invited to love Him in return for the love that He pours out on us continuously.

So let us drink deeply from the river of His delights and let us pour back to Him our love, with all our heart, soul and strength. He is worthy. Amen!

## Restoration of Worship - 2014-06-20 08:51

This morning I was reading through John 9 and was just struck by the interesting conversations reported between the religious "Pharisees" and the people who actually experienced healing by Jesus. The story is of a blind man, blind since birth that is healed by Jesus on the Sabbath. The religious establishment can't approve of the healing because Jesus doesn't follow the religious rules. I don't say the law, because what they were practicing at that time was a far cry from the actual law that Moses penned at the command of the Lord. They had warped the Law into some 900+ rules and "clarifications" and somewhere lost the whole purpose of the law.

This is what Isaiah spoke of in Isaiah 29:13-14 NIV:

[13] "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. [14] Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. "

The Law was meant to draw the people to God, to help them understand His heart and mind towards them. It was to give them guidance as they deal with each other, and ultimately was supposed to point them towards the Messiah. Instead it had become a set of rules and regulations that became points of legal discussions and continual bickering, as demonstrated in these verses from John. They were unable to decide if the healing was from God because it happened on the Sabbath, the day dedicated to God. Talk about confused thinking, I would think that would be exactly the day God would move in their midst!

Unfortunately, we see much the same today, as brother and sisters in the body of Christ attack others over similar issues. Some churches preach healing, and signs and wonders and see them occurring in their midst, and other churches condemn them as being cults or worse. We see endless battles over interpretations of scripture and understandings of the original Greek or Hebrew. We seem to have lost our sense and are missing the purpose of the Gospel. Let us pray that verse 14 of the quite from Isaiah continues to be fulfilled in our lives, that God would astound us with wonder upon wonder and blow away the endless rules of men. We need God, and His power evident to the entire world.

Let us cry out for the Lord to move in our midst, astounding us with His wonders, and cutting through all the "rules of men". Let us cry out for true worship to be restored to all peoples who call Jesus Lord. Let us cry out for our hearts to return to God and to become inflamed with passion for the Him.

## Thousands Are Touched - 2014-06-21 09:29

This morning I was grazing in the Gospel of Matthew and came across these verses - Matthew 15:29-31 NIV:

[29] "Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. [30] Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. [31] The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel."

I just love reading verses like these, and thinking about the glorious experience of seeing Jesus heal thousands. The next verses include Jesus feeding 4000 men, not including women and children, so there were possibly as many as 10,000 people gathered together. What an awesome experience.

I am also very aware of the fact that after Jesus was crucified, that only 120 of His followers met together in the upper room, and this represents a huge decrease in the numbers who were committed to the Lord. One wonders what caused people to stop following him? I am sure that not everyone could continue to take time off from their jobs or responsibilities. In the same way, many of us are too connected, too tied in to others, unable to sustain our walk with Him with great intensity. The important thing is that 10,000(?} People personally experienced the touch of the Lord, in their own body, or through family members.

I am reminded of a couple of verses from Isaiah 35:5-6 NIV:

[5] "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert."

Amen! We pray for days like this once again the church, that every day, every Sunday we would see the Lord come in power, ministering to thousands and thousands.

## Led by His Presence - 2014-06-22 06:24

This morning I woke up with the theme of Presence running through my mind. Not my usual waking up thoughts, so I decided to pay attention and let the Lord speak to me. I find that often the Lord speaks in those times when my mind is still quiet, right after I wake up. I guess one could say the Lord is an efficient communicator, for He knows when to speak when I will listen.

So the primary theme around His Presence was the need to foster our sensitivity to it, and also return to Him our attention, by being present to Him. I was thinking about Moses and the first time the Presence of God filled the tabernacle, and there was real purpose and immediacy to His presence. Here are the verses from Exodus 40:33-38 NIV:

[33] "Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

[34] Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. [35] Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

[36] In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; [37] but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out---until the day it lifted. [38] So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels."

Apparently the moment that Moses finished the work on the tabernacle, God's presence filled the tent of meeting, which is where Moses and God would meet and talk. This speaks to me of God's desire for us to experience His Presence. We see this same pattern when Solomon finishes the temple in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 NIV:

[1] "When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. [2] The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. [3] When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever."

I love the idea of the presence of God filling the temple, and sometimes wonder why we don't experience this type of visitation of God's Presence? The answer is that we still do occasionally see God visit His people with His manifest presence, it just may not have happened near us, nor in the church in which we participate. There have been several "revivals" in my lifetime here in the US, and many more abroad, where the Presence of God shows up in very noticeable or manifest ways.

More importantly, His presence is always with us, for when we experience salvation, His Spirit takes up residence in us! Jesus said the Holy Spirit would be in us - John 14:15-17 NIV: "If you love me, keep my commands. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--- [17] 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."

So for me, the theme this morning was learning to recognize the presence of God stirring in our midst. Since He is in each of us, He doesn't need to come and fill the room with His presence, but can rather move in us. The issue I think is that many of us just don't recognize this, or haven't learned to discern His presence's effect on us.

That is what I felt the Lord wanted to discuss today, learning to pay attention to His presence in us. Part of the reason many of us struggle with this is we are not bringing ourselves to be present to Him, in other words we are distracted. I had in my mind the image of people today with their smart phones sitting around each other, each distracted by their phones, completely ignoring each other. That is a great example of distracted relationships.

When we gather together the Lord is moving in us, and we want to be able recognize that and listen to Him, we want to follow His leading, as the Israelites did when His presence was over the tent of meeting. We want to be able to sense the stirring of His Holy Spirit, and move in that direction. The only way we can do that is if we are paying attention to Him.

I am reminded of PS 123, where the song writer talks about the maid having her eyes set in the hands of her mistress. This speaks of constant attention to the direction she might be given. I believe this is the way the Lord wants us to come to Him, especially during our times of prayer and corporate gathering. The Lord wants to speak to us, wants to give us direction, wants us to experience His presence and learning to discern and understand how He interacts with us is essential. We must learn to pay attention to the gentle stirrings, the new thoughts that enter our mind, the ideas or memories that represent themselves, and especially any physical manifestations. When the Lord reveals His presence to us, His power will affect us, and that is good.

We must establish a culture in our lives, and in our churches that values the direction of the Holy Spirit. That should be a silly statement, but I think this is unfortunately not the norm for many churches. It is too often the case that we can have church whether the Lord reveals His presence or not. We have fine-tuned our liturgies to honor God and speak about God, but we seem to have forgotten He is in our midst, alive and well and wanting to move and direct and breathe life into us.

For us to make progress individually and corporately in our ability to recognize the Presence of the Lord, we must practice, and give ourselves the freedom to step out and try out what we are hearing, sensing or feeling. I can't tell you how often I get a sense of God wanting to do something, but I sweep it away because it seems silly to me. I heard a story about a church group that was learning to hear from God, listening to the stirring of the Holy Spirit. One man only heard that he was supposed to tell the lady who was conducting the training that she was wearing a yellow dress. That certainly doesn't sound like some amazing word of the Lord, but when he spoke it out, she was overwhelmed by the mercy of the Lord and fell weeping. She had asked the Lord to confirm her long term prayers for a family member by having someone speak a very specific word that morning saying she was wearing a yellow dress! Only the Lord knew that, and the man who listened to the stirrings on the Holy Spirit in him, spoke it out! It was magnificent!

So my prayer is that I would learn to listen and recognize the stirrings of the Lord's presence in me. I pray that we would all learn to pay attention and be present to Him, whom we serve and love. Let us learn to be led by the Presence of the Lord who is in us!

## Jesus of Nazareth (it's important) - 2014-06-23 06:27

This morning I have been reading through the different accounts of Jesus visit back to Nazareth after He began His ministry. These can be found in Luke 4, Mark 6 and Matthew 13. To summarize, Jesus goes back home and teaches in the synagogue and although the people are amazed at His wisdom and authority, they ultimately cannot accept Him, and even become offended at Him. He declares that no prophet is ever accepted in His hometown, and afterwards leaves and we don't really ever hear of Nazareth again.

What I find interesting is that Jesus is then identified as Jesus of Nazareth, really throughout His ministry, even when He confronts Paul on his way to Damascus. Clearly the identification by location of hometown was one of the ways the people differentiated people with the same name, and there more than one Jesus in the history of the Jews. The reason I find this interesting is that Jesus names Himself the Nazarene, and yet this is the one place He really didn't do any miracles. This is the one place where Jesus lived the majority of His life hidden from view, living a purely human existence as the son of a carpenter. I like this because it is clear that Jesus never lost sight of who He was or where He came from. He was the greatest man who ever lived, yet He chose to refer to Himself as from Nazareth.

Although He was the Son of God, He claimed and named Himself as coming from Nazareth, never letting us forget His humanness. This is so different than many of the 'important people' we see today who change their names and almost try to obscure their pasts as normal people. Many famous entertainers go to great lengths to distance themselves from their normalcy. Many of the great leaders of history tried to create stories of their uniqueness as evidenced by their unusual childhoods, trying to get people to believe they were somehow different than everyone else. Jesus, although there are stories of a unique birth, always pointed back to Nazareth, for even demons called Him that name. He was and is unwilling to let us forget His Japanese, His years of quiet living as a carpenter's son.

Thus, this must be an important point, and one we should think on. His incarnation, His humanness is essential to our salvation, and also to our ability to follow in His footsteps. The whole idea behind WWJD (What would Jesus do?) is to identify what He would do, and then do the same thing. We are called to "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons." (Matt 10:8) if we believe He only did these things because of His divinity than we will never even try. However, if we believe that He was doing these things as a human, through the power of the Holy Spirit working through Him, than we can do the same things, for that is our operational mode. Jesus referred to this exactly when talking about the miracles and belief in John 14:11-12, and uses this idea to launch into the gift of the Holy Spirit, and His role in our lives (John 15-16). It is clear that Jesus fully expected His followers to walk in His footsteps and minister the way He ministered. We can only do that if He ministered as a human, emptying Himself of His divinity (Phil 2:6-8).

One other thought, the fact that He could do limited miracles in Nazareth also points to His humanness. If he was operating out of His divinity, the culture of faith or unbelief would have no effect on Him or His abilities. Yet, scripture clearly says he was limited in what He could do there, because of their lack of faith.

So, the fact that He is named the Nazarene, and He calls Himself that, is really important for it is directly related to His incarnation. Jesus was truly God and truly man. We, as His followers, can operate as He did because He was operating as purely a man, during His ministry prior to His death. Let us proudly follow Jesus of Nazareth, and let us follow His example and never forget where we came from, and our own humanity.

## Jesus' New Teaching - 2014-06-24 05:50

This morning I am reading from Mark and was thinking about how it was when Jesus first started ministering. Here are a few verses - Mark 1:21-22, 27-28 NIV:

[21] "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. [22] The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law."

[27] "The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching---and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him." [28] News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee."

I was thinking about the reality of the synagogue teachings they were used to hearing, and how dry those must have seemed. It had been 400+ years since they had a prophet write anything new, and the rest of their teachings were of the law, dissected into 900+ rules. They probably had some sort of 3 year cycle, but never any new teaching, rather just explaining old teachings or rules that someone else made.

Along comes Jesus and He starts teaching things like His sermon on the mount (Matt 5:1- 7:27) which was based on familiar things but wholly new and personal and clearly authored by Jesus. At the very least, they must have thought that He sounded like one of the Prophets. There must have been real excitement, real interest in what He was saying. His language was relatable, using parables and examples they could understand. He was revealing the heart of the Father to a generation who knew only rules, and regulations. He was speaking the language of relationship, and speaking as one who knew. He was doing signs and wonders that they had heard about from the Books that become the Old Testament, but had never seen them in their life. He was confronting and defeating demons and setting people free. He was healing people's sicknesses. No wonder the whole countryside came to hear about Him.

My prayer is that the Church would once again experience this type of freshness and life, this excitement that accompanied Jesus. We have the words of life, and the path to eternal life in our midst, and yet it seems that the primary message the world hears is the judgmentalness of a few "Christians". I pray that the new teachings of Jesus would shake us up and breathe life into us all.

Amen!

## A Step Toward The Lord - Be Encouraged - 2014-06-25 05:35

This morning as I was waking up, my thoughts started down an interesting path, one that is not a common first waking thought pattern. I believe the Lord likes to speak to us in that time when our minds are awake, but our thoughts are still minimal. The theme this morning was encouragement for anyone moving forward in relationship with the Lord.

I felt like He wanted me to write briefly about the importance of relationships, but even more so, His desire for relationships with each of us, no matter where we are at, or how young we are in our relationship with Him. So often there is pressure, whether from external sources, or from ourselves, to perform at a level that is outside our abilities, and that includes the areas of relationships, even relationships with the Lord. I specifically felt His pleasure for anyone who makes any step towards Him, no matter how small! That is important to hear - the Lord is happy with even the smallest step we take towards Him.

So often religion can interfere and cause us to think our relationship needs to be a certain way, or involve certain things, and they are generally all external trappings. So much time in prayer, certain types of prayer, so many meetings attended, dressing a certain way, acting a certain way, speaking a certain way. Anyone can learn to do these things, but none of them is a true indicator of your heart's attitude toward or relationship with the Lord. For example, just because we dress like an adult doesn't mean we are an adult in our actions or thoughts.

The Lord is most concerned about our heart and our affections. The Lord sees past all the external stuff and looks at our hearts, our motivations and He is very pleased when we are moving towards Him in relationship. Relationships require communication with and knowledge of the other individual, not just facts about them, but how they think, how they act, their ways. It is impossible to have a relationship with someone we don't know or communicate with - those are the basic building blocks. We can know plenty about someone else; even feel like we know them, because of someone else's relationship, and our relationship with them. I know about several of my parents friends, even though I have never met them. In our faith this is often the case, we are introduced to the Lord by our parents and pastor or priest, but that does not constitute a relationship. It is very helpful to establish a level of understanding and comfort, but ultimately the Lord wants a relationship with us.

So again, I felt like the Lord wanted us to know that He is pleased with any step we make in His direction. He is desirous of a relationship with us and is always moving in our direction. We may not have much time to pray (converse with God) during our day, but if we make an effort to carve out even 5 minutes a few times a week, the Lord will meet us. Thinking back to my parents, they live a significant distance away and most of our communication these days is over the phone. They would love hearing more from me, even if it was a 2 minute call once every three days. In the same way, the Lord longs for us to reach out to Him and will never reject even the smallest gesture or step.

So the question for each of us is how can we move towards the Lord, in our life, with our schedules? For each of us that might look different, and that is just fine. The Lord understands and values our uniqueness, and will work with and interact with each of us individually. We might read the Bible and ask Him to direct our reading of it, we might listen to Christian music on the radio as we drive to work, we might encounter Him through music or movies, we might encounter Him and hear Him in those around us, in service, in quiet, in nature, in devotionals, in dreams, in day dreams, in our creative abilities, in kindness towards others, during long walks, or short coffee breaks. He doesn't care, He is just happy we are moving towards Him.

Our relationship with the Lord is meant to be the single greatest treasure in our life. It is meant to be the source of life, strength and power. The deeper our relationship with Him, the more we realize how infinite is His love for us, and how readily He will pour His love on us. Let us endeavor to take any step towards Him today. He will meet us!

## Persevering In Pursuing God - 2014-06-27 05:33

This morning I am reading from Mark 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. [2] They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. [3] Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. [4] 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. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

This story is generally well known, at least to me, and as I was reading it this morning, I had a couple of thoughts. First, I was thinking about the fact that as soon as people heard Jesus had come home they gathered. Now Jesus had grown up in Nazareth, but had moved to Capernaum once he started His public ministry, so he had only lived in Capernaum a little while. The people gathered outside His home, one wonders if it was rented, or if He owned it. Regardless, the roof the men start digging through is apparently Jesus' roof! Later He tells people that if they follow Him, they won't have a roof over their head, and I wonder if He was referencing this event? :-) Anyway, these men are desperate to get their friend close to Jesus, and tore off Jesus' roof to get to Him. I find it strange that once Jesus heard the noise above Him that He didn't stop and command the crowd to make room for the men, for clearly they were making a mess of the place. He was either "in the zone" or following His Father's leading, so that the rest of the events would unfold as they did.

Secondly, the paralyzed man had four ambulatory friends whom were desperate to see their friend healed. That makes me believe that his state was due to something relatively recent, either that or he had an amazing personality. The culture in those days did not have much room for the lame, the weak, etc. Their lives were generally filled with begging, for they had no socialized health system. If he had been paralyzed for long, his friends would likely have been like himself, beggars. Instead, here was a young man with four desperate friends, who were strong and determined. Having several friends and family members who are seriously sick, the initial phase of diagnosis is when it seems everyone is around trying to help, and I think that was true of the four friends, their buddy was only recently paralyzed and they were willing to do what it took to see him healthy.

A quick note on this, it is always wonderful to have many people around you when you have recently received difficult news, but it's even more helpful to have people stand with you through the long arduous times of treatment. We want to pray for this type of devotion, dedication and desperation toward those loved ones who have been battling their situations for long times. So often we lose our drive and determination, and just learn to accept the situation, but I believe the Lord can and does heal, so let us keep pressing on, digging through whatever we need to see them healed.

Finally, I am guessing that his injury might have been related to some of the sins Jesus forgave. I believe this is the only case where Jesus addressed a person's sins prior to healing them. Jesus never seemed to do the same thing twice, and we should make sure that we don't create a theology around this one event. That being said, Jesus was also making a significant point, that He spoke for the Father, and the Father was the one forgiving sins, and as His Son, He was representing that authority. This was not lost on those around Him, for they immediately start questioning His actions in their minds. Jesus was stating very clearly who He was; the people just couldn't accept it. The healing of the man was the exclamation point to His statement about representing the Father. Only God could bring healing like that, instantaneous and complete, and Jesus demonstrated that He was from Him, and operated in His authority.

It is also very interesting to note that it was in response to the faith of the group that He forgave the young man's sins, and then healed him. This is a great example of the power of intercessory prayer, for this is the physical demonstration of what the intercessor does through their prayers. They pray until they see breakthrough, as we see in this story, specifically breaking through the roof to get to Jesus.

So I am encouraged this day to press in, to persevere and pursue the Lord for healing for those I love. He doesn't seem to mind our making a mess in doing so; He is looking at our hearts and our faith. He has the authority and power to heal, let us go to Him.

# 2014 - July

## On Sinners... - 2014-07-01 04:21

This morning I was rereading some of Mark's Gospel and this one verse just grabbed me again - Mark 2:15 NIV: "While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him."

I love the fact that it so clearly states that many sinners followed Jesus. As I read this, it makes me ponder if we can say the same thing about the Church? Are sinners drawn to the Church, do they want to interact with the Church, does the Church have anything for them? Clearly this was the case with Jesus, so we must examine our representation of the Lord to the world around us.

Is our church welcoming of "sinners"? What is our approach to those outside the church, those in the world, those in trouble, those in need, those who are hurting? Do we offer relationship? Do we offer judgment? Do we offer a helping hand? Do we offer them life? Do we offer them hope? Do we offer them Jesus?

## The Name of Jesus! - 2014-07-01 05:50

Last night I had a dream where I listened to a friend preach about the weakness of the church and his conclusion was that the reason the church is weak is that it does not continue to lift up the name of Jesus. It was an interesting dream to say the least. Then this morning I was reading through the first letter of John and came across these two verses - 1 John 5:11-12 NIV: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

I definitely am seeing a theme this morning that salvation, eternal life and life in abundance come through relationship with Jesus. There are so many things we can focus on in our Christian walk, but the core of all thought, all focus must remain Jesus. It is easy to get distracted, to become fixated on one particular topic, or theme, but we must always return to Jesus. He is our life! Our focus should be less on the topics of the day and more on relationship with Jesus. We need to say His name, hear His name, and glorify His name. He is the source of all good things, the very Word of God made flesh for our salvation.

Being a Christian is so much more than being a good person, it is being in relationship with Jesus. We must come to know Him so that we can represent Him to the world. We must come to understand Him so that we can follow Him. We must learn to hear Him so that we can be directed in our steps. We must come to love Him for it is in that place that we recognize that He loves us even more.

The Gospel (Good News) really is quite simple - it is Jesus! Here are some lyrics to a great Chris Tomlin Song:

"The Name Of Jesus"

The name of Jesus is a refuge

A shelter from the storm,

a help to those who call

The name of Jesus is a fortress

A saving place to run,

a hope unshakeable

When we fall You are the Savior,

when we call You are the answer

There is power in Your name,

there is power in Your name

In the name of Jesus

There is life and healing

Chains are broken in Your name

Every knee will bow down and our hearts will cry out

Songs of freedom in Your name, oh, in Your name

Bring salvation,

bring Your Kingdom

Let all that You have made

bring glory to Your name

When we fall you are the Savior,

when we call You are the answer

There is power in Your name,

there is power in Your name

## The Deceitfulness of Sin - 2014-07-03 06:07

Yesterday morning I was reading through Roman's 6-8 and the following verses caught my attention:

Romans 7:10-11 NIV:

[10] "I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. [11] For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death."

David Guzick's notes concerning Romans 7:10-12

a. 'And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death: Sin does this by deception. Sin deceives us:

· Because sin falsely promises satisfaction

· Because sin falsely claims an adequate excuse

· Because sin falsely promises an escape from punishment

b. For sin . . . deceived me: It isn't the law that deceives us, but it is sin that uses the law as an occasion for rebellion. This is why Jesus said you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32) The truth makes us free from the deceptions of sin.

c. And by it killed me: Sin, when followed, leads to death - not life. One of Satan's greatest deceptions is to get us to think of sin as something good that an unpleasant God wants to deprive us of. When God warns us away from sin, He warns us away from something that will kill us."

I thought this was such a helpful discussion on the nature and deception of sin, and the purpose behind it. The enemy would try to lead us astray with fine arguments, and work at convincing us of God's unpleasantness and anger towards us, to entice us into the very things that will ultimately lead to death. This isn't always physical death, but also death of relationships, death of trust, and the death of truth in our lives. Sin does promise satisfaction and although this is true in the short term, the satisfaction gained from sin never lasts, but rather leaves us with a thirst for more. It is this pursuit that leads us down paths from which there is little hope for return, and definite bondage.

It is in Christ alone that we have true freedom, and release from those things that bind us. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Gal 5:1) So let us recognize the deceitfulness of the enemy and the sin he entices us with, and turn to the Lord, our true source of life.

## Sin and Punishment Revisited - 2014-07-07 06:39

This morning I continue my reading around the topic of sin, not one of my favorite subjects, but something that is important to understand. I was thinking about a common quote regarding sins of the fathers being visited to the third or fourth generation. This comes from the Old Testament, and was last written in the 10 commandments in Deuteronomy 5:8-10 NIV:

"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. [9] You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, [10] but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."

The interesting thing is that many of us still quote this, when this is clearly Old Testament, and not even the final word of the Lord on the matter of sin. In Ezekiel, He again addresses this topic, but with one important change - God does not punish anyone but the sinner, and even then provides the opportunity to repent - Ezekiel 18:18-23 NIV:

[18] "But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

[19] "Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. [20] The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

[21] "But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. [22] None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. [23] Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"

So how does the church hold onto the idea of generational sin, as if it is visited to the third or fourth generation, or even the idea that God's desire is to see us punished for sins, when even in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel God is continuing to bring revelation of His true heart towards all of us? He doesn't take pleasure in punishment, but rather rejoices in repentance and remembers none of the offenses they have committed if they have repented and brings none of the punishment to bear.

Note: It is important to note that this is not talking about the consequences of sin, in the same way there are consequences to any bad decision, it is the same with sin.

I believe that much of the thinking today regarding God and sin is actually from the enemy trying to color God as vengeful and enjoying punishment, when that is actually his character. The enemy tries to deceive us and convince us that God is angry, vengeful and just waiting to punish us for our sins, when the exact opposite is actually true. As Father Kevin O'Brien says in his book, "...the enemy is repulsive, harsh, and seeks only to deceive and enslave people, Christ is inviting, gentle, and desires only to liberate people to love God and serve others. Both want to rule the world, but in different ways and for different reasons."

Let us listen to the Gospels and the message of Christ. Let us look to His example of the Father's heart and let us embrace His love, mercy and compassion and desire for our repentance. He is the most loving being in the world, and any other characterization of Him is not true.

## Jesus And Sinners - 2014-07-08 06:07

One of the questions we were discussing last night was how Jesus dealt with sinners. It is surprising how little He actually addressed people's sins. I could only find instances where He addressed 4 people personally about their sins, the young man whom was carried to Him by his friends, the women who wept over His feet (Luke 7), the man healed at the pool of Siloam (John 5) and the adulterous woman (John 8).

He did talk about sin, and sinners and such on occasion, but it was not His main message. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, He really only spoke of sin in about 5 situations (in each Gospel) and one of them was in teaching us to pray, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. The Gospel of Luke has several more instances where the topic of sin was raised but it was certainly not the main topic, and in the Gospel of John most of the discussion around sin had to do with whether Jesus was a sinner for breaking the Sabbath, or His correcting the common understanding of sin.

My point is not that we shouldn't be concerned about sin, but more that we should focus on what Jesus focused on. We should look at our message as the Church and see if it matches the message of Jesus. He focused on the reality of the Kingdom of God, demonstrated its realities as they flowed out of the Father's heart and called people into relationship. He destroyed the works of satan and advanced the Kingdom of God everywhere He went. He set people free, healed people, worked miracles and signs and wonders demonstrating the power of God present to save. His commandment was that we should love as He loved, to forgive, and to extend mercy.

So let us endeavor to align ourselves in thought, heart and action with those things that the Lord was most concerned with as demonstrated in the Gospels. Let us be lights to this darkening world, and let us remember He was not called to go the righteous, but to sinners (Mark 2:17) and so are we. He came into the world not to condemn the sinners, but to save them (John 3:17 paraphrase).

## The Reality Of The Kingdom Of God - 2014-07-09 05:51

This morning I am reading from Matthew 4:23-25 NIV:

[23] "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. [24] News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. [25] Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him."

I was just thinking about these verses, and letting the reality of what is said here sink in to my heart and mind. Jesus travels throughout the region of Galilee, and His main message was that the Kingdom of God was present, and then He demonstrated that this was true by healing EVERY disease and sickness among the people. What a complete departure from the religion they were used to, and what a complete departure from ones normal experience of church.

His ministry was so effective that people traveled many miles to find Him. Galilee is about 40 miles across, the same of the Decapolis, and Judea is at least 30 miles away from the southern tip of Galilee. Since there was no form of mass communication, I imagine there was a huge network of people talking to people, sharing the news of what Jesus was doing, and where He was and people in their desperation were setting out to find him. The people came carrying or escorting those friends or family members who were sick, paralyzed, in severe pain, possessed or suffering seizures and they were ALL healed.

I can't imagine the hardships the people dealt with to find him. I can almost see them walking slowly by a donkey dragging a travois with a paralyzed person, or a wagon being pulled with someone in severe pain. These trips would not be quick, and the roads were not smooth, and the food wasn't free, nor was a night's lodging. The people were desperate for relief, desperate for God's touch, and they heard that anyone who made their way to Jesus was healed.

Imagine the joy of the return trip, no wonder the crowds grew to the thousands, for I am sure that they told everyone they met about their healing, deliverance or personal miracle. The news about Jesus spread throughout the region and people flocked to Him. Meeting Him would change people's lives!

The amazing thing is that He did all this as a man, just like me, empowered by the Holy Spirit, walking in obedience to the Father! In other words, we should be able to see this type of ministry in our churches, for He was not relying on His divinity, but rather had emptied Himself and became fully man (Phil 2:6-8). Jesus Himself said that we, His followers, could and would do even greater things (John 14:11-14).

This was the message of the Kingdom of God present on earth. God's rules applied and broke people free from the effects of sin in the world. Sickness does not exist in God's Kingdom so Jesus brought the reality of God's Kingdom to bear in the people's lives. Demonic forces do not have power in God's Kingdom, so Jesus cast them out. All are welcome in the Kingdom, so all were touched that came to Jesus. God's Kingdom is superior to all sickness and disease and Jesus demonstrated that over and over again. There was no disease that He couldn't and didn't heal. It didn't matter how far gone the people were, how affected their lives were by the sickness or their condition, Jesus brought the reality of the Kingdom to them. Oh that we would learn to live in this reality once again, for the reality of God's Kingdom has not changed!

Lord help us to settle for nothing less, help us to pursue You for the reality of the Kingdom of God demonstrated in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

Amen!

## Foundations Of The Kingdom Of God - 2014-07-10 05:58

This morning I have been revisiting the 'Sermon on The Mount' which starts in Matthew 5. This sermon is considered by many the single place where Jesus lays out the realities of the Kingdom of God, and how our lives should be lived.

I think it is very important to put this in the context of Jesus beginning ministry and the gathering of thousands of people. He had burst onto the scene with a completely new ministry of healing and miracles, proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and people were sure to be wondering what He was all about. These are the first real definitive statements that Jesus makes about all that, as far as we know.

He starts by proclaiming blessing to the people, not regarding material things, but rather spiritual traits. In other words He is laying the foundation of the Kingdom and it is a spiritual foundation, not a material one. This is such a departure from what the people were expecting from the Messiah. They were expecting a military leader, warrior-king to lead them to freedom from those who oppressed them, and here is Jesus saying blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, those that hunger and seek righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers and persecuted. He finishes the 'beatitudes' by saying that those who are insulted and persecuted because of their relationship with Him are blessed as well.

This is not a message on the power of positive thinking, or a statement that proclaims material prosperity to His followers, but rather a statement drawing people to the relational and spiritual components of their lives. Jesus wasn't proclaiming Himself an up and coming leader, but was rather drawing people to that which really provides life and blessing. He is all about restoring real relationship with the Father and the spiritually arrogant or people living purely material lives will not recognize their need or even the invitation. Rather than saying 'look at me!' He is inviting the people to look at their own hearts, and see there a need for relationship with the Father.

He continues on with encouragements to be salt to the earth, or a light on the hill. I find this very interesting in that at this early stage of His ministry, He was already talking about the witness His followers would have to the world around them. Again, this is not a call to people to follow him and show the world who is best and has the brightest ideas, or to force others to think as they do, which is the more common call of charismatic leaders to followers. Rather this is a statement of the critical role we all have in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God expands because of us, because of the traits in us that He mentioned in the first discourse of blessings.

Finally, rather than making this about Him, He makes it about us. Rather than expressing His own significance, He speaks about all of our significance. This really is radically different teaching than what they were probably expecting. The foundations of the Kingdom of God are based on our relationships with Him, our recognition of our desperate need for relationship with Him, the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the character traits He develops in us as we follow Him. We are called to be lights to those around us, to be that which seasons those around us.

Lord, help us to be the kind of people You desire to partner with in the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

Her are the verses I was reading from this morning - Matthew 5:1, 3-16 NIV

[1] "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, [2]and he began to teach them.

He said:

[3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. [5] Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

[6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

[7] Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

[10] Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[11] "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. [12] Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

[13] "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

[14] "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

## Sin, Discipline, Judgment and Love - 2014-07-13 10:42

I was thinking this morning about sin, specifically certain sins that are the result of believing lies, and bad theology, an interesting mix. I realized that we have to be very careful how we treat people who are deceived, and believing a lie, whether that is the stuff that is being taught about sinful lifestyles, or bad religion and teaching. We can't be angry with them, for they are deceived. We must not judge, for only Jesus can do that. We can express our belief and what we see as the truth, but we must not approach them with a sense of self-righteousness, or I am right you are wrong. This is where the command to love sees its primacy as the main motivation. Our first response should be love. We should not assume we know what they have experienced, or how they came to conclusion or belief they presently hold, but we should engage them in relationship and try to understand them. We must know what we believe, and why, and express that when questioned, and teach that when we are called. We must recognize that each person is significant and loved by the Lord, and our role is to represent Him.

I was just thinking about how different an approach this is, and how difficult to maintain. There is a definite role the church should play, and we should stand up for what we believe in the political arena, but our personal ministry and relationships must represent Jesus. I think the danger is that some of the church feels that they can take on the judging role of Jesus, and they read scripture, seeing how He addressed the Pharisees and other religious leaders at that time, and figure they can act in the same way. I don't think this is our call, in fact in reading all the verses in the New Testament dealing with a judge or judgment; it is quite clear the Jesus alone is the judge. We can teach and correct those people in our own body, we can stand for the truth and teach the truth, we can explain our beliefs and thoughts to others, but I don't think we are called to take on judgment as a role, especially towards those outside the Body of Christ (1Cor 5:12-13).

I was thinking about a friend this morning who fell into serious sin in a particular area, and thought about how much of the church would want to treat him. As I was thinking about this, the Lord put it in terms of my relationship with my son, how if he were to mess up badly, as his father I wouldn't cut him off from relationship, I wouldn't punish him, I wouldn't stop all interaction with him until he got the one area back in line. I would continue to love him and be in relationship, and continue to work with him in all other areas. I would not interfere with the consequences of His bad decision, unless they were life threatening. I would help him wherever I could and encourage him to step up and be a man, and would love him through it all. This reminds me of a scripture comparing the Father to our earthly fathers - Matthew 7:9-11 NIV: "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" I think the "how much more" statement that Jesus makes about the Father, is applicable here as well. If I am willing to love my son through difficult and bad decisions, how much more will the Father in Heaven.

So this brings up another subject, that of disciplining our children. The Old Testament has many verses, especially in Proverbs that speak of how to raise a child. As good example is Proverbs 13:24 NIV: "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them."

The Hebrew word here translated discipline is the word - Yacar

Definition: 1. to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish a. (Qal) 1. to chasten, admonish 2. to instruct 3. to discipline b. (Niphal) to let oneself be chastened or corrected or admonished c. (Piel) 1. to discipline, correct 2. to chasten, chastise d. (Hiphil) to chasten e. (Nithpael) to teach

The Hebrew word here translated rod is the word - shebet

It is from an unused root probably meaning to branch off.

Definition: 1. rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe a. rod, staff b. shaft (of spear, dart) c. club (of shepherd's implement) d. truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority) e. clan, tribe

My Hebrew to English Dictionary gives this definition of the word Shebet: rod, staff, a stick used to assist in walking, discipline, and guidance, often individualized and used for identification; of royalty: scepter, by extension: tribe, a major unit of national group or clan.

So going back to Proverbs 13:34 - we could rewrite this verse to say the following - 'Whoever withholds guidance, direction and discipline from their child hates their child. But the one who loves their child is careful to correct, instruct, discipline and admonish their child.'. That sounds significantly different, and takes on a much more positive perspective.

So let us pray that the Church would learn to love, to act in love and to provide guidance, directions and instruction to those in the Body of Christ, and the words of life to those outside.

## Hearing What We Want To Hear - 2014-07-14 05:19

I was reading through Luke 18 and came across these verses - very interesting to think about: Luke 18:31-34 NIV:

[31] "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. [32] He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; [33] they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." [34] The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about."

I was just thinking how it is almost impossible to misunderstand Jesus' statement in the previous verses. The fact that the Apostles didn't understand what He was saying can only be attributed to one of two scenarios -1. The Holy Spirit was deadening their mind to the real meaning of Jesus' words. 2. They were only willing to hear what they wanted to hear.

Personally I think it was the latter, as we all do this to some extent. In my own life, there are certainly some areas of scripture that I either don't understand, or don't like reading. For example, one of those sections of scripture immediately precedes the verse above where Jesus tells the rich man to sell everything give to the poor. I just plain don't want to read those verses, and so I generally don't. The apostles were still believing that Jesus was going to somehow push the Romans out of power and take His throne here on earth, and anything other than that, it seems, they didn't want to hear.

This is a very dangerous stance, that of picking what we want to hear and believe. We believe the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of all scripture and ignoring or choosing to not believe some if it means we are limiting ourselves in understanding the full revelation of God. We may not understand the scriptures or the Father's heart in certain scriptures, but we must read them and try to understand, and pray for understanding. We need the totality of scripture, the whole Gospel, and we cannot leave out the parts we don't like or understand. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16 NIV: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness...".

Peter also spoke about subject briefly in his second letter:

2 Peter 3:1, 16-18 NIV

[ of Paul] [16] He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

[17] Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. [18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

So, my encouragement today is to look to the Lord, to read all His word, and to discover His will for me. I desire the full message of Scripture to fill my life and will choose to not hear only what I want to hear.

## The Resurrection - The Cornerstone of Our Faith \- 2014-07-15 05:35

This morning I have been reading a few different places in scripture and have come across the theme of the Resurrection repeatedly. I was thinking that this is one of the things we don't hear preached about much, at least I haven't, and yet it is the cornerstone of our faith.

These verses from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians describe the critical nature of the Resurrection - 1 Corinthians 15:12-14, 20-23 NIV:

[12] "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? [13] If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. [14] And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

[20] But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. [22] For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. [23] But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him."

In Acts 17, Paul was preaching in Athens and used the fact of the Resurrection as that which differentiated the Christian faith from all others. Here is an excerpt from that chapter - Acts 17:16-19, 29-31 NIV:

[16] "While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. [17] So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. [18] A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. [19] Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

[29] "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone---an image made by human design and skill. [30] In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. [31] For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

To summarize what Paul was saying, his proof of God being the one true God was that He sent Jesus to the earth, and then raised Him from the dead. Without the resurrection, our whole faith in Jesus is pointless, for that is what proves He was who He said He was, namely the Son of God. Without the resurrection He could just be a prophet, or a great teacher. The prophets of old worked signs and wonders occasionally, the great teachers spoke with wisdom and authority. It was the resurrection that sets Jesus apart, and is thus the cornerstone of our faith.

Without His death, we have no proof that He became fully man, and thus fulfilled the requirements of the Law. Without the resurrection we have no proof that God accepted this sacrifice and exalted Him as our Savior. As Paul said, "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith!"

So today, and hopefully every day, I am grateful for the fact that Jesus did rise from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, even now. He is the only one who has saved me and set me free from the bonds of sin and death. Thank You Lord Jesus!

## Revelation, Relationship and Rest - 2014-07-16 05:26

This morning I am reading from Matthew 11:25-30 NIV:

[25] "At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. [26] Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

[27] "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

[28] "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Such and interesting set of scriptures, all related, yet each set standing alone on its own. The themes of revelation, relationship and rest, all woven together.

The first statement Jesus made is intriguing, especially the end statement, about it being pleasing to the Father. The revelation of Jesus and the Kingdom of God, is what Jesus is discussing - see Luke 10:21- 22 for that reference. He had just sent the 72 out and they had seen miraculous things happen, and Jesus was rejoicing in the great things they had done and seen. He was expressing the fact that the Kingdom was advancing and that on the shoulders of His followers, who were just like you and me. They were not the leaders of the synagogue or the 'wise', but just normal people. The Greek word actually means infant, but is used metaphorically to speak of the untrained and unskilled. He sent them out and they saw things that the Prophets of old longed to see. It is interesting that He says this pleases the Father to do it this way. We can conclude that the Father enjoys when the young, the new recruits, the humble, those held in little esteem go out and do "the stuff" of healing, signs and wonders, and miracles. There is a revelation of the Kingdom that the Father loves to bring about to such as these.

The second statement, rides on the first, for here Jesus says that it is precisely because He has relationship with the Father, and knows Him, and is choosing to reveal Him to us. All things have been committed to Him, and that means exactly that. He is the Father's representative, doing His works here on earth, and in that, bringing revelation of who the Father is, and what the Father is like. He chooses to reveal that to us, drawing us into relationship with Himself and the Father. Think of it as a young man bringing a friend home to meet his father. He knows what his father is like and is now bringing this friend home to meet his father and see for them self through firsthand experience, what his father is really like. Tying this back to the first statement, it is the Father's good pleasure for it to work this way. The Father loves to reveal who He is through His Son Jesus.

Finally, there is rest and revelation in relationship with Jesus. When we come to Jesus we can lay down our burdens. When we come to Jesus there can be transference of peace, for Jesus is not worried or pressured by anything. He speaks of rest for our souls, rest for the weary and burdened, which is brought about through His peace, and our knowing who He is. When I feel pressured and weary, I can go to Jesus and get His perspective. The invitation is to relationship with Him, the learning is only possible in that place of relationship. Finally the yoke He speaks of can mean His teaching and commands, and those were radically different than the law under which the people He was addressing were trapped. There was a great burden of the law and all its precepts that they felt they had to fulfill, and Jesus is replacing that with His new command - to love one another, and be active in representing Him and furthering the Kingdom. I was just reminded of something that Bill Johnson said about the time that Jesus and the apostles were in a boat in a storm and Jesus was sleeping (Matt 8:23-27) He said that Jesus was able to sleep, because inside Him there was no storm, only peace. He knew they would be fine, knew that the Father was in complete control, so was able to sleep. This is the type of peace and rest that He can bring us as we step into relationship with Him and come to know the heart of the Father.

So let us come to Jesus, receive this wonderful rest as we enter into relationship with Him and let Him reveal to us the heart of the Father for us. Let us walk in His ways, following His lead, and bring pleasure to the Father.

## Healed of Blindness - 2014-07-17 06:31

This morning I have been reading from John's 9th chapter, which is the story of the healing of the man born blind. I love this story for several reasons, but one of the main things I like is the realness of the conversation, the interaction of the Pharisees and the man, and then his parents. I can just imagine the circumstances, the pompous posturing of the Pharisees, the relative innocence of the man who was healed, etc. Here is a link to John 9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+9&version=NIV

There are a few things that I think are very interesting in this story. First, Jesus doesn't stick around to experience his healing. Instead He sends the man to wash in the pool of Siloam, and it is then that the man is healed, but Jesus is nowhere to be found. In other words, Jesus just wasn't worried about acclamation. He wasn't worried about the turmoil that He caused the religious establishment. He ultimately came back and addressed the man personally and revealed Himself to him that he might believe. Jesus was concerned for the individual, and that was His main motivation.

Secondly, the whole idea of sickness relating to his sin is discussed. This was a common thought back then, and still exists in the church today in places. I have written about this in several blog entries, but it is always worth revisiting. The disciples ask Jesus who sinned to cause this man's blindness, the man or his parents? They were asking for clarification - was this and example of Deut. 5:9 or Ezek 18 - was the sin of the parents or the man himself responsible for his condition? Jesus responds simply "neither" was responsible. This was the perfect place for Jesus to have tied sin to sickness, but He didn't. We only have four recorded times where He speaks specifically of a person's sins, and yet we have recorded His healing of thousands, all with no comment from Jesus on their sin being the cause of their sickness. Sometimes we can learn from what is not said, and this is one of those situations where Jesus' lack of comment is very educational.

Thirdly, I love the last few verses concerning the man's interaction with the Pharisees - John 9:30-33 NIV: "The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. [32] Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

This is a perfect answer to those who in this day, hold to cessationist theology, namely that all miracles and healing and spiritual gifts ceased after the last of the Apostles died. This is their theology which then forces them to say that any healing, miracles or signs and wonders being performed in the church today are from the enemy, because they can't be from God. The Pharisees argued that Jesus couldn't be from God because He didn't follow the rules, which were clearly from God, via Moses. They clearly missed the fact that Jesus had created new eyes in the man and that is something only God can do, and a clear sign of the Messiah (see Isaiah 42:7) because He didn't follow their understanding of the rules. The same can be said of those who believe in cessationism, they are missing the very move of God in our midst, because of their own theology.

Finally, Jesus speaks of spiritually blind eyes - John 9:39-41 NIV: "Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." [40] Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" [41] Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." Spiritual blindness really is the result of pride, believing that one understands all things. We need to have humility in coming before God, for none of us can fully understand Him or His ways. God is creative and never stops creating, and He understands all His ways, and will never act outside of His character. The problem is that we don't fully understand Him, so cannot rightly judge all His ways. There will be times that we will see Him act in wholly new ways, and we must not reject them because they don't fit into our understanding.

Let us pray that we can have our eyes opened by the Lord to see His wonderful salvation available to us all. Let us lay down old, wrong ways of thinking and judging, and let us pursue the truth of the Father, revealed by Jesus both in scripture as well as in our daily experience. Let us examine ourselves and rid ourselves of our spiritual blindness. Help us Lord!

## Healed of Blindness (2) - 2014-07-18 06:27

This morning I went back to the story of the man born blind who is healed by Jesus found in John 9. I was thinking about the whole healing and the way the whole situation was reported in such an understated way. Here are a few verses from the story - John 9:3-11 NIV:

[3] "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. [4] As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. [5] While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

[6] After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. [7] "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

[8] His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"

[9] Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man."

[10] "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked.

[11] He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

So I think the end of verse 7 may be one of the most understated sentences in the Bible - "So the man went and washed and came home seeing."

This is a man who was born blind and had never seen anything, and now he could see everything! He didn't just come home seeing, like it had been another day at the corner begging, but today he could see! No, he was utterly transformed in character, so much so that the people who were his neighbors didn't recognize him! Imagine yourself having never seen anything, and now being able to see! To see your world, and all the details and colors, and animals and plants, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, everything was new! To see people, to put faces with names, to see how people walked and talked and used their faces to express things, these were all new to the man! Imagine your best Christmas morning and birthday ever and multiply it times 1000, that is what this man just experienced. He didn't just come home seeing! He came home rejoicing, examining everything, every detail, every color, everything was new! He had never seen his house, never seen his parents! There must have been incredible joy in that house that day!

His demeanor and character must have been utterly transformed, for his very neighbors argued about whether it was him or not. He was no longer a beggar, no longer an outcast, he could see! He was no longer someone you ignored or didn't look at as you walked join by, but now he could truly see you and interact with you. Maybe this was the first time his neighbors had actually ever looked at him, for the blind were outcasts and beggars in that society. It's funny, you can tell by the conversation among themselves that they had never treated him as a real person, for they were arguing with each other in his very presence about whether this could be the same man who was born blind, like he didn't even matter. It is like he was formerly blind and deaf, like it didn't matter if he heard them or not. The man actually had to defend his own case for healing by telling them he was the man. He wasn't just the man; he was a whole person now! He had been healed of his physical blindness, and of everything that went with that. Wow, it must have been an incredible experience.

One final point, this man didn't ask Jesus to be healed, Jesus just happened to have walked by and the disciples asked Him about the man. Talk about someone's destiny be changed in an apparently chance encounter. Again, notice the way the disciples talk about the man as if he wasn't even there... they hadn't yet fully embraced the heart of the Lord in seeing the significance of every person. They were having a theological discussion about the man and his sin state, without ever addressing man, and they must have been standing right in front of him.

While they were talking Jesus spits in the dirt, which was probably a very normal thing to do, and this time reaches down and makes some mud. I think we can also say that Jesus wanted to heal the man, for without being asked, Jesus touches him. I have heard someone say that Jesus heals the man with the very thing that people usually cursed the man with, their spit. Again if we think about the notion of sickness or in this case blindness, being caused by sin, we can understand that people didn't want the man coming near them. In their culture, touching a sinner could make them unclean. I guess a common reaction to a sinner was to spit on the ground near them, to basically tell them of your contempt and disgust at their sin. The blind man had probably been spit at his entire life, but this time the result was completely different, he was healed rather than cursed.

The man didn't realize his healing until he went to the pool of Siloam and washed, and Jesus didn't say anything publicly about him receiving healing. I imagine there was something about the way that Jesus told him to go wash that caused the man to do so, otherwise he probably would have just wiped the mud off his face with his own cloak. We don't know, as it wasn't recorded. Again, the understatement of the whole affair is amazing!

As I reflect back on this story, I come away with a few significant points:

1. Everyone is significant to Jesus, even those we consider cursed or less than whole persons.

2. The touch of the Lord can radically transform everything about a person.

3. Any day might be the day that we meet the Lord and He brings healing to us! Sometimes it might take a bit of time, or a little effort on our part, but He wants to heal us.

4. Jesus desires to heal us, and will heal not just physical needs but the whole being, in this case turning what had been a curse (spit) into blessing. It is like He erased all the years of cursing and rejection in an instant. The man would never look on spit the same way again.

Lord, You are so good, and such a lover of people. We pray that You will help us to love each other in the same way, as You have loved us.

## Adding To Our Righteousness? - 2014-07-20 08:32

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians. He is discussing the ideas of grace and works. Here are two critical sections:

Galatians 2:15-16, 19-21 NIV:

[15] "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles [16] know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

[19] "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. [20] I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [21] I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

The goal here is to be deemed righteous, or free of sin, which is the requirement to enter into God's presence, or eternal life. Earlier in the chapter Paul was describing how he was calling Peter to task for giving in to the "circumcision" party, those who were trying to force Jewish laws on the Gentiles. Paul's stance was critical to the message of the Gospel, that through faith they might be saved. This was not a message of works, some set of acts that would enable a person to reach the required state, but rather a message of faith.

Paul makes it very clear that if righteousness could be gained through the law, then Jesus would not have needed to come and die for our sins. Additionally, the next step in the works logic is that following some of the rules of the law would enhance one's righteousness, thus producing a group of people who were 'more' righteous than the rest. That is exactly what Paul was battling here; the members of the "circumcision party" were considering themselves above the Gentile believers, because they were more righteous. Paul understood this was very dangerous territory and a stream that must be stopped, for it would taint the whole Gospel.

There can be only one answer, for there is only one savior, Jesus. He either died or all our sins or He didn't, and He either has made us righteous by His sacrifice, or He hasn't. There is no incompleteness to His sacrifice, no need to add to His sacrifice. We cannot achieve new levels of righteousness by our acts, for we have been made righteous by Jesus, and this is not based on anything we do. In other words, everyone who comes to Jesus for salvation and believes in Him through faith, has the same level of righteousness in God's eyes, that of Jesus.

Any acts of obedience, any embracing of the way of the Lord that we do is the result of our relationship and salvation we have already received. Our actions should be birthed out of relationship, not out of following some set of rules that someone else has written or communicated. Those who have just come to salvation in Christ, are just as righteous as those who have walked for years with the Lord, the difference is intimacy.

Using an example that we can relate to, a couple who just got married yesterday are every bit as married as a couple who was married 40 years ago. Those who have shared life together for 40 years are not more married, but they likely enjoy greater intimacy. The couple married for 40 years should not look down on the newly married couple with contempt, or act as if their marriage is better, but rather should be encouraging to the young married, of the joys and life they will experience. Similarly, there are many married couples whose life together is significantly different than other couples, yet their marriage is every bit as legitimate, and intimate, so they should not believe that the way their life together has developed is the way ever one else's should be.

So let us examine our lives and make sure that we do not believe a Gospel that has been added too, one that requires anything other than faith in Jesus as the standard and requirement for righteousness. Let us encourage each other onward in intimacy and relationship with the Lord, but let us not look down on those whose walk is young, different, or less intimate.

## Context Matters - 2014-07-21 06:28

This morning I was reading from 1 Thessalonians and realized that Paul was writing to them as new Christians, for his visit to them had been short, and they had only been able to share with them briefly before they had to leave town (see Acts 17). Paul hadn't had time to fully form the church there, nor preach the fullness of the Gospel, for they only stayed a very short time. So Paul's message to the church there was not the message to a mature church, but rather to new believers, fresh in their faith and not fully formed. He longs to return to them and finish what he started and supply what was lacking in their faith. The verses below illustrate this:

1 Thessalonians 3:1-2, 5-6, 10-13 NIV

[1] So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. [2] We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,

[5] For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

[6] But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

[10] Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

[11] Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. [12] May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. [13] May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones."

In the preceding chapters we also see how gently Paul dealt with them, and how He loved them.

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 NIV

[7] "Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, [8] so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. [9] Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. [10] You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. [11] For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, [12] encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."

My point in all this is understanding who Paul is writing too, helps us to understand ad frame his messages, for we can become confused by some of the simple language he uses here, compared to some of the more thoroughly written and thought out letters to mature believers, like Romans or Hebrews. We must always take Paul's writings as a whole, and recognize that no one sentence or one chapter can be understood on its own, nor can a theological point be extracted correctly without understanding the greater body of his work.

A good example is 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 NIV:

[3] "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; [4] that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, [5] not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; [6] and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before."

First the phrase translated "the Lord will punish", could be more accurately translated "the Lord is the avenger". If taken out of context, and with this single translation we could think that the Lord will punish those who sin sexually. The issue with this is that the Lord has already taken all the punishment for all sins upon himself on the cross (Romans 6).

Secondly we might think this is an immediate punishment, but Paul writes in Romans 2:5 "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." In other words, the punishment, if the sin is not forgiven, will be meted out on the day of Judgement, the day of God's vengeance.

Thirdly, one might misunderstand that this sexual sin is different than any other sin, all of which come under the blood of Jesus and can be forgiven. Jesus paid the price for all of us, and His blood cleanses us of every sin, if we come to Him and ask forgiveness (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, Heb 9:22)! The author of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 10:14, 17-18 NIV:

[14] "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

[17] Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." [18] And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary."

In other words, Jesus made the sacrifice for our sins, and if we come under His blood, in faith, our sins are remembered no more, and sacrifice for them has already been made.

So, in summary, let us read carefully and understand the fullness of the Gospel message, not taking things out of context, or creating theology out of one sentence. Let us be fed upon the whole Gospel and pursue maturity in Christ Jesus, that we might faithfully proclaim the Gospel, the good news, to the entire world. Let us live to please God, not out of fear of punishment, but out of joy and relationship.

## The Path To Eternal Life - 2014-07-22 05:37

This morning I am reading from Mark 10:17-22 NIV:

[17] As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

[18] "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good---except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

[20] "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

[21] Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

[22] At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

I love this story because it clearly lays out what is important, and the path forward. Many people have taken this story to mean that the only way forward for us towards eternal life is to sell everything we have, and in that they really miss the main point. It's not something we can do, but who we are in relationship with that determines our eternal status.

If we look closely at the man's question to Jesus, he wanted to know what he needed to do. He thought he could earn his way into heaven, or eternal life, by works of some sort, even if they were good works.

Jesus' reply was to come and follow Him, and it was out of His love for Him that He gave the man this invitation. This was an invitation to relationship with his savior. Unfortunately, the man's riches and responsibilities would have made a life of following Jesus impossible for this man, so Jesus gave him direction on what to do. I was reading David Guzick's commentary and he made a good point. He said that the man had made his wealth an idol, and Jesus was inviting him to break away from that which bound him, for idolatry of any sort will bind us, and control us to some degree.

Relationship with Jesus was the one thing the wealthy man lacked, and it is the only path to eternal life of joy in heaven. Being good won't be enough, following the law won't be enough; it is only in relationship with Jesus that we find eternal life.

Paul wrote in Galatians 2:15-16 NIV: "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles [16] know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."

John wrote in 1 John 5:11-12 NIV: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:3-4, 8-9 NIV: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, [9] for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Jesus himself said in John 17:3 NIV: "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

So, let us examine our lives and see if there is anything that keeps us from relationship with Jesus. Jesus does not condemn us if there is, but rather looks on us with love and invites us to put whatever it is aside and enter into relationship with Him. He loves us, and wants us to be in relationship with Him. He is the path to eternal life!

## God's Great Unfailing Love - 2014-07-25 03:46

I am filled with gratitude this morning for the loving relationship, the constant companionship of my Lord. I am so aware of His constant help, His intimate knowledge of my life and circumstances, and His untiring and unchanging love. I was just thinking back at all the things I have seen Him do in my life, in the lives of others and the wonder and joy I have experienced, and I am overwhelmed. I am reminded of His steadfast love, and support through difficult times, and I so grateful.

I am reminded of the verses from Lamentations 3 that say, [22] "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. [24] I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." [25] The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;"

[26] it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. [31] For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. [32] Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. [33] For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone."

Thank You Lord for Your steadfast and unfailing love, Your new mercies every day, Your faithfulness in all circumstances. You will never cast us off or forsake us, but will always welcome us, always forgive and always have new mercies for us every morning! Your love is truly great and unfailing, and directed at us all!

## A Focus On Life, Not Sin And Hell - 2014-07-26 10:19

This morning I had an interesting thought while thinking about sin and hell. I thought about how so much of some churches message is based around those themes when it's only a very small part of the Gospel message from Jesus, and the New Testament. I decided to do a little research on the Greek words as they are used in the New Testament, pertaining to sin and hell, and other themes. The two primary Greek words for sin are skandalon/skandaliza (44 times), and Hamartia (177), and of those only 31 are in the Gospel and thus possibly attributable to Jesus. Hell and Hades are used a total of (19) times 13 in the Gospels. While the Greek words for love, agape and phileos are used (345), faith - Greek pistis (243), hope - Greek elpis (84), Kingdom - Greek Basileia (162), Father - Greek Pater (413), Spirit - Greek pneuma (379), mercy - Greek eleeo (59), forgiveness - Greek aphiemi (145), Heaven - Greek ouranos (275), heal/save- Greek sozo (106), heal - Greek therapeuo (43), heal - Greek iaomai (26). In summary, there is much to speak about, much to focus on in the New Testament rather than sin and hell. Note: some of the counts are combined with slightly different variants of the same Greek word that mean the same thing.

The way I saw it was that there is this huge message about the awesomeness of God, and the potential of life within Him, and we only talk about what's the punishment if we don't embrace that life option. It is not that we shouldn't speak about sin, judgment and hell, but the message should be in balance with the rest of the Gospel. Paul says it well in Romans 6:22-23 NIV:

[22] "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In other words, let us not focus on the wages of sin, but on the great gift that we have been given in Christ Jesus our Lord, the one who has set us free from sin! So often we only hear the first part of verse 23 preached, when the focus of the verse is the second part - the great gift we have been given, namely eternal life. If we have been set free from the sin, then we have been set free from the effects of it as well, or the wages associated with it.

So, let us look to the good news, the promise of eternal life, the message of the Kingdom, faith, love, mercy, healing, forgiveness, salvation, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and recognize that this is the message we have been called to preach and represent. Let us focus on that which brings life, that which encourages us forward in our relationship with the Lord, and the life available in Him.

## Lord, Teach Us To Pray - 2014-07-27 08:36

This morning, I am reading from Luke 11:1-13 NIV:

[1] 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."

[2] He said to them, "When you pray, say: " 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. [3] Give us each day our daily bread. [4] Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "

[5] Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' [7] And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

[9] "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

These are such interesting verses as they relate to prayer, especially when we realize that this is Jesus teaching His followers how they should approach the Father, in prayer. Looking at His teaching on prayer with a fresh eye we see:

1. Focus on the Name of the Father, bringing Him Glory and honor, recognizing that there is no other God, and He is wholly worthy of our praise.

2. A calling forth of the Kingdom of God - one would expect this would then result in its demonstration (healing, signs & wonders, deliverance, etc.)

3. A call for blessing and provision, in a very practical sense. God is not just interested in our spiritual condition, but also our natural condition.

4. Asking for forgiveness for those wrongs we have committed in our relationship with Him, and a commitment to forgive others for those wrongs they have committed against us. "Freely you have received, so freely give." (Matt 10:8)

5. Asking Him to guide and direct us and keep us on the correct path, to protect us from the deception of the enemy, and unhealthy pursuits of the flesh and the world. The Greek word can be literally translated trial - with both a positive and negative context. The idea is either that the Lord is testing our character and His work in us, or they are specifically designed to lead us to walk away from God and His plans, and thus from the enemy, or both.

After finishing this brief teaching, it seems Jesus tells His followers to persevere in prayer, almost to the point of obnoxiousness (verses 5-8). This is where it gets interesting, for He is teaching His followers how to approach the Father. I think that sometimes we misunderstand these particular verses, because these verses are really to help us to understand the character of the Father, not teach us to persevere in asking, for He isn't anything like the friend Jesus mentions. Jesus is using the story of the friend, who won't help until you just keep banging on their door, to illustrate that the Father isn't anything like them. The real focus is the attitude we should come with when we go to the Father. The NIV translates it shameless audacity, other translations use the word persistence. I like shameless audacity, for that is how I see the Lord wants us to approach Him in the confidence of knowing Him. There is no shame in recognizing and our admitting our need, nor in going to the one who can really meet my needs.

Next, the Lord goes us simple directions, ask, seek, knock, depending on your particular need. He has established that the character of God is completely different than the character of man, and where a man might give us something if we ask many times, the Father will always. There's is no hesitancy, no waffling, and no extensive questioning from the Father. There is no misunderstanding, no bait and switch, no shaming, no rejecting, just answering our need.

Our Father is so much more capable, so much more loving and so much more faithful than any person we have ever met, even the best earthly father. If we can receive good things that we need from these types of people, who are sinful and limited at their best, how much more will our Father in Heaven, the one who created us, loves us and has a plan for us, give us exactly what we need. We don't need to be ashamed when we come to Him in our need, we don't need to fear His answer, we just need to ask, seek and knock, and He will deliver.

This is all related to the teaching on prayer, all to help us understand how to approach the Father in prayer. He loves us, and desires the best for us. Let us approach Him with shameless audacity, knowing that He is indeed that good and that faithful.

## Approaching The Father With Shameless Audacity \- 2014-07-28 05:49

I had a very interesting time of insight on Luke 11 yesterday, and had a bit more as I was thinking about it later - see my notes yesterday, breaking the passage down and taking a different perspective about what is generally taught as the need to persevere in prayer. I am continuing on my thoughts around those verses - how I really think we have generally been focused on the wrong thing.

Luke 11:5-10 NIV

[5] "Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' [7] And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

[9] "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

So, Jesus has just finished teaching them to pray using something we call the "Lord's Prayer". To further clarify this teaching, He uses the example above. So I was thinking about why He used this specific example, and figured there must be some things that we often overlook if we always thought this next story was about persevering in prayer.

First, the assumption that Jesus makes is that you have a need. It is not a big need, but one that is based out of a desire to be hospitable. I was thinking about the fact that Jesus could have used any example of need, but chose to use this, one that is not critical, one that doesn't even involve our own needs. We wouldn't need the bread for ourselves, but for a visiting friend. However important the need, the attitude of the one asking is not even apologetic, and that is the point. There is an expectation, and understanding that this need is one that will be met, no apologies needed. It is as if this was a common need, and everyone understood that of course you would be given bread if you needed it. The timing is the only questionable thing.

Second, why would we go to any friend in the middle of the night for bread? The answer is actually pretty simple, it's because we would know that he had bread! You wouldn't be wondering if he had bread, especially if it was the middle of the night and you just keep knocking. You kept knocking because you had no doubt that this person had bread. So your attitude is simply that you won't leave until he gives you what you want, and what you know he has available. You know that he will give you as much as you need, no doubt about.

Third, Jesus calls it shameless audacity that wins you the bread. That is exactly what I just described, no shame, no apologies in asking, and an absolute certainty that the bread would be provided. This is the real focus of what Jesus is talking about - the attitude of the one in need, not the attitude of the one with the bread. In other words, Jesus is giving us direction about our attitude, as we approach the Father - and calls it shameless audacity. We could just as easily call it expectant faith.

Fourth, I was just thinking that another similar example would be sitting at the table when your father is distributing the food and you hand him your plate. There would be no shame in handing him your plate because you know that he has food that he is giving out, and you are his son or daughter. You would not be ashamed of your hunger, it's only natural, and you wouldn't be apologetic about asking for something that was a given. You would however be thankful for the food.

Fifth, I think Jesus was contrasting the heart of the one who was asked for the bread, and comparing him to the Father. The Father is in no way like this friend and He does not require perseverance, or incessant asking. He does not sleep, or grow weary, (Is 40:28) but is always watching over us ready to respond (PS 18:6; PS 34:15). So to contrast, if we need to continue knocking to get bread from the friend, in contrast the Father will respond immediately. If the man is in bed too tired to answer, in contrast the Father is waiting and listening and ready. If one persistent approach is required for the man, in contrast, we don't need to use that approach with the Father. Jesus was trying to show us the Father's heart.

Finally, Jesus goes right from this story of going to friend in the middle of the night to telling us to ask, seek and knock. He is freshly applying the principles He just described, and simply calls us to approach the Father directly with our needs, whatever they may be. We should do so without shame, knowing that He has exactly what we need, and He loves to give us that very thing. Jesus doesn't add any qualifiers, or any conditions, and that is why I believe He was really talking about our heart condition and attitude toward the Father.

So let us be encouraged in prayer, in turning to the Father. Let us realize that He loves us and does not need to be convinced of our need, nor moved by our incessant asking. He will answer, will open the door and will direct us as we need. Let us repent for any wrong view we have of the Father and let us ask, seek and knock for what we need.

## Soaring Above Our Situation - 2014-07-29 05:41

Yesterday I was reminded of these verses from Isaiah and they are some of my favorite verses. The Lord has spoken to my heart many times with these verses, and I am always encouraged.

Isaiah 40:27-31 NIV:

[27] "Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"?

[28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

[29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

[30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

[31] but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Often when I am struggling or weighed down, I can have a little pity party where I think my situation has been overlooked by everyone, and no one cares, etc. Many of those times the Lord has brought me to these very verses, and reminded me of His constant love and faithfulness. He reminds me that He should be my source of strength, my place of peace. David called Him - "My Rock" and that is so true. By rock, we are not talking about some small rock that can fit in our hand, but something more like the Rock of Gibraltar, huge, unmovable, and always there! Sometimes we just need to turn around to see Him (this is basically what repenting means).

In addition to His faithfulness, God also provides the life we need, when we need it. Jesus speaks about how the Spirit is really the true source of life in John 6:63 NIV: "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you---they are full of the Spirit and life."

Finally, the image of soaring on wings of eagles is helpful as well, because the eagle doesn't beat its wings to soar, it just glides on wind currents, and is capable of actually soaring higher without ever moving its wings. If we can catch the wind of the Spirit, we can soar to incredible heights, all with minimal effort on our part.

So let us be encouraged! God sees us, sees our situation and He is not surprised or caught unawares. He is the source of life, strength and hope. Let us lean into the wind of the Spirit and soar above this all!

## The Greatest Commandment - 2014-07-31 05:20

This morning I am meditating on the following verses - Mark 12:29-33 NIV:

[29] "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

[32] "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. [33] 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."

It is interesting that Jesus boils down all of the law into these two commandments, loving God and loving our neighbors. The word used for love here is Agape and that denotes more than just brotherly love and affection. Definition: Agape is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible. In other words this is the type of Love that Jesus demonstrated in dying for us.

His love for us was demonstrated in His coming to earth, to reveal the heart of the Father and restore a way for us to be in eternal relationship with us. He then calls us to that exact same Love in our relationship with the Father. I think that Agape love is impossible without relationship. The teacher of the law gets it right, relationship is more important than the religious ceremonies and sacrifices.

Loving the Lord with all one's heart, soul, mind and strength, means that this love is all encompassing in our life. It involves our emotions, our understanding and reasoning, our choices and finally our physical exertions. This is not a one-hour on Sunday kind of love, but a life focus kind of love. The is a daily, hourly, never ending, never decreasing kind of love. This is the kind of love that shapes one's life, and the object of all this love is God.

Secondly, we are called to love our neighbor, in the same way we love ourselves. This is every bit as hard as the first command; in fact sometimes it seems harder. It is so easy to love ourselves, to spend our money on ourselves, to think constantly about our self, and to prioritize ourselves above everyone else. The issue is that Jesus says we should love others just like we love ourselves, and that means we need to be ready to spend money on them, think about their needs and make them a priority. In our independent western mind-set, this is not common. In fact, it seems that about the only time we really see this type of love expressed is during times of difficulty that affect everyone, such as blizzards, ice storms, etc.

These few verses give me much to think about, and much to look at in my daily life. Do I truly love God with my everything? Am I loving my neighbors in the same way I am loving myself? Am I pursuing relationships with God and my neighbors or am I just doing the minimal religious, and community duty? Lord, You said our love would be a sign to all that we follow You, and I pray that this would be the case for us all, that when people looked at us they would see our love! Amen!

# 2014 - August

## On Denying Oneself - 2014-08-01 06:20

This morning I am reading from Matthew, chapter 16 and it is one of those sections we would prefer not to have in Scripture. Here are the verses - Matthew 16:24-27 NIV:

[24] "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

These verses are probably ones we have heard, but not ones that are our favorites, because they speak of denying oneself. Honestly, I don't like doing that and I am pretty sure I am in good company. We tend to like our lives, like the things that bring us pleasure, and like being in control. These words of Jesus are meant to cause us to look at our lives, and see what or who we are consistently choosing to follow. Discipleship is a choice we make, not something that just happens. Jesus is making it very clear that choosing to follow Him will require some amount of self-denial.

The exchange, that He describes, is giving up our own plans and our own control of our life and finding in Him real life, and ultimately eternal life. To firmly understand this we must have eyes that see beyond the here and now, and recognize that there is more to our lives than this present life. That is the hard part for us who grew up with a western mindset, for we don't think of the afterlife and our souls and they aren't a significant theme, unless you like scary movies.

However, the Lord has made it very clear that there is eternal life, and our actions here on earth determine what that life will be, and our souls (that which is in us which is spirit) will definitely live on after our physical bodies pass away. This is not theory, this is truth given to us by the Father through His Son Jesus. We will all be confronted with this reality, whether we believe it is true or not. God's Word does not depend on our belief.

Now again, we must not only look at these verses, for Jesus spoke of the cost of following Him several times, so it is good to look at other verses to gain a fuller understanding of what He is talking about here. Jesus replies to Peter's statement about that which they had given up in following Him in the following verses.

Matthew 19:27-29 NIV

[27] "Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

[28] Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [29] And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."

In Luke's version there is a little more added by Jesus - Luke 18:29-30 NIV:

[29] "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."

So, although we may be asked to give up things in this life for the sake of the Kingdom of God, for the sake of following Jesus, we will receive that which more than compensates for what was given up. Again this is always our choice, never something that is forced upon us, but a decision we must choose for ourselves. The Lord makes it clear that we will receive much more than we ever give up, and that should cheer our heart, for the Lord is faithful and infinitely generous.

I think our problem is the level of attachment and ownership we have for our stuff. Whether it is our house, our furnishings, our lifestyle, our friends, our electronics, or our money, we mistakenly think that giving them up means losing part of ourselves. We put too much of our identity into our things, and thus feel like we are losing ourselves, but Jesus makes it clear that whatever we lose for His sake, we will gain much more. In other words, speaking just of our identity, we will have more identity if we follow Him. We will have more to offer others, our life will have more meaning, our joy will be more complete, our peace will be deeper, our hope will be stronger, our sense of identity will be clearer. In other words, if we follow Him, we will be more fully us. I know that is totally paradoxical, but that is essentially what Jesus is saying here. It is in following Jesus that we will be released into that which we were called to be, that which we were created to do, into the very purposes of God for our life, both here and eternally.

One final thought, there are those who try to turn these verses into some sort of spiritual cash machine. They look at these verses and then teach that if you give $100 to the Kingdom of God, that you will receive 100 times as much in return ($10,000). That would be an abuse of the Word, and not truly what the Lord said, nor meant. He is after relationship with us, for the invitation was to follow Him in discipleship. He doesn't want to be our cash machine, but rather our Lord and savior. The prosperity gospel, as it is sometimes preached, is really not Jesus' message, for Jesus is talking about denying oneself, and the prosperity gospel is full of oneself. Their focus is how to get more stuff for oneself by pretending to be spiritual. They lay down one thing ($100) and immediately have their hand extended for the return ($10,000). The focus is not relationship with Jesus but rather getting more stuff, as a sign that Jesus loves them. Let me say this simply - Jesus doesn't need to buy friends or followers.

So rolling back to the beginning of today's meditation, I am encouraged to look at my life and consider my choices. Am I consistently choosing to follow Jesus? Am I willing to lay down my stuff to follow Him, should He ask me? Is my life and my stuff more important than following Him? Do I have an eternal mindset, or am I only concerned with the here and now? Am I willing to make my relationship with Him my top priority? Is He my treasure, or is my stuff my treasure?

## Confirming The Gospel - 2014-08-02 05:55

This morning I am reading from the beginning of Paul's letter to the church in Philippi.

Philippians 1:3-11 NIV:

[3] "I thank my God every time I remember you. [4] In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, [6] 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.

[7] It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. [8] God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

[9] And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, [10] so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ---to the glory and praise of God."

There are a few things that stand out as I read these verses, besides Paul's love and affection for the church.

First, in verse 5, he talks about their partnership in the Gospel. The Greek word, here translated partnership is the word Koinonia. Its definition follows:

1. fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse

a. the share which one has in anything, participation

b. intercourse, fellowship, intimacy 1. the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office)

c. a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship

What Paul is describing is a common effort joined by all the members of the church, the spreading of the good news. The general feel here is not one of rallying behind a leader/pastor, but an active participation of all members. They are the "good work" and they are participating in the "good work". When I read verses like this I reminded of churches that seem alive at all levels, where the whole church is involved and active and where it's not a sit back and teach me kind of congregation. I believe this is exactly the kind of church the Lord wants to see in our day, one where everyone is sharing in the life and the effort of representing the Kingdom.

Second, in verse 7 Paul writes of defending and confirming the Gospel. It is the word confirming that caught my eye as I read over these verses, for that is not a usual description of the work of spreading the Gospel. Other translations use the word, confirmation and that is the exact translation of the original Greek. Confirmation in the Webster's dictionary means: "proof which shows that something is true or correct." I believe that is exactly what Paul was saying here, that he was at working defending the Gospel and proving that what He said was true, by visible proofs, not just in words, but in deeds.

When I read this I am reminded of Peter and John's interaction with the lame man outside the temple - Acts 3:6 NIV "Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Peter went on, in the reminder of that chapter, to describe this healing as proof that Jesus was the Messiah, and had been raised from the dead (the core of the Gospel). Paul described his ministry as being not in word only but with power and the Holy Spirit (1 Thesis 1:5). I believe this is what Paul meant when he said he was at work confirming the Gospel, that he was busy allowing the Lord to work through him to bring about healings, miracles and other signs. He knew that the effective proclamation of the Gospel was coupled with demonstration, or proof that what he was saying was indeed true.

Every time I read something like this, my heart and spirit are stirred to see this in the church today, more than we are presently seeing. The same thing is true today; words alone are only so effective, especially when we consider the many ideas that are bombarding everyone these days. The best way to grab someone's attention and prove to them that what you are saying is true, is to demonstrate something that is only possible if what you saying IS true. That is what I am after, visible, defendable, obvious proofs that the Kingdom of God is indeed present and in operation. Lord help us to see this happen in our midst!

## Sowing Peace - 2014-08-03 07:19

This morning I am reading from the Letter of James. He is so straightforward in His language and views, generally easy to understand. The verses this morning come from the third chapter - James 3:13-18 NIV:

[13] "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. [14] But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. [15] Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [16] For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

[17] But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."

I like the terms that James uses - bitter envy and selfish ambition. The original Greek offers a helpful perspective. The root words of the Greek for selfish ambition could be translated to say "boiling, piercing". This is not a casual envious thought, but something that is boiling up inside us. I think of issues that cause us to fixate on something we don't have, or some wrong that has been done to us. So the focus is all in self, the same can be said of the original Greek here translated selfish ambition. The focus is on oneself, and this is done without regard for those around you, in fact it often results in or cause factions, division, etc. This kind of focus clearly doesn't fit the gospel according, nor the charge given by Jesus to the church.

In stark contrast, James writes the next few verses. These words should help us to quickly discern the origination of the thoughts and feeling within us. First is purity, in other words no carnality, or fleshly desire, the exact opposite of selfishness. Peace loving and considerate, speaks of focusing on others and putting them first. Submissiveness means we are willing to lay down our own agenda, our own plans. Full of mercy and good fruit - not judgmental and not causing division but showing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Impartiality and sincerity means a willingness to actually see both sides, or all sides and then deciding but deciding with a true heart, and clean conscience. Finally, sowing in peace, means we have peace in abundance in our lives, so much that out of the overflow we can provide seed for others.

The fruit borne out of sowing peace is righteousness, which is interesting in that you usually have the same thing you plant. Planting corn leads to a corn harvest. In this case though, James is apparently pointing out the cause of much sin, namely selfishness and envy. Also to point out an important fact, our righteousness does not come from us and our actions, but rather from Jesus. This makes perfect sense in James's logic here, for the word he uses for peace is a word that means among other things, knowledge of salvation, or a settledness in our hearts and soul. So as we sow this, others come to understand that their salvation comes from Christ, and thus entrust themselves to Him, bringing about righteousness in their lives.

So my encouragement today is to look at the origination of my thinking, to see if it boils up from some internal selfish focus, and desires division or if it comes down from Heaven and leads ultimately to Him. The fruit of which source should be evident to all. Lord help me to look to You, rather than to myself. Help me to change my mindset and my focus, and become one who sows peace by my words and actions.

## Salvation For The Really Lost - 2014-08-05 06:18

This morning I am reading one of my favorite stories, the story of Zacchaeus. Yesterday I was so tired from a night of minimal sleep, that I ended up sleeping through my prayer time, which is actually just fine. I am convinced the Lord is able to speak to my spirit while I sleep, and has no problem with my falling asleep with Him on my mind.

So here is the story - Luke 19:1-10 NIV:

[1] "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. [2] A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. [3] He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. [4] So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

[5] When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."

[6] So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. [7] All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."

[8] But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

[9] Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

One of the things I like about this story is the realness of it all; there is no sense of anything even remotely made up. I can easily imagine the situation as it unfolded. Zacchaeus must have been an interesting man, as he was short, and also considered a traitor, for he worked for the Romans as a collector of taxes. He personally benefitted greatly from that arrangement, but his wealth came from the taxes he collected from the people around him. No wonder there was grumbling when Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus's house, he was probably one of the most hated men around, for they saw him get rich on what was once their money.

If I ever wondered if there was hope for the salvation of someone because of their character, Zacchaeus is a great example of the Lord's touch being able to completely transform someone in an instant. He was clearly an astute businessman, who knew how to survive and thrive in a negative environment. He was not a friend of the poor, for often the tax burden fell heavily on them, nor was he known for his charity, for he had amassed great wealth on the backs of those around him. He had to be ruthless in the profession of tax collecting, and being charitable would not have helped him in that regard. That he was selfish is a given.

So here is a man, probably hated by all, surrounded by people who only liked him for his money, and considered by all to be a traitor to the Romans. He meets Jesus after climbing down from the tree and before Jesus can even say anything else, he boldly proclaims how his heart has been changed, for he pledges half of his possessions to the poor! Adding to that he opens himself up to make restitution to anyone he cheated. This is huge, for his wealth was all he really had that made him somebody; it was likely where he derived his whole identity. Now he was readily giving it away! This is like the story of the Grinch who stole Christmas, whose heart and whole life was changed. Zacchaeus just had that kind of experience in meeting Jesus.

Jesus for His part confirms the change in Zacchaeus by calling him a true son of Abraham, which established him as a Jew, not a traitor. In addition to that, Jesus says that salvation came to him, and his house! He wasn't just talking about his restoration as a Jew, but the word is also used to mean the salvation that Jesus won on the cross, so likely the Lord is prophetically speaking about his eternal destiny.

Finally, in the Gospel of Luke, Zacchaeus is the second to last person mentioned who received salvation, the other being the criminal who was crucified with Jesus. So, let us take encouragement that anyone can meet Jesus and be transformed in an instant, even those most lost, no matter how late it might seem. I am convinced that Jesus was specifically sent to Jericho by the Father to save Zacchaeus. He knew his name and where to look (up) to find him. The Lord said He must stay at his house that night, which sounds to me like He was on a mission from the Father. In fact, Jesus in his last sentence said He was sent to SEEK and SAVE the lost. Sounds exactly like Jesus was seeking out Zacchaeus.

This is a great story of salvation, of hearts being changed and of the specific purposes the Lord has for us all. All of us are known to the Lord, and where we are presently. He has a day of eternal destiny planned for each of us, even the most lost. Let us continue to pray for those who we know that are lost, even the most hardened, for at some point the Lord will seek them out and call their name.

## Kingdom Authority And Rule - 2014-08-06 05:54

This morning I am reading from Matthew 8:5-13 NIV:

[5] "When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. [6] "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly."

[7] Jesus said to him, "Shall I come and heal him?"

[8] The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. [9] For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

[10] When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. [11] I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. [12] But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

[13] Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that moment."

This is a great story about the authority of Jesus, and faith in Him. The Centurion grasped clearly the idea of Jesus' demonstrations of the Kingdom of God, as examples of His authority over sickness and disease and the demonic powers and even nature itself. He also understood that Jesus' authority flowed from the Father, for his own authority flowed down from the throne of the Caesar. It is interesting how little the idea of authority and the Kingdom seems to be preached and instead the focus of this story often becomes the faith of the Centurion. Since Jesus commented on his great faith that does make sense, however much of that faith was founded on his understanding of how authority worked, and we would be well served to understand the same.

The Centurion was from Capernaum where Jesus had moved after returning from the wilderness, so he had likely seen Jesus active in ministry, and likely even heard Him speaking of the Kingdom. As one under authority, and having authority, he understood what Jesus was talking about when He was preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God being in their midst and then demonstrating that reality by operating in authority and healing people, casting out demons, and such. All were demonstrations of the rule and will of the King.

In a kingdom, the rule and will of the king determines what happens when and to whom. The King sets in place a set of laws that generally guides all those living under his rule, but then also has the authority to intervene personally where he sees fit. It wasn't always a good thing to have a king visit, because if you fell under his wrath, he could exact whatever punishment he willed, because you were one of his subjects, subject to his will and rule. However, you could also receive the blessing of the king, which could include provision, promotion or even just his presence in your house. In a kingdom, all authority flows down from the king, and those closest to the King have the greatest authority, even though they are not the king.

This is what Jesus was demonstrating, the authority of the King (The Father), as one of His representatives (Heb 1:3). Jesus had willingly laid down His divinity becoming fully man (Philippians 2:5-10), and was now operating as a man under authority. The Centurion had likely seen Jesus operate under this authority and had seen people healed and demons cast out. His faith was in the authority, power and rule of the King, for he had seen it demonstrated over and over again. His request of Jesus was to simply say the word, or give the command for the sickness to leave. He knew Jesus had the authority to issue the command and the sickness had to obey.

Often times we hear people praying these same words, in an effort to mirror the faith of the Centurion. Although that is laudable, the problem is that the words don't indicate faith. Rather, the belief of the Centurion in authority and rule, which was evident in his words, is what Jesus heard. The words without the understanding and knowledge of authority do not constitute great faith.

So let us be encouraged that Jesus now sits on the throne, alongside the Father and it is their rule and authority that we operate under. The same things that Jesus demonstrated are available to us, for we are under the exact same authority and rule that He operated under while on this earth. Let us pray for opportunities for the Lord to teach us about Kingdom authority and rule. We are called to advance the Kingdom of God, and demonstrate the reality of that Kingdom to all (Matt 24:14 & Matt 28:18) nations.

Amen!

## We Are All Working Deacons - 2014-08-07 05:54

This morning, after reading several different scriptures, I felt led to Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV:

[11] "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

[14] "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] 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."

Verse eleven is a famous verse in the church, for it speaks of what is known as the five-fold ministry offices. We are probably most familiar with the pastor office, and surely have heard of the other four. My focus this morning is not on these ministries, but on their purposes. Paul is very clear that the whole reason for these ministries is to build up the Body of Christ, or edify it. These gifts are meant to equip us with that which we need to do the works of service to which we are all called.

In my opinion, that is the real point Paul is making, that we all, everyone in the Body of Christ, has works of service to which we are called. In other words we are called to active ministry, through which the Body of Christ reaches maturity. The Greek words here translated works of service (verse 12) are "Ergon Diakonia". We might see some resemblance to words we are familiar with Ergo(nomics) which relates to work, and Deacon. We could have translated these words accordingly "working deacons" and the sentence would read, "to equip the people as working deacons, so that the Body of Christ might be built up". That would likely change all our perspectives on our own call within the Body of Christ. We are not called to be pew-sitting observers, but actively involved in the ministry of the Church, the Body of Christ. This body participation, or body engagement is what brings unity and maturity to the Body of Christ. The church is not meant to have a few full-time ministers, and the rest just faithful members of the congregation, but rather it is meant to be full of deacons, all actively participating in the ministry of the church.

I like to think of this model as the Church of responsible people, for we are all responsible to do our part. It is when we are all doing our part and growing in maturity that we then have the ability within us to resist waves and winds of the lies and deceptions that the enemy will try to sow in our midst. We will all know the truth and be able to recognize that which isn't the truth, and speak the truth to one another in love. In doing so, we grow together and mature into the fullness of the Body of Christ, fitting for our head Jesus. I think this is so important to grasp, we are all called, every one of us. In this we are all called to grow, to mature, to step into our place, and we must be responsible for ourselves in this regard. The five-fold ministry gifts are meant to equip us, but we must be willing and desiring to grow and mature.

There is a growing understanding of our calling in the church today, some call this missional living, missional lifestyle, etc. The Readers Digest version of the idea is that we are all called to a mission field, namely those who we interact with every day. Saying it another way, we are all called to be shepherds, not sheep. The five-fold ministry is really about converting the sheep into shepherds. We may not all have a large flock, but we all are supposed to have flocks, those that Lord has called us to love and interact with regularly. Thus we must all be equipped and maturing. We must all be more than familiar with the Word of God, His character, His heart, His kindness, His mercy and compassion. We are all called to represent Him to those around us, those we meet, and those we live with and work with in our daily lives.

So, let us pray for the greater release of the five-fold ministries, and of the working deacons, into the works that will build up the Body of Christ. We need to grow in unity and maturity. We are all called, so let us step into our place and take responsibility for ourselves.

## Seeds of Change - 2014-08-15 03:11

This morning I was reading a bit through Proverbs. Such good stuff, every two lines you could stop and think for quite a while. Here are some excerpts: Proverbs 12:1, 14, 18, 22, 28 NIV:

[1] "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but whoever hates correction is stupid.

[14] From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,

and the work of their hands brings them reward.

[18] The words of the reckless pierce like swords,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

[22] The Lord detests lying lips,

but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

[28] In the way of righteousness there is life;

along that path is immortality."

So much of this chapter has to do with our words, our choices, and actions. Good things to think about for us all.

What I say affects my life, and the lives of the people around me. My words can bring life and healing, or they can tear down and bring destruction. You can tell much about a person by listening to their words, listening to how they talk about others.

What I choose to think on, and how I interpret things around me also greatly affect my life. I can choose to recognize that my life has purpose and pursue the one who knows what that purpose is (God), or just go with the flow, never thinking or pondering the deeper things of life. I can recognize that my thoughts and attitudes affect how I view life and others. I can choose to be grateful or not, I can choose to be kind or not, I can choose to look at the positive opportunities or the get stuck in my past hurts or woundedness. So much of our life experience is the fruit of our thinking and our choices. One of my favorite authors, Graham Cooke says, "if you don't like where your thinking has lead you in your life, then have another thought, or think again", but this time change the way you think.

Finally, how we choose to act greatly affects our life. We can think grand thoughts but never act on them. I think the famous saying says the raid to hell is paved with good intentions. In other words, people's thoughts didn't line-up with their actions. For example, in my mind I am always thinking about the need to eat better and exercise more, yet rarely do I act on those thoughts. My intentions won't make me healthier, it requires my actions. I might speak wonderfully, but it is the work of my hands that brings me rewards.

I guess I could meditate on these few verses for hours, but at the end of it all I need to apply these verses to my life and act differently. Lord, help me to sow the seeds of change, and begin to act differently.

## The Kingdom and Power - 2014-08-16 05:55

This morning I am reading from Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. Apparently they were getting into some areas of pride. Paul is reminding them that he is an Apostle and that he had taught them differently. The following couple of verse caught my attention.

1 Corinthians 4:18-20 NIV:

[18] "Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. [19] But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. [20] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."

As I read this, my thought was upon the church, and how if we used this measure to judge a church, the measure of what power they had, it would potentially be a very sad situation, for many churches have lost their sense of what the Kingdom is all about, and how it is demonstrated. While well run programs are good, good teaching and sermons are very helpful, the Kingdom of God is supposed to be demonstrated by power. Jesus called the disciples together, sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom and then demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom with power (Matt 10:7-8). The power to heal, cleanse, cast out demons, and work miracles is the demonstration of the Kingdom.

Ultimately I believe that power and authority comes through relationship. The disciples that Jesus sent out walked in the authority and power because of their relationship with Jesus. Jesus ministered in power and authority because of His relationship with the Father. Simply put when we know someone deeply, we can represent them correctly. I have a good friend who says that he wants me to preach at his funeral because his pastor doesn't really know him, certainly not the way that I know him. He wants someone to faithfully represent him.

The Lord is much the same, He is looking for those who can really represent Him effectively. God is full of power, love, compassion, mercy and many more characteristics. He wants us to represent who He is to the world around us, for the Kingdom flows out of who He is. If we are preaching a God of power, but unable to demonstrate that to the world, then why should they believe us? The same is true for love, mercy, compassion, faithfulness, etc. The church must demonstrate these characteristics faithfully or the world will not believe us that God is like that.

Right now the common characterization of Christians in the media is one of judgmental, angry, compassionless people. Part of this is based on the liberal agenda of the media, but part of it is drawn from the actions of Christians. The church must rise up and restore the image of the Lord. We are His representatives, and our actions are associated with His character. So let us throw off arrogance, judgmentalism, angry speech and instead demonstrate to the world the true character of God, as demonstrated by Jesus. Let us restore to the church relationship with Jesus and the demonstration of His power and authority. Let such learn to desire mercy, not sacrifice (Matt 9:13). Let us demonstrate that mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:13). Let us demonstrate the true power of Love, the power of the Kingdom of God, present in our midst.

## Doing The Stuff, Our Inheritance - 2014-08-17 06:02

This morning I felt like I should read from Isaiah 61, which is a section of scripture that I love. The specific verses that I was directed to are the following:

Isaiah 61:7 NIV: "Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours."

When I read this, I felt that it was related to the topic I was thinking about yesterday morning, that of power and authority in the Kingdom. We often don't think about the fact that our inheritance in the Body of Christ, is exactly what Jesus demonstrated during His ministry. Before Jesus died, he was talking to the disciples and basically telling them what He was leaving as an inheritance. Here are a few verses from John:

John 14:18-21, 26-27 NIV "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] 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."

[26] 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. [27] 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."

Those verses were prefaced with these: John 14:12-14 NIV: "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

The Lord through Isaiah is speaking of inheriting a double portion, a rejoicing in our inheritance, and then in John, He describes some of what that inheritance looks like. He says will inherit peace, identity, love, The Holy Spirit, authority in His Name. In John 14:14 Jesus says that anything we ask in His Name, He will do. This isn't some sort of code word, but rather a description of relational authority. We are able to do these things because we represent Him, and are exercising our inheritance.

Finally, I was reminded of part of sermon I heard many years ago, by John Wimber, where he talks about doing the stuff. The link to the video is here, hopefully it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTep5jzjhu8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

So, let us step into our inheritance, and start believing that this is what we are called to do, namely the very same stuff that Jesus did.

## More On Our Inheritance - 2014-08-18 06:08

Yesterday, the theme of my meditation was inheritance, and again today I am stirred in that direction. The whole idea of us having an inheritance from Jesus is firmly established in the New Testament, as evidenced by the multitude of verses speaking of it (35). Many of these verses speak of us inheriting Eternal Life. What I find interesting is that although I always read them as having to do with our life after death, I don't think that is entirely accurate. Clearly in many instances that is the meaning, but the one thing that has caused me to stop and think is that traditionally an inheritance is really only for the living to enjoy, something that is passed to us, the living, upon a loved one's passing to the next life. So there must be some component of our inheritance that we enjoy now, in this life.

In several scriptures, eternal life is equated with knowing the Lord (John 17:3; 1 John 5:11-12). I have always understood it to speak of a quality of life, in addition to meaning living forever. In Paul's first letter to Timothy, he tells Timothy to take hold of the eternal life (1 Tim 6:12), and clearly is talking about his life here on earth, not after he has passed into the life after death. It would be a completely nonsensical statement to tell a living person to take hold of something that can only be grasped after dying. Jesus speaks of creating in us a fountain that wells up to eternal life (John 4:14). Jesus also makes a very clear statement that whoever shares in His body and blood will have eternal life (John 6:54), and He will raise them up on the last day.

I truly believe that we are meant to experience our inheritance in this present life, and in the life to come. Paul in his letters to the Corinthians, Ephesians and Galatians talks about inheriting the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10; Eph 5:5; Gal 5:21). Jesus told us to pray for His Kingdom to come on earth, as it is in Heaven (Matt 6:10) and this would make no sense if His Kingdom, His rule and reign, was only meant to be experienced once we pass on to the next life.

Lord, I pray that You will open my eyes and my heart to that which You have for us here and now. Lord, I don't want to miss anything in this present life that You want me to walk in and experience. I want to embrace the inheritance You have left us, Your Kingdom, and Eternal Life.

## Love: God, Ourselves, Others - 2014-08-19 05:51

This morning I am reading from the Gospel of Mark, and thinking about our call to love God and each other.

Mark 12:28-33 NIV:

[28] "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?"

[29] "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

[32] "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. [33] 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."

It is an interesting thing, to be commanded to love God, for that goes against the popular idea that love is a feeling. The idea that we can choose to love, work on love and love with more than our emotions is somewhat foreign to our modern ideas on love. In reading this, one could feel like this type of commanded love is not love at all, but rather coerced feeling, but that is a wrong assumption.

God is calling us to relationship with Him, first and foremost. It is in this place of relationship that we learn how to love Him with our whole being. This loving with our heart, soul, mind and strength includes our emotions, but adds to it our thoughts, our actions, our inner being, everything we are, and everything we do. This is not something we can accomplish with simple following of rules, but something we internalize and we meld into our very core.

The Lord wants our relationship and our love first and foremost, and that is what Jesus is saying here. Our relationship with Him should be first before all others. Our relationship with Him becomes the foundation for all others. It is in relationship with Him that we discover our true identity, learning to love ourselves, and from that place of identity we are able to interact with all others (our neighbors). It is in relationship with Him that we see the value of all others, and understand that they are also God's chosen, the ones He loves, and from that place we learn to love them like we love ourselves.

Finally, the Lords commands, are not suggestions for good lives, although they have that effect. They are the best path forward, the best and only way for our fulfillment and finding our true purpose. They are meant to be the foundation upon which we interact with each other. They are meant to guide us, give us purpose and keep us healthy in our relationships with others, by way of our relationship with God. I think it is safe to say that if we have a healthy, loving relationship with God, we are far more likely to have healthy loving relationships with others.

There is great wisdom in these few verses, and we would be well counseled to dive deep into them and discover how we can more effectively live them out in our lives. We are called to love God and to love others, as Jesus says in John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." We are called to be examples to the world of Love, love for God, His love for us, and our love for one another. Let us learn to love with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength.

## Faith And Belief - 2014-08-21 05:46

This morning I am reading from Mark 11:19-25 NIV:

[19] "When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

[20] In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

[21] Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

[22] "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. [23] "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. [24] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. [25] And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

These are some very interesting verses, as just prior to these, Jesus had cursed the fig tree because it bore no fruit. The tree had withered, and the disciples were amazed by His authority, here demonstrated over creation. He had previously commanded the wind (Mark 4:39) and had multiplied the bread and fish (Mark 6:30-44) and even had walked on the water (Mark 6:45-52), so they should not have been that surprised. I think this demonstrates the ability of us all to lose faith and to forget that which we have seen.

The second major focus of these verses is the section on faith and prayer. It could be very easy to take these single statements about faith and prayer and create a whole theology around them, as some streams in the Christian faith are doing. They look on these statements by Jesus as a basic prescription to get what we want, yet that is not the point of what Jesus is discussing here. The two key components that Jesus is discussing are faith in God, and relationship with Him in prayer. It is in the place of prayer in conversation with the Lord, that we understand His will, and unite ourselves to Him. We are no longer concerned only with our needs, but now with understanding of His will, heart and mind. It is in this place of knowing Him, of intimacy, that our faith in Him grows, and our confidence in His abilities grows. Nothing is impossible for God (Matt 17:20) and Jesus is demonstrating that here.

Also, we cannot read these verses and overlook everything else that is said in scripture about prayer and asking things of God. The following section comes from the Fourfold Gospel Commentary: Jesus here lays down the broad general rule in the application of which we must be guided by other Scriptures. The rule is, indeed, liberal and gracious, and the limitations are just and reasonable. We must not expect to obtain that which it is unlawful for us to desire (James 4:2,3), or which it is unwise for us to seek (2 Corinthians 12:7-9), nor must we selfishly run counter to the will of God (Luke 22:42; 1 John 5:14,15).

In other words, what we ask of God must lie within the context of His will for us. God will not break His own rules because we believe something with our whole heart. God desires to bless us and is always faithful. We will learn this and understand it deep our being, and we will be able to move the largest of obstacles through the power of God flowing through us. Faith is ultimately a gift from God, and it is based on experience, an impartation from God to us. It is not something we convince ourselves of by repeating it over and over again.

So, in summary, these verses are not about us bending God to our will, but us melding ourselves to God, and His great future plans.

## His Plans Are Better - 2014-08-22 05:38

I spent this morning reading through 2 Chronicles 14-20, which details the lives of two of the kings of Judah, Asa and Jehoshaphat, and how they pursued the Lord. Both did right before the Lord and followed His ways. However, Asa at one point was threatened with war and went and aligned himself with the king of Aram, rather than inquiring of the Lord what he should do (2 Chron 16). His plan was successful, but because he relied on the help of man, rather than God, other countries were not afraid to attack him.

Jehoshaphat on the other hand continually sought the Lord, and at one point was threatened with war, and he directed all leaders and the people of Judah to wait on the Lord and depend on Him for instruction. The Lord honored their prayers and told them exactly what to do and where to fight the enemy. When they followed the Lord's directions they never even had to draw their weapons for the Lord had wiped out the opposing armies (2 Chron 20). They recovered much from the enemies camps, and because God had fought for them, all the surrounding countries decided it wasn't a good idea to fight Judah, and they had peace.

So, I guess the lesson this morning is turn to the Lord and seek His guidance, regardless of whether we think we have a solution, God's ways are better. His ways are meant to bring us peace and prosperity. I know I am often tempted to just make decisions based on my own abilities, and not consult the Lord, but I know that He does have direction and guidance for me that is based on His plan and His perspective, which are perfect. So I can choose to try and figure it out on my own, or go with His plans which will always be better than mine. Put that way it doesn't seem like much of a decision, yet I fail to seek the Lord time and time again. Lord, help us to look to You, to wait on You and to trust that Your plan is better, and worth waiting for.

## Operate In Our Gifts - 2014-08-23 05:38

This morning I am reading through some of Paul's letter to the Romans, which is such an excellent letter. Here were the verses that I am thinking about this morning: Romans 12:1-8 NIV

[1] "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God---this is your true and proper worship. [2] "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.

[3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

So often when I read scripture, I look for the quotes I know, and look past the verses on either side of those verses, and in doing so, can often miss some of what the author was actually saying. These verses are a great example, as we would not usually hear a sermon that combines the first verses with the second set of verses. However, I think that the second set of verses flow out of the context of what Paul was saying in the first paragraph.

The pattern of the world seems to be the focus to me, and Paul's urging us to not he conformed to it, but to be different. We are to be transformed by changing the way we think (renewal of the mind). We are to view ourselves as a part of the Body of Christ, not only as individuals. We are to see our place, understand our gifts, and use them for the betterment of the Body. We all belong to each other.

That statement alone should cause us to stop and think...I belong to everyone in the Body of Christ. The original Greek language says it something like this - we are all members reciprocally of the same body. There is a sense of equality, of sharing in as a part, but no one better than the other, and all needed to be whole.

I love how in these passages Paul is not setting one gift above the others, but encouraging those with gifts (all of us) to use them to better the community. We need each and every one, and we need them all being exercised. We are called to operate to the level of our faith, and in stating this Paul doesn't look down on those with less faith, he just says to operate in accordance with Your faith, but definitely operate the gifts.

Often in our churches we are encouraged to have a certain level of proficiency before stepping out and using our gifts. While this might maintain a professional look and feel, that isn't what Paul calls us to here. He is basically saying that everyone regardless of their level of faith or maturity needs to be operating in their gifts. I recognize that this could get messy, but without exercise how are we to grow stronger, or mature?

So let us be encouraged today to step out into our fittings, into those things the Lord has planted in us, and let us strengthen the body. Let us give each other mercy and grace and recognize we all need each other and all belong to each other. Let us encourage one another is the exercising of our gifts, and rejoice in growth and maturity, but also rejoice in new Christians just learning to walk in and use their gifts! Put another way, we should rejoice over and encourage the one just learning to ride a bike as much as we do over someone who participates in the Tour de France. Let us encourage one another to operate in our gifts!

## Rescued From That Which Binds Us! - 2014-08-25 05:04

This morning I am reading out of the Acts of the Apostles, specifically chapter 12. This is the story of how the Lord rescued Peter from prison, and likely from death. I was just thinking how the Lord is capable of setting us free from the most difficult circumstances, or dangerous scenarios. The Lord does have the keys and all power.

Acts 12:1-12 NIV:

[1] "It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. [2] He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. [3] When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. [4] After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

[5] So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

[6] The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. [7] Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

[8] Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. [9] Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. [10] They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

[11] Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen." [12] When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying."

A couple of things stand out when I read these verses. First, this was not just a simple prison sentence, but based on verse one, it was clearly Herod's plan to put Peter to death. He had already killed one of the 12, and he was obviously thinking he would kill the leaders, thus he arrested Peter. Peter was Ina very dangerous place.

Secondly the church was praying and had not given up hope, in fact they were having an all-night prayer party. This is so critical, to believe the Lord's word over the circumstances that you confronted with!

Third, God moved to rescue Peter. We can find ourselves in tough circumstances through no fault of our own, and although there doesn't look like there is a way out, if we depend on the Lord He can set us free, even to the point of blinding our captors. This was a miraculous escape, yet full within the Lord's ability to act upon.

So let us look to our savior and redeemer, the one who loves us. Let us call out to him and prayer for release from that which binds us keeps us prisoner. He is kind and merciful to all that call upon Him!

## If A Brother Sins Against You... - 2014-08-26 06:00

This morning I was reading in Luke and came across a passage of Jesus speaking about sin and forgiveness that when viewed in the original language is very interesting. Here are the verses - Luke 17:3-4 NIV:

[3] "So watch yourselves.

"If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. [4] Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them."

What is interesting is the word here translated rebuke. In the original Greek the word is Epitimao:

Definition

1. to show honour to, to honour

2. to raise the price of

3. to adjudge, award, in the sense of merited penalty

4. to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely

a. to admonish or charge sharply

Now I am definitely not a Greek scholar, nor have I ever studied Greek at all, but I find it very interesting that the translation they use in this instance is the fourth, and secondary at that. If we replaced rebuke with words more in line with the first two definitions we would have a very different sentence. I actually think that there is some merit in using the first definition, so let me explain.

First, this is your brother or sister, one of your same family or someone you have an existing relationship with, so someone that is important in your life. Second, the Greek word for sin here is Hamartano whose definition is:1. to be without a share in 2. to miss the mark 3. to err, be mistaken 4. to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong 5. to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin. So, we could be talking about a whole range of offenses, from slight to severe, but I think we tend to assume the worst. What if we assumed the best? What if it was an unintentional missing of the mark, in other words they tried to do something right but made a mistake? For example, they bought you a gift that just wasn't right for you. They wanted to bless you but instead of the new phone you wanted they bought you an ironing board, because you needed one. It could be that benign, based on the Greek.

If we then apply the first definition of Epitimao, we would go to that person (our brother or sister who we love) and because we love them and value them and hold them in high honor in our life, we explain how their actions have affected us. We do this because we place great value in this relationship, and going to them actually is a way of showing them that, or even elevating their value. If we didn't care about them, we wouldn't be talking to them. Anyway, if they repent, (here the word in Greek is Metanoeo whose definition is:1. to change one's mind, i.e. to repent 2. to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins) we forgive them. In other words, we explain the situation because we love them, they understand how their actions have affected us and they decide to change how they think or act towards us, maybe even feel deep remorse because they love us in return. Often times they won't even know that they have offended us or missed the mark of their intentions, and because we love them and value them, we have given them insight into our heart and mind and helped them to love us better.

I like that scenario much better than the one that comes to mind when I first read those verses. I think that often times people have used these verses to judge and criticize their brother putting the responsibility on the brother or sister who sinned to repent, rather than seeing the importance and value that should be there. The object of this latter approach is to correct someone, rather than to lift them up and honor and value them. I think it often can become like a score sheet of criticism, where people keep track of all the wrongs, go to that person and tell them everything they did wrong, and require their repentance before they will forgive them. I think that approach misses the entire spirit of the original Greek, and thus probably the intention of the Lord.

Finally, a word about forgiveness. The Greek word here translated forgive is the word Aphiemi, whose definition is: 1. to send away a. to bid going away or depart 1. of a husband divorcing his wife b. to send forth, yield up, to expire c. to let go, let alone, let be 1. to disregard 2. to leave, not to discuss now, (a topic) 1c 2. of teachers, writers and speakers 1. to omit, neglect 1. to let go, give up a debt, forgive, to remit 2. to give up, keep no longer 3. to permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person 4. to leave, go way from one. In other words, there is permanence, a releasing and not going back to. So often forgiveness is some sort of conditional experience, but that is not the meaning of the word. You can't cancel a debt and then reinstitute it. The word Aphiemi is actually an intense version of the word Eimi that means to go, so it means to really go so that there is significant separation. I believe that is what Jesus meant, that forgiveness is supposed to be permanent, and cause the hurtful action to be brought up no more, for it is no longer present. The Lord provided a beautiful picture of this in Psalm 103:11-12 NIV: "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

So my encouragement this morning is to love and honor those who sin against me, taking this approach rather than a critical approach when I explain to them how they might have hurt me or offended me. I will choose to really forgive them, to cast their transgression away and never revisit it. I choose to invest in and honor those that I love and value and work to strengthen our relationships, over and over and over.

## His Kingdom Rules Over All - 2014-08-27 05:55

I am reading from Psalm 103 this morning and it is medicine for my soul.

Psalm 103:19-22 NIV:

[19] "The Lord has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.

[20] Praise the Lord, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

[21] Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.

[22] Praise the Lord, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul."

It is good to know this morning that His Kingdom rules over all other kingdoms. It is good to know that there are forces in this world that we cannot see, but who are doing the Lord's work and obeying His every command. It is good to know that His dominion is everywhere! There is no place where His will and rule do not penetrate. There is no place we can get to that He is not in control and not in power. Earthly kingdoms can come and go, authority figures change daily, but the Lord is still in power and in control and has dominion over all. It is good to know that He is, and always will be worthy of our praise!

Amen and Praise God!

## Eternity In Our Hearts - 2014-08-28 05:24

This morning I opened my Bible up and it opened to some very thought provoking verses from Ecclesiastes 3:10-14 NIV:

[10] "I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.

[11] He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart;

yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

[12] I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.

[13] That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil---this is the gift of God.

[14] I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.

God does it so that people will fear him."

So starting at the bottom - the Hebrew word here translated fear would be more accurately translated to be in awe of, or to instill reverence. God's purpose is not to make us afraid of Him, but to instill in us a sense of how great He is compared to us. He is beyond comprehension, but that doesn't mean we should stop thinking about God.

There is perfection in God, and He has an eternal perspective. He views us and the world from outside of time and thus sees all, and He reigns over all. His Kingdom is over every other Kingdom (PS 103:19).

God's intentions for us all are that we may find joy, we may see beauty, and we might find happiness and be satisfied. Part of that satisfaction is connecting to that piece of eternity He has placed in our hearts. That eternity is meant to draw us to Him. There is a sense of something bigger than us in all men. There is a desire to understand our place, our purpose and see how things work together in the greater world. We all have this longing and it is fulfilled through relationship with Him.

I remember when I stepped into relationship with Him, consciously choosing the Lord, how it felt like all of a sudden everything fell into place and made sense. I think it was that piece of eternity in my heart connecting up to the ultimate source of eternity, namely the Lord. It is within this relationship with Him that my perspective is changed and I understand my purpose, my place and how my life matters. It is in this relationship that I see the beauty that really is there in all things. I don't understand all the mystery, all the things of God, and no man can, but I can perceive His ways and see His will in action, discerning the flows of His purpose and plan taking place around me. It is a beautiful thing when I see God working in me, through me and around me.

So my encouragement today is to seek Him more, to open my eyes to His ways, and to enjoy that which He is doing and surrounding me with every day! He has given me great gifts and He enjoys it when I recognize that and am satisfied! He wants me to recognize that piece of eternity in me is meant to connect to Him, who lives in eternity!

## In Christ Alone - 2014-08-29 06:01

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Romans 9:30-32 NIV:

[30] "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; [31] but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. [32] Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone."

Paul's thinking here is very clear. As he has said before it is by faith not works, faith not religion, that we attain righteousness. This is only possible when we unite ourselves to Christ and receive His righteousness. There is no amount of sacrifice or good deeds that can ever achieve righteous perfection for us. The only way is through faith, entering into relationship with Jesus and receiving from Him His righteousness.

This is why Jesus is the only path to the Father, the only way to Heaven, the only Savior. He is the only one who has achieved righteousness before the Father. He is the only one who made the perfect sacrifice for all our sins. He is the only one who fulfilled the requirements of the Law. He is the only one who was looked for throughout scripture, perfectly fulfilling the Father's plan.

Our beliefs in these truths are founded on the belief that the Father is the One and only true God. There are no other Gods of similar status, as the Greeks and other religions would believe. He is the one supreme God and He has provided one way in Christ Jesus.

There is no way to heaven through works and good intentions, but only through faith in Jesus. We can have all the best intentions, be good and nice people and yet not attain eternal life. We can go to church and fulfill all the religious works and not attain eternal life. There were people of Israel who pursued perfection, had great intentions and lived relatively blameless lives, racking up tons of good will, good works and having the intention of following God, but they were unable to attain perfection. Our actions alone will never meet the requirements of perfection. It is only through faith in Jesus and relationship with Him that we will succeed.

We recognize this, not so that we can proudly proclaim that our way is the only way, and judge all who don't believe this. Rather our hearts should be torn for those whom don't believe, as Paul said in the earlier verses in this chapter. "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel." (Rom 9:2-4a). This should be our heart for the entire unsaved world. Theirs is a path of futility and frustration if they pursue a place in Heaven apart from relationship with Christ. Our hearts should break for them and our desire should be to help them find Jesus, their only true hope.

There are many who have believed the deception of the enemy, rejecting God, believing Him to be angry and full of judgment, and rejecting all that is fun and fulfilling. I have even heard people say they can't wait for the party in hell because that is where all the fun people are going. What a sad deception they live under. Again our belief is based on the Word of God concerning hell, final judgment and the eternal agonies that will be suffered by those assigned to that place.

Our hearts, again, should never be proud concerning our own salvation, for we did nothing to earn it, other than recognize our own need for a savior. It is in the place of humility that we understand our own sinfulness and inability to attain eternal life on our own, so how could we ever look down on those who haven't recognized this in their own lives. We were once in their same position, and God in His mercy called us out of that and saved us, and applied His own righteousness to our lives. We didn't earn it, Jesus did, and He distributes it freely to all who would receive it.

So, let us be thankful and grateful beyond words for our salvation which comes to us through faith in Christ Jesus. Let us also pray diligently for the same grace to be extended to those we know who have yet to receive the gift of salvation. Let us live our lives in such a way that they see our relationship with God bearing good fruit in our lives and desire the same in their own lives.

## Preaching Through Love - 2014-08-30 10:36

This morning I am reading from Romans 10:14-15 NIV:

[14] "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? [15] And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

This is such a simple encouragement to be those that are willing to be sent, and willing to preach. Many will disqualify themselves saying they were not sent to preach. That is true for many of us, as our call is not to full-time ministry, apostleship or teaching or even evangelism. We are however encouraged to, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:12. Paul encourages us similarly to, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." Philippians 2:14-15 NIV.

Our lives are meant to be a witness to those around us of our relationship with the Lord. We are all called in this instance to represent to the world the love of Christ, evident in our daily lives. We don't have to preach, teach, or cause all conversations to turn to Christ, but we are all called to, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35.

So, let us preach with our lives, our faith in the one who loves us first, Jesus, so that those who have never heard, hear and believe.

Amen

## The Father Responds To Repentance - 2014-08-31 08:25

This morning I am reading out of Luke, and reading about the Prodigal son, one of Jesus most famous parables. I was thinking about the Father's response to the son , when he said he wanted to pay for his mistakes. The following verses describe the Father's response - Luke 15:20-24 NIV:

[20] "So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

[21] "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

[22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. [24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."

The son had sinned against his father pretty significantly. He had taken his inheritance, wasted it on women and drinking, and basically told his dad he wished he were dead. When the son decided to go back to his father, he was planning to pay for his mistakes, expecting to be a slave or servant and likely working for the rest of his life to pay back that which he had thrown away.

Our human nature would require that type of repayment. We want to make people pay for their mistakes, and it is only after the repayment that there is any hope for restoration. That is the way man thinks, but that is not the way the Father acts. In this story, which is a clear parable speaking about the Father in Heaven and all who sin, the father runs to him and embraces him, and basically completely ignores the son's attempt to lower himself, and take on the role of a slave or servant. In fact, the father completely restores all that the son had thrown away. This is such a radically different way of responding to a sinner who is repentant, than most of us would expect.

Our church is full of the human type of thinking. Some churches speak of penance following confession of sins, effectively a payment for the sin, to restore ones relationship with the Father. Many churches are quick to mete out punishment to those who sin, or who are caught in sin, regardless of the individual's repentance. The mindset seems to be that the sin must be paid for, because the church cannot be soft on sin, for God is not soft on sin. God demands purity and holiness and anyone who sins is in danger of judgment.

I have friends who grew up with a mindset that if you had one sin stain in your life when you died you were destined for hell. They were taught that their salvation was constantly in jeopardy, because of their sins. This is a great example of teaching focused on man's sinfulness rather than on God's mercy and grace. There are other churches that swing completely the other way, and over emphasize grace to the point of no discussion of sin, repentance or the like.

This story makes a few things clear concerning God's heart toward the repentant sinner. First, he doesn't require repayment. He has already paid for all our sins. He doesn't require a severed or reduced relationship. He has compassion on those that are repentant, and celebrates their turning back towards Him. He does not enact judgment, does not sever the relationship, but instead rushes to restore relationship to the repentant one.

There should be no reason why we wouldn't turn back to the Lord in repentance. There are some that would think their sins are too many, or too great, and yet the Lord is waiting not to punish, but to restore relationship. He has already paid for all our sins, so punishment is not required. He wants us back in full relationship with Him and is just waiting and watching for the moment we turn back towards Him. Whether we have lived our lives like God was dead to us, or wasted or ruined every good thing He has ever given us, His response will be the same, welcoming us, embracing us, restoring us, and celebrating our return.

My prayer is that we, as the Church, would learn to rightly represent the Father's heart. My prayer is that those who are estranged of the Father would return to Him, and those living under the weight of sin would repent and turn towards Him that He might restore them to right relationship.

# 2014 - September

## Faith and Forgiveness - 2014-09-01 09:37

This morning I am continuing my reading from Luke 17 from a few days ago. I was digging a bit deeper into these verses - Luke 17:3-6 NIV

[3] "So watch yourselves.

"If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. [4] Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them."

[5] The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

[6] He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

This morning as I was rereading these verses, I realized that I might have been seeing them wrongly for years, specifically verse 6. Normally my thought on reading that verse has been that Jesus was rebuking them, or at least exasperated with them. After reading the same verses today, I just felt that the Lord was really trying to encourage the disciples.

Looking at Faith, I think that the Lord in discussing it, was always encouraging people in their faith, for faith is really based on their knowledge and experience of God, as well as being a gift from the Father. Faith is one of the things that is absolutely required in the Kingdom, and thus is highly treasured. So why would the Lord rebuke someone for not having faith.

There are several scriptures where He says they have little faith, and I have always read that as a rebuke. However after a quick rereading of all those passages, it appears that Jesus was instructing them in the ways of the Father, and essentially increasing their faith. I am now seeing this more as a diagnosis than rebuke. It's like observing someone hasn't learned to swim yet, and then giving them their first lesson. Diagnosing that they haven't learned to swim isn't meant to be a rebuke, but rather it is identifying the problem that needs to be fixed. In this case they need more faith to be able to extend forgiveness.

One of the commentaries by David Guzick that I read states that the mulberry bush and forgiveness in these verses are related. He says that the mulberry bush is extremely deep rooted, and that in this case the imagery chosen by Jesus was meant to demonstrate forgiveness of long held, deeply rooted things. These are the kinds of things that can hold us in bondage, and the Lord is saying through faith in Him, we can see those things uprooted and cast into the sea where they will never be able to take root again. That actually is very encouraging!

So let us allow the Lord to encourage us, to grow in our faith and knowledge of Him to such an extent that we can lay down our past, forgive those that have hurt us, and move forward in our relationships with Him.

Amen!

## Jonah the Angry Prophet - 2014-09-02 06:09

This morning I felt like reading the book of Jonah. This is such an interesting book, with such a colorful character in Jonah. My verses for meditation come from chapters 3 & 4:

Jonah 3:1-5, 10 NIV:

[1] "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: [2] "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." [3] Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. [4] Jonah began by going a day's journey into the city, proclaiming, "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown." [5] The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

[10] When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."

Jonah 4:1-4 NIV:

[1] "But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. [2] He prayed to the Lord, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. [3] Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."

[4] But the Lord replied, "Is it right for you to be angry?"

I guess you could title Jonah the "angry prophet" for his response to the Lord having mercy on the people of Ninevah was to become angry. In fact, he expected the Lord to relent from the very beginning, which is why he tried to flee from the call of God. He was so judgmental that he had lost all connection to the heart of God. He knew God was merciful and compassionate but he wanted God to bring judgment! He was angry with God for having mercy! It would almost be a comical story if this wasn't so true of some Christians.

I have personally witnessed this same spirit at work in the Body of Christ, where fellow Christians prophesy calamity or judgment over a people or region, and sit back with a judgmental heart just waiting for God to unleash judgment. Often times this prophesied judgment is related to areas where sin is prevalent, and the prophecy is directed at a particular sin. I have heard prophecies against California, Las Vegas, and New Orleans over the sins of sexual promiscuity that pervade certain areas. I have heard prophecies against the US in general over abortion and homosexuality. While the definition of sin is right, the heart of the prophetic people is often wrong, and they wrongly prescribe God's heart and actions.

Where the prophetic people lose sight of the heart of God is when they desire to see judgment unleashed, rather than seeing God relent out of mercy and compassion. The judgment would validate their message and prove them right, and thus they hope for judgment. Where they lose sight of God's heart is when they don't consider the impact of God's judgment on the innocent people that would also be affected. They are essentially praying for judgment on all so that there would repentance for those that remain. The problem is that directly goes against the teaching and ministry of Jesus and the church which is under the new covenant.

Jesus came preaching restoration of relationship, not judgement. He preached mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. He established His Kingdom, not through battle, judgment or warfare, but rather through healing, deliverance and miracles. He does speak about judgment, but in context of the Day of Judgment at the end of the age. Jesus confronted the lies and deceptions of the enemy, and destroyed his works, but He never touched the people. He summed up His mission in these famous passages from John 3:16-17 NIV: "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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (judge) the world, but to save the world through him."

Peter in his second letter sums this all up nicely, as follows:

2 Peter 3:8-15 NIV

[8] "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

[10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

[11] Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives [12] as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. [13] But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

[14] So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. [15] Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him."

As Jesus said, He came to save the world not condemn it. Condemnation requires judgment and He has reserved that for the end of the age. As Peter writes, until that time He is being patient so that all might be saved.

So, let us preach the Kingdom not judgment, extend mercy, compassion and forgiveness and pray that all might be saved. Let us be a people known for our love and compassion, not our angry prophetic calls for judgment.

## Do Unto Others, Even Your Enemies - 2014-09-03 06:01

This morning I am reading some challenging verses from Luke's Gospel. These are the kind of verses that I generally skip over, or just gloss over believing they don't really apply to me.

Luke 6:35-38 NIV

[35] "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

[37] "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. [38] Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

That first line is really almost unbelievable, until you add the second sentence. I mean who loves their enemies, does good to them and lends them money without any concern for getting it back. It seems we barely would do all that for our neighbors, and sometimes not even family members. Yet this is the teaching of Jesus and the life He lived. He was demonstrating the Father's heart, as He says in the next passage, and if we want to be His representatives, then we need to learn to do the same. Paul writes how when we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us (Col 2:13-14). We are called to be kind to the ungrateful and the wicked, merciful to all.

The second set of verses is equally challenging, but in a different way. We are called to be the initiators of forgiveness, mercy and acceptance. As we live those in our lives, we will experience the same from God, but with greater measure. The challenge here is to believe God and trust that His word is true and that He will do what He says He will do. We don't need to judge anyone, because He is the judge. He sees all and knows all and will judge correctly. He doesn't need our help or insight, although we often feel it's necessary. He will extend condemnation to those that deserve it, we do not need to.

Finally, He will forgive us if we forgive others. I find my struggle is that I want God to go first. It is much easier to forgive someone if they have already extended forgiveness to you, just ask most any married couple. Believing that God will forgive us if we forgive others can help set us free from holding onto past wounds and hurts. If we don't forgive those that have wounded us, then we will experience a similar response from the Lord.

I believe the last line (38b) applies to all the statements made in verse 37. The measure we use will be the measure used for us, by the Lord. If we live a life of judgment and condemnation, we will receive as much. If we extend forgiveness we will receive forgiveness. Paul writes something similar in his letter to the Galatians 6:7b "A man reaps what he sows.". In other words, this is a spiritual truth, as much as a natural truth. What we sow with our lives is what we will reap; judgment will reap judgment; condemnation will reap condemnation; forgiveness will reap forgiveness; mercy will reap mercy!

The encouragement to me in all this is that I can influence what I experience in life by the way I think and act. If I extend mercy and compassion, give freely and forgive quickly, I will experience the same from the Lord. We don't need to keep score for the Lord will, and He will provide the increase and abundance that will overflow into our lives. So, let us treat others as we would want the Lord to treat us. Let us extend love, mercy, compassion, kindness and forgiveness to all, even our enemies, for that is what the Father does, and will do to us.

## The Storm Stopped - 2014-09-04 04:38

This morning I am once again reading out of Luke's Gospel, and also going back a few days to the book of Jonah, for when I was reading Jonah, I saw some parallels to these verses in Luke.

Luke 8:22-25 NIV

[22] One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. [23] As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. [24] The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. [25] "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

And from Jonah 1:3-6, 11-16 NIV

[3] "But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish . He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

[4] Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. [5] All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. [6] The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish."

[11] The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" [12] "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you." [13] Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. [14] Then they cried out to the Lord, "Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased." [15] Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. [16] At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him."

In the reading of the story of Jonah, I saw some things that reminded me of the previous story from Luke. One of my beliefs is that much of what we see in the New Testament, in way of miracles, we also saw in the Old Testament as well. In this case Jonah was on a ship, sleeping while the ship floundered in a storm. In the story from Luke Jesus was also sleeping during a storm, unaffected by that which raged about him.

Jonah was running from the will of God, Jesus was completely in the will of God, yet both saw storms raging about them. Jonah's disobedience lead to his situation, while for Jesus He was in perfect obedience. It is interesting how it would be very difficult from an outside perspective to determine which was the cause. I think too often we are quick to judge people who find themselves caught in the middle of a storm, as having caused it by their disobedience, or bad decision.

In both cases the storm immediately subsided and the waters grew calm at the word of the Lord. In Jonah, the word of the Lord had come to Jonah and he knew what they needed to do (throw him overboard) but they didn't want to do that and tried to outrun the storm. It was finally evident they couldn't so they finally relented and through Jonah overboard and immediately the storm subsided, fulfilling the word that Jonah had received. In Jesus case He just stood up and spoke to the wind and waves and they immediately calmed.

As I write this am encouraged, for in both cases the Lord stopped the storm with a word, and that is really good news if you find yourself stuck in a storm, it is nice to know who can make it stop. In Jonah's case it was confession, in Jesus case it was obedience, but in both cases it was the Lord. So if you find yourself in a storm, have faith that the Lord can stop it and that He won't let it destroy you. He may seem like He is sleeping or not paying attention to your situation, but the Lord is fully aware and able to calm the storm in an instant. If you seek the word of the Lord in the midst of the storm, and heed it, you will be saved.

Amen!

## Keep Pressing Onward - 2014-09-05 05:50

This morning I was thinking about how blessed I am to have a significant amount of time every morning to sit with the Lord. I was thinking of how much my time with Him has strengthened my faith and my knowledge of Him. I guess I would say I was feeling pretty good about my faithfulness to my time with Him. As I was sitting here thinking somewhat proud thoughts, I felt like the Lord directed me to Philippians 3:3, 7-14 NIV:

[3] "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh---

[7] But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

[12] Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

When I read these verses from Paul, I realized that in reality I have attained next to nothing, and certainly cannot feel settled in my relationship with Jesus, nor even satisfied with the level of relationship I have, for there is so much more. Here is Paul writing about how he considers everything that he had gained to that point as mere garbage. Instead he continued to press onward, forgetting everything that was in his past, even the successes of the day before, and continued to pursue the Lord with passion and zeal. There was a sense of more, and understanding that Paul had of the depths and breadth and height of life in Christ and he knew he hadn't reached anything that resembled a resting place. There is always more in Christ, and He doesn't want us to be satisfied with what we have seen, but He wants us always longing for more of Him.

We must not put any confidence in any of our works, no matter how good and righteous they seem. It is only through Christ living within us that we will see His purposes for our lives fulfilled. We cannot rest on our accomplishments, our relationship, our intimacy, our knowledge of Him, for there is always more. This is not a scenario of a taskmaster always demanding more from us, but rather that of a Father who knows what we are capable of, has new experience in Him planned for us and is encouraging us into that which is new, better and more fulfilling. He is glorified in and through us, and we are fulfilled in Him.

So my personal encouragement this morning is to keep pressing forward, to never settle for anything I have attained, but rather to press in and onward knowing that I haven't even scratched the surface of the fullness and glory of God. I haven't achieved all that I am capable of, nor called to, so I desire to continue strain forward in passionate pursuit of the One who loves me, Christ Jesus my Lord.

## Followers of Jesus - 2014-09-06 06:02

I was reading recently about how a certain large church in America has a strict don't preach Jesus rule for their church, and I have no idea if this is true or not, but it certainly made me stop and think. I pray that it is not true, for many people are affected by their ministry.

Upon further reflection, I find it amazing that any church, founded on Christian principles and beliefs, cannot talk about Jesus. He is the only reason we have a "Christian" church. He is the one we follow, the one we want to be like, hence the name Christian from the Greek word Christianos or Christ-follower. It is sad that in our day and age that many are afraid to proclaim their allegiance to their leader, Christ Jesus. Of course there are many who claim the title Christian who do not follow the teachings and leading of Jesus, or who poorly represent Him to the world. There is also a strong media bias against Christianity, and the portrayal of Christians in the news and TV and Media is often as ignorant or bigoted people. But, we cannot and we must not abandon the very one we follow and worship, for that is idolatry in its worst expression.

It is not enough to teach the feel-good messages found in the Gospels. We must follow Christ, and like it or not Jesus has established His Kingdom here on Earth, and it is in conflict with the worldly kingdoms. Jesus knew that would be the case as He clearly stated in Luke 12:49-52 NIV: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! [50] But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! [51] Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. [52] From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three."

I don't think we can effectively preach the gospel, which is the Good News, without it causing conflict. It will cause that which is in us that is aligned with other kingdoms, or our own fleshly desires, to resist. It will cause conflict for those that experience conviction, knowing the truth but not walking in it. It will cause conflict when we walk fully in His ways choosing His will over ourselves. The life of a Christian is supposed to be a light of life to those around him, and light will conflict with darkness and drive it away. This does not mean that we need to have a battle mindset, but we must recognize the truth that He that we follow is the King, and He rules with sovereignty and has defeated the enemy, and will ultimately come again in victory. The battle was waged and was won, and we are drawn into that battle as His followers. We don't get to choose to fight, there can be no conscientious objectors.

The way we fight though is with love, mercy, compassion, prayer, intercession, service, self-sacrifice, laying down our lives for each other, loving our enemies. As Paul said, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Cor 10:3-4. We must not shy away from the Lord, His words, all His teachings, and His call to us to preach the gospel of the Kingdom to all nations (Matt 24:14). Our lives lived out before men are meant to be our message to the world that we follow Jesus.

John 13:34-35 NIV:

[34] "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Amen Lord! Let the world know that we are Your disciples, that we follow You. Jesus, we are proud to be your followers.

## Dueling Ministry Styles? - 2014-09-08 06:06

This morning I was rereading some of Matthew, chapter 11 and came across these two verses - Matthew 11:18-19 NIV:

[18] "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds."

This was Jesus' commentary on that present generation, and how they rejected both John and Jesus. What I find interesting here is not only the social rejection of the two different paths, but also the rejection of them within the religious community. I think we can see a similar model in action today as well. Suffice it to say that any legitimate move of God and the people who embrace it are often rejected by both society and much of the rest of the church. Society does not like conviction, and the moves of God bring exactly that. The religious community doesn't like competition.

John was a voice calling for repentance, a turning back to God, a restoring of faith and focus, and because he lived a lifestyle of radical obedience, they said that he had a demon. The religious community was the ones that leveled that charge, for he was making them look bad. The people were very responsive to his call and he baptized thousands. The religious community couldn't stand the competition, so they claimed he was doing the works of, and by the power of a demon. They didn't look at his message and compare it to previous prophetic messages and voices to see if it was legitimate, but cast it all aside with their proclamation of demonic influence.

So often we see churches doing the exact same thing with churches or groups who are pursuing the Lord in radical or extravagant news ways. Every pastor that I know that is pastoring a move of God is regularly being attacked by the status-quo church. They were called cults, heretical, demonic and the goal is not to test the word being spoken by these pastors, but rather to reject them and their teaching wholesale. They are in competition and you can't have your good people leaving to join some other more active church!

In my lifetime, alone, there have been legitimate moves of God in the church in North America that have been pooh-poohed or ignored by the majority of the rest of the church, movements and outpourings like John Wimber and Vineyard conferences, John Arnott and Toronto blessing, the Brownsville outpouring, Bill Johnson and Bethel Church in Redding, CA, the Jesus People movements, and the charismatic renewal in the Catholic church, etc. Each of these had significant effects on the church in general, and yet they were proclaimed to be false, demonically inspired, founded on heresy, clearly not from God.

Similarly, Jesus was rejected for being too soft on sinners, too loving towards the lost, not judgmental enough. This is often the case for churches that espouse mercy, compassion and grace. The hardline purists will attack any group that is not echoing their call for perfect righteousness in one's actions, a works based mentality. Jesus was called a drunkard, a winebibber, someone who drank wine, and He hung out with worldly people (sinners). There are church groups that would say He couldn't be a Christian because of those activities, as silly as that sounds.

I guess the point is that both of these ministry styles and their focus was legitimate and from the Lord. Jesus didn't attack John's ministry, in fact he held it up and even submitted himself to his ministry. In like manner, John pointed towards Jesus and sent some of his followers to Jesus. We are called to unity in the Body of Christ, but it seems like all we do is fight and call each other names and sow division. We must learn to bless those ministries that are different, that have a different plan and path. We must learn to build up the Body, rather than fragment it. We must be willing to believe that everyone is called and many will be called to a different style of worship and interaction with the Lord. Must at the same time know what we believe and why, and we must guard that truth. However rather than casting someone wholly aside for one area of disagreements, let us hold onto that which is good and right, and identify that which is not and why. Let us love those whose ministry is different and welcome them as brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ!

## Contentment and Hope - 2014-09-09 05:57

A couple of verses from Proverbs today - Proverbs 23:16-18 NIV:

[16] ..."my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

[17] Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.

[18] There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."

Just a simple meditation...there is in us a desire to hear what is right. We long for truth, we long for justice, and we long for understanding. When the Lord speaks into our lives, He brings everything we need.

Sometimes we look around and we see people whose lives appear perfect, who have things or jobs or cars or houses that we would like. We think how nice it would be to live like that, but we don't see the hidden issues of overwhelming debt, or unhappy relationships, wrong priorities leading to wrong choices, fruitless striving and emptiness. Things don't bring joy, happiness or fulfillment, they really just bring responsibility.

Our purpose and destinies are found in relationship with the Lord, and it is in that place alone that we find true fulfillment, rest, identity and hope. He holds our hope securely, and is waiting for us to turn to Him. Our lives are greatly affected by our attitude and focus. If we are always focused on ourselves, we miss much of what the Lord would have for us. If we are always dissatisfied or longing for more we miss the treasure that surrounds us every day.

I love what Paul writes - Philippians 4:11-13: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do all this through him who gives me strength.".

And to Timothy - 1 Timothy 6:6-10: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. [8] But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. [9] Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

So I choose to run after the Lord, to cultivate my relationship with the one who holds my future, my joy and my hope. He will not disappoint my trust in Him.

## Kindle A Fire - 2014-09-11 05:11

I was reading in Luke's Gospel this morning and came across two interesting verses - Luke 12:49-50 NIV: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!"

A few things jump to my mind as I think about these verses. First, Jesus says that He has come to bring fire to the earth, and He is wishing that it is already kindled. The belief is that He was talking about the power of the Holy Spirit, and that/ certainly makes some sense. He also was establishing His Kingdom, and I think that could also be the object of this comment. The Kingdom is supposed to shine like a light to all nations - back then all lights were flames.

Second he says that He is constrained until after His baptism (death and resurrection) is completed. Since that already happened, He is no longer constrained. Some other translations use the word distressed here, but the original Greek is closer to constrained. The word means to be held together, tightly bound, held back or bound. Clearly He was constrained by the limits of His human body and humanness, having laid down His divinity. Once he accomplished his death on the cross and Resurrection, He was no longer constrained to the limits of His nature. We see this in evidence when he walks through walls, appears to people in person in different likenesses, He disappears, etc.

Finally if He desired the fire to come to earth, but first had to pass through His baptism, then He is now free to kindle it fully on the Earth. He has passed through His baptism into death and the tomb and risen from the dead. He has completed that which He needed to do, and now He is free to fulfill all else He desires.

Lord, we pray that you kindle on the earth a massive fire of passion for You! Let Your power loose upon us, to cause us to shine a light of love to all people! We desire to see You glorified! We pray that You would destroy all that binds us and constrains us, for we are called to walk in the fullness of Your ministry here on earth!

## He Is Good And Faithful - 2014-09-12 05:58

This morning I felt lead to read from Psalm 100. It is a pretty short Psalm so I thought I would include it in its entirety.

Psalm 100:1-5 NIV:

[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."

I find it is hard to read this Psalm and not have a better outlook on life afterwards. There is so much good about the Lord, He is so loving and faithful in all His ways. His ways are always good! He welcomes us into His courts, into His presence. We have a God who cares for us and is intimately aware of us, and loving us every day. He is worthy of our praise and worship! When we think about God our hearts should be joyful!

If we have a hard time with this positive Psalm, chances are that we are under the weight and cares we all experience. The Lord's plan for us all is to come into relationship with Him, so that we might exchange our perspective for His. When He looks at us, He sees us as we will become, perfect in His eyes, perfectly fulfilling His purposes for which He created us. He sees our struggles, but He also sees our victory over our present struggles and our growth and maturity that will come.

He is God, the enemy and the world and bad circumstances do not challenge Him, frighten Him, or concern Him, other than their effects on us, whom He loves. He is loving and faithful to all. Don't believe the lie that He doesn't love you, or care for you, or even know your name.

One of my favorite authors, Graham Cooke, says behind every struggle is a greater provision and blessing from the Lord. I like that perspective and know it is true. So let us praise God and join with all creation in joyful anticipation of His blessing. He is good, loving, faithful and kind!

Amen!

## Choose Love Over Position And Authority In The Body! - 2014-09-14 06:31

This morning I opened my Bible and felt like I should read Paul's letter to Philemon. This so such an unusual letter compared to the rest of Paul's more formal letters to churches. Here he is writing a very personal letter to Philemon. I was reading it through and the following two verses caught my attention. I guess it is always interesting to me when authority is discussed in the New Testament, because I feel this in one of the areas that is often misused and abused in our churches. Here are the verses - Philemon 1:8-9 NIV:

[8] "Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, [9] yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul---an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus---"

On first reading of this, it appears that Paul is saying He could pull rank and order Philemon to do this thing, and in some ways that is correct, but not in some petty power hungry way. When I reviewed the original Greek, it is clear that the translation could be written several ways, and this particular version misses some of the nuances that are important to Paul's statement. The NASB translates verse 8 - "Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,..."

The word translated either confidence (NASB) or bold (NIV) is the Greek word Parrhesia whose definition is:

1. freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech

a. openly, frankly, i.e without concealment

b. without ambiguity or circumlocution

c. without the use of figures and comparisons

2. free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance

3. the deportment by which one becomes conspicuous or secures publicity

This word is prefaced by the Greek word translated much or very. The translation could read - much freedom, very open, very frank, much confidence, much boldness...etc. The point is that Paul is confident in his relationship with Christ, and his position in the Body of Christ.

The second Greek word that is translated order (as in a command) is the Greek word Epitasso whose base definition is:

1. to enjoin upon, order, command, charge

This Geek word is made up of two other Greek words Epi and Tasso, which mean over and a position or authority. In other words Paul is in a position or had authority over Philemon in Christ, or more specifically in the Body of Christ.

So we could have a translation that reads more like this - "Therefore, because of my position in the Body of Christ I could freely ask you this..."

In other words Paul is choosing not to relate to Philemon as an Apostle, whose place in authority over the Body of Christ is clearly understood, but rather he is asking Him as one brother who loves the other brother (agape). I believe Paul is actually appealing to the higher level when he approaches him as a brother that he loves, and choosing not to approach this from the position of authority.

Since the command of Jesus is that we love one another(John 13:34-35), and the great focus and treasure in His Kingdom is relationship, not positions of power and authority, Paul is going to the top level in the Body of Christ, that of love. Paul knows he is an Apostle, and from a governmental perspective, he could provide an opinion, but instead he is choosing to relate one on one, or brother to brother. Paul is showing Philemon that he values him as a brother more than his own position. He is clearly showing his love and applying the teaching of Jesus in laying down his life (John 15:12-13) for His brother Onesimus, as well as Philemon.

So my encouragement is that I should always lead with love, choosing brotherly love over position and authority. My prayer is the church, specifically leaders in the church, might come to understand and move in this manner. That the significance of every one, the Lord's love for them and acceptance of them might be the first consideration. That we would choose to relate to one another as brothers and sisters first, even though organizational position or authority would allow otherwise. That we would always default to agape - brotherly love.

## The Role of the Holy Spirit - 2014-09-15 05:34

This morning I felt like reading some of the verses where Jesus explains the role of the Holy Spirit. Here is a selection of verses from the Gospel of John.

John 14:15-18, 26-27 NIV:

[15] "If you love me, keep my commands. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--- [17] 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. [18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

[26] 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. [27] 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."

John 15:26-27 NIV

[26] "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father---the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father---he will testify about me. [27] And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning."

John 16:7-15 NIV

[7] "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. [8] When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: [9] about sin, because people do not believe in; [10] about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; [11] and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

[12]"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. [13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. [14] He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."

So summarizing the role and action of the Holy Spirit:

1. To help us

2. To be with us forever

3. To be in us

4. To teach us all things

5. To remind us of Jesus' words

6. To testify about Jesus

7. To bring conviction to the world concerning sin, judgment ad righteousness

8. To guide us into all truth

9. To speak what He hears

10. To tell us what is yet to come

11. To glorify Jesus

12. to make known what Jesus reveals

Jesus calls Him the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, other translations use the word helper. The Greek word translated Advocate is the word Parakletos whose definition is as follows:

1. summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid

a. one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate

b. one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor

1. of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins

c. in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant

1. of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.

There is much to dig into here, but hopefully this gives a sense of His role. He is there to help us, to intercede for us, to encourage us, to teach and guide us, to represent us legally, and to empower us.

Suffice it to say that we all need the Holy Spirit active in all our lives. We need His guidance, direction and intercession. We need more of Him in our lives! Holy Spirit I invite you to take up residence in me.

## Remembering Who We Are! - 2014-09-16 05:50

This morning I woke up with two simple sayings running through my mind - Remember who you are, and remember whose you are! These are both aimed at setting and establishing my identity, and are just such a good perspective to gain in life.

One of the major struggles in all of our lives is trying to understand our true identity. There is no more core need than belonging, and that has to do with who we are, who we belong to, who we connect with, and who our family and friends are. We long to be significant, to belong, to be accepted, to have purpose, to make a difference, and all these things are encapsulated in our identity.

One of the great deceptions that many of us live under is that we are insignificant. We believe that our lives don't matter that much, that people don't care about us, that we have no real meaning to our life, and nothing could be farther from the truth! We are, each of us, created! We are not an accident, or the chance pairing of a couple of cells, the accidental combination of the fastest sperm cell and egg, we are lovingly created by God. David correctly describes this in his Psalm 139:13-14: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

We need to know who we are, and whose we are. Paul wrote several times (Romans 8, Galatians 4, Ephesians 1) about our adoption by God, the fact that we are His sons and daughters. If this is true, and I believe firmly that it is, then we are all very significant. Just thinking in the natural about the royal family of England, it doesn't matter how distant a cousin, the fact that they are members of the royal family is significant. In the same way, we are each of us members of a far greater family. We were all created to be part of this family, wanted and loved from the moment of our conception by God our Father, regardless of our earthly experience. This is the truth, and much of our society and the messaging today would try to convince us of everything but this truth.

The awesome thing about adoption is that anyone can be adopted into a family that bears no resemblance to them, in this case I am speaking about the family of God. Regardless of our upbringing, our life to this point, our skin color, our gender, our looks, our abilities, our hair color, or lack of hair, we are all able to be adopted into God's family! Our past failures, our hurts, our wounds, our needs, our anger, our sorrow, our sinfulness, our mistakes, our broken promises, our wrong thinking - none of these can disqualify us from our adoption by the Father. He has already chosen us, we are not waiting to be adopted! That is the truth! He loves us, He wants us, and He accepts us as we are!

So the answer to the question of "who we are" is that we are the adopted son or daughter of God the Father! No one is any less than all the others, all the rest of us!

The answer to the question of "whose we are" is very similar. If we are the adopted son or daughter of God the Father, than we are His - as in "This is my son Sam". He claims us as His own! Not only that but we belong to the family of God, or to say it differently using Paul's analogy - the Body of Christ. We belong, in that the rest of the Body of Christ claims us as well. We may, like me, be the crazy uncle, or the slightly strange brother, or the different son or daughter, but we all belong to the same family, the same Body of Christ and we are all loved and accepted.

Let me say it again - We belong! We belong, in that each of us is essential and significant no matter how young or old. No one else can take our place, or fill in for us. We all have received gifts to be shared with each other! I like to think of the gifts we have received as like one of the board games we played as kids. You can't enjoy those games by yourself, they must be enjoyed with others. That is what our gifts are like - they are meant to be shared with the family. All our gifts are significant and meant to benefit the whole family. Having a certain gift doesn't make us more or less significant to either the family or to our Father.

I could go on writing pages, but let me stop here. So, this morning I am encouraged to remember who I am, and whose I am! It is good to remember this simple truth, and to tell myself that throughout the day, especially those days where I am under the circumstances. Lord, thank You for creating me and choosing me to be a part of Your family as Your adopted son, and brother to all.

## Further Up And Further In! - 2014-09-17 06:04

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 2:6-7 NIV:

[6] "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, [7] rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

I like the simplicity of these verses - which can be summarized by saying that we need to continue to live our lives a Christians. I don't know about anyone else, but continuing is difficult to do. It is easy to start something new, but I find it difficult to maintain most anything after a couple weeks, sometimes even a couple of days. The ability to continue, to maintain a course is one of the things I pray for regularly.

Continuing to live in Him, rooted and built up, indicates a permanence and growing maturity. We are called to put down roots, to allow the water of life that flows from Him to fill us and cause us to grow. We must draw deep, drinking in His presence, His word, His love. We are encouraged to be built up in Him, as in exercising causing muscles to grow. Actually exercising and eating right, lots of protein, causes muscles to grow. In the same way we need to exercise our faith, becoming strengthened through the exercise and eating (the Word).

Speaking of the natural, I find physical exercise one of the most difficult things to maintain, my body rebels and I always find a good reason not to exercise. I had a teacher who used to say when he felt like exercising he would lie down until the feeling went away. It is a humorous saying but all too true. My good intentions can be easily overcome by distraction or lethargy. In the same way, our desire to exercise spiritually, to be strengthened in our faith can quickly wain with a little distraction, a little lethargy.

One of the few consistent areas of long-term successful "continuing" in my life has been my consistent quiet and prayer time. I had plenty of fits and starts early on, but I decided I needed to spend time every day in God's Word and in prayer. It is only through making an effort, and making time in my schedule that I have been able to maintain or continue. It is also one of my most treasured things - my opportunity to daily meet with the Lord and be instructed by the Holy Spirit. The insight and understanding, as well as guidance and correction are of eternal worth.

Even with my consistent time in the Lord, I still find myself easily sliding in my conviction, or my passionate pursuit of Him. I really must continue every day to be rooted and built up, and strengthened. I have never, nor do I expect to ever achieve a level of relationship where I can stop my efforts at growing and strengthening my faith. I want to live my life more fully in Him every day. I am reminded of a quote from C.S. Lewis's last book in the Chronicles of Narnia titled "The Last Battle". In the book the afterlife with Christ is imaged as a mountain where they are called to "Come further up, come further in!" Although that was the invitation in the afterlife, I believe we all have the same invitation here, to press in and find more and more and more of God. Since the invitation is to relationship, literally to live our lives in Him, that is only possible through time and conversation, the same things that are required for any relationship.

So let us be encouraged to "continue to live our lives in Him", growing in our relationship daily, being rooted and strengthened, maturing and growing. There is always more, so let us pursue Him further up and further in!

## Phoebe the Deacon - 2014-09-20 13:04

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Romans 16:1-4 NIV:

[1] "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. [2] I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

[3] Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. [4] They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them."

I am just interested in Paul's simple commendation of a few women of the faith. We can take some meaning from the fact that this is clearly the greetings section and Paul starts with Phoebe. Several of the commentary authors believe that she carried this letter and that us why she is listed first. It is clear that she was traveling to Rome and Paul is giving her his personal recommendation.

Several of the other translations would change the word deacon to servant because it is less controversial, but that is clearly what Paul wrote. This is the same term he used in his first letter to Timothy 3:8. The word has several potential meanings, but within the church, the role of deacon was pretty firmly established. I would find it hard to believe that Paul would use the same word and not mean the same thing in two different letters, spanned by a few years. His letter to the Romans was written in 57AD, either Titus or 1 Timothy were written in 62-63AD.

Although this is the first time the word deacon is used in the letter to the Romans, the idea and role dates back to the church in Jerusalem much earlier, as recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 6. It was here that we first see deacons selected and ordained for active ministry. The description of their roles were waiting on tables and distributing food, but look at the character requirements list in verses Acts 6:3-4: "Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them [4] and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." In other words, they were looking for much more than table waiters. In the next section of that same chapter in Acts, we hear about Stephen doing miraculous signs and great wonders, and he was one of the deacons they had just selected.

My point in all of this is to say that Phoebe was not just a servant of the church, but was likely one who was well respected, had been ordained to a position in the church, and had Paul the Apostle's personal recommendations and reference. She is called a Prostatis of Paul and others and that Greek word means: 1. a woman set over others 2. a female guardian, protectress, patroness, caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources. Some would - read a women of station and resources. Again, regardless of which definition, we find ourselves faced with the recognition of some authority, definite significance and a ministry to many including Paul. This is not someone of insignificance.

Secondly, Paul greets Priscilla and Aquila, and calls them his coworkers. Again, he makes no difference between Priscilla and Aquila. They are equal coworkers with him. It was Priscilla and Aquila who instructed Apollos concerning the whole Gospel, and they worked alongside Paul, and were mentioned in several letters (Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians and 2 Timothy). They were clearly heroes of the early church. They had a church that met in their house, ministered together as a husband and wife and were the companions of Paul.

In summary, we are so often encouraged to embrace a male-centric ministry model, and Paul here demonstrates that is hardly his understanding. He does speak clearly about his take on men's and women's roles in other letters (1 Cor., 1 Tim), and specifically speaks about their teaching or authority in the church, but he certainly makes room for full and active ministry, as well as models that support individual women in ministry and equally yoked husbands and wives.

Let us open our minds and hearts to the significance of all our brothers and sisters in the church, and not disqualify someone due to their gender or situation in life (married or single).

## Unmet Expectations and Doubt - 2014-09-22 05:24

This morning I am reading from Luke 7:18-23 NIV:

[18] "John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, [19] he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"

[20] When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?' "

[21] At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. [22] So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [23] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me."

I was just thinking about the fact that John sent his disciples to ask Jesus this question. It seemed to me that Jesus baptism made it quite clear that He was the messiah, at least to John. I am guessing one of two things was happening in John's eyes, either unmet expectations or the lies of the enemy were causing him to doubt.

First, John understood his role as the forerunner for the messiah, but I am guessing the Father didn't tell him exactly how Jesus would act when he appeared. Jesus clearly didn't meet the expectations of the religious leaders, nor did he appear in a form they recognized. The gospels are full of places where they, the Pharisees, quoted scripture as a proof that Jesus couldn't be the messiah. John grew up listening to these same things and likely was influenced by them, so was expecting one who was more a national leader, more kingly, etc.

Secondly, I think maybe John was looking at his ministry which was waning at this point and probably wondering if he had done the right thing, if his ministry had any merit. It seems he was looking for some validation that he hasn't wasted his life, or missed the will of the Father. I think the same fears and doubt's assail pretty much anyone who is called by God, and they come from the enemy of our souls Satan. He is the father of all lies, the deceiver and the accuser of the brethren. He is constantly at work trying to steal our joy, to cause us to lose hope, and to embrace a spirit of unbelief.

Jesus provided an answer that would have been enough for the John, he answered with his deeds, which were scripturally connected to the Messiah. John had to know the scriptures, especially the book of Isaiah, which is the book that speaks of his mission (Is:40:3-5). Jesus referred to the blind seeing (Is 29:18, Is 35:5) , the lame walking (Is 35:6), the leprous cleansed (Is 35:8, Is 53:3-5), the deaf hearing (Is 28:18, Is 35:5), the dead raised (Is 26:19), and the good news being proclaimed to poor (Is 61:1).

I think we can learn from John here. We want to make sure that we do not miss what the Lord is doing because of our unmet expectations. Almost every time I know the Lord is going to do something, it is different than what I expected. I find my expectations a very poor measuring stick for the works of the Lord. Secondly, we must not listen to the lies of the enemy, but rather hold firm to the Word of the Lord. His words are perfect, His purpose will be accomplished. His plans for us will be fulfilled, if we wait on Him and turn to Him. He will not let us fail. So let us hold fast to His word, trust fully in Him, expect Him to amaze us and work outside our expectations, and let us rejoice that we are His.

## A Bit of Encouragement - 2014-09-24 05:13

This morning I needed some encouraging words. I felt like I should read from Proverbs 21:2-3, 5, 21, 23, 30 NIV:

[2] "A person may think their own ways are right,

but the Lord weighs the heart.

[3] To do what is right and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

[5] The plans of the diligent lead to profit

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

[21] Whoever pursues righteousness and love

finds life, prosperity and honor.

[23] Those who guard their mouths and their tongues

keep themselves from calamity.

[30] There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan

that can succeed against the Lord."

Good stuff to think upon, good stuff to plant in my heart!

Thank You Lord for Your faithfulness and Your mercy and compassions.

You do understand our human frailty, our condition,

and You love us exactly where we are at this moment.

Your love in never ending and You fill our lives with joy.

Walking in Your ways will bring peace and blessing!

Help me to stand on Your Word, for it never fails.

Your plan will stand, none can thwart You.

As the old song says, "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow"

Amen

## Getting Out of Boats and Such - 2014-09-28 07:42

This morning I am reading from the Gospel of Matthew 14:22-36 NIV:

[22] "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. [23] After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, [24] and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

[25] Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. [26] When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

[27] But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

[28] "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

[29] "Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

[31] Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

[32] And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. [33] Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

[34] When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. [35] And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him [36] and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed."

There is so much happening here, it's tough to focus on a single important point, so here are a few observations.

1. This whole thing was a setup by the Lord. He sent the apostles in the boat ahead of Him. How was He going to catch up to them? He knew what was coming, and was unafraid, and not willing that the Apostles would miss this experience.

2. They were doing something they knew (traveling by boat), but the Lord was going to grow their faith, and give them an encounter with the power of the Holy Spirit. They were struggling along in their own power and it wasn't going well, then Jesus came walking up and everything changed.

3. Peter was the only one willing to get out of the boat, or even really speak up to the Lord. My guess is every one of them wanted to walk on the water too, but only Peter had the opportunity, because he requested it of the Lord.

4. The rest of the apostles missed the opportunity because they were mired in fear, overwhelmed by it. Fear is one of the enemies of faith.

5. Peter started sinking when he became fearful. Jesus asked him why he doubted and the root of the Greek word translated doubt is the Greek word that means twice. In other words Peter thought twice about what he was doing, and started to sink. I think Jesus was less rebuking Peter's doubt as He was disappointed in Peter. He had stepped out of the boat in faith, was making huge faith strides and then fear came in and caused him to sink. Regardless of any disappointment, Jesus immediately saved him and escorted him back to the boat.

If you have started out something in faith, but now are experiencing some waves and wind of opposition, do not stop, do not think twice and give into fear. The Lord won't let you flounder, but He would rather have you keep walking!

6. When the Lord stepped into their boat the opposing wind died down immediately. Nature does not resist the presence of the Lord. The breath of the Holy Spirit (Greek word Pneuma) is more powerful than the natural wind (Greek word Anemos).

7. The Father was glorifying Jesus in this instance. There was no way the apostles could witness this and think that He was an ordinary man. This is one of those miracles for which there is no natural explanation. The Sea of Galilee has a steady slope downward and at any point East to West it drops sharply to depths that more than 30ft.

8. When Jesus hit land people immediately recognized Him and started bringing people to him to be healed. All who touched even His cloak were healed. There was a strong Spirit of Faith rising up among the people concerning healing. It was awesome how people weren't satisfied with just keeping the healing for themselves, but immediately called everyone they and all who came were healed. Praise God!

Anyone of the above points is worth meditating on and letting the Lord speak to us. Lord thank You for the clear example of Your sovereignty over everything! You clearly do have great plans for us! Some of us just need to get out of the boat and trust, others just need to wait on the Lord's timing to free us from the opposing wind, and some of us just need Him to reveal himself to us in a more sovereign way.

Lord, Thank You for Your word which is alive and bringing life even in these dark days.

## Set Free From That Which Binds - 2014-09-29 06:12

This morning I am reading from Luke 13:10-17 NIV:

[10] "On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, [11] and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. [12] When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." [13] Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

[14] Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

[15] The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? [16] Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

[17] When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing."

This is a great story about the compassion of the Lord, free of any trappings of discussion around whose faith resulted in the miracles, or other stuff. This is simply Jesus loving and having compassion on a woman who was bound. He doesn't mention her faith, the faith of anyone else, or her sin or forgiveness or anything else that we often try to use to describe why Jesus heals, creating some sort of formula. Rather Jesus heals her because His heart is moved to heal her. He recognizes the fact that she is bound by a demonic force and breaks it's bonds and sets the woman free. Amen!

It is also such an interesting response from the religious leaders, who associated healing with work, and thus thought it should be banned on the Sabbath. They didn't have room in their narrow perspective of what worship was supposed to look like to allow for God to move in their midst. They were so worried about the program and making sure that people followed the rules that they completely lost sight of the fact that it was all supposed to bring Glory to God. Here was Jesus bringing Glory to God by setting this woman free and they were upset. They wanted people to come any other day for healing, just not the Lord's day! Crazy!

I see in this reaction a similar focus on program and flow in our churches today. One wonders how many of our churches and leaders would get bent out of shape by someone breaking the rules or interrupting the flow of the service to heal someone? How many churches conduct prayer for people in another room so as not to interrupt the flow of the service, if they even pray at all? How many of us would get angry if someone raised their voice out of turn, or interrupted the song, by yelling praises to God? How many of us would judge the woman as crazy, or just having another emotional outburst? How many of us would be embarrassed by such unsettling behavior?

Lord, let our hearts be burdened to see You move, to see You glorified, to see You magnified in our churches and in our lives! We want to make Your day about You and give You freedom to be Yourself, doing what You want to do on every Sunday and every other day of the week. We want to see the outflowing of the river of life, rather than worship by the stream bed of a stream long dried up! We want to honor You as the Living God active now, rather than the one who used to walk on the earth. Lord set us free from the chains that bind us and bind our thinking!

## Set Free to Become Who We Really Are... - 2014-09-30 06:38

This morning I was thinking about how important it is to understand how the Lord sees us. I was immediately reminded of the Samaritan woman that Jesus met at the well (John 4). I believe that Jesus was on a mission from the Father to meet with her, and it was because of who the Father knew she was inside. I believe that it was Jesus' job was to release her into her true identity.

There are a few things to know before reading these excerpts:

1) The only way the woman could have had 5 husbands was if they died, or divorced her - either of these would have given her a bad reputation.

2) She was likely out to the well at midday, when it was hottest, because she was shunned by the community.

3) The Samaritans followed the Law of the Jews for the most part, so by living with a man who was not her husband, she was considered a sinner.

Here are some select verses:

John 4:4-7, 9-19, 28-30, 39-41 NIV

[4] "Now he had to go through Samaria. [5] So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. [6] Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

[7] When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"

[9] The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. )

[10] Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

[11] "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? [12] Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?"

[13] Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

[15] The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

[16] He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

[17] "I have no husband," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. [18] The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

[19] "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet.

[28] Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, [29] "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?" [30] They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

[39] Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." [40] So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. [41] And because of his words many more became believers.

Thinking back over this story, seeing who she was before her meeting with Jesus and who she became after meeting Jesus, it is clear this is a great example of someone being released from a wrong perspective of who they are.

She was likely living up to other's beliefs and expectations of who she was, or how they viewed her. Regardless of whether her husbands died or were divorcing her, she was going to be considered an undesirable, maybe even tainted individual, the term "used goods" comes to mind. She was living with a man who wasn't her husband, and knew that was wrong, but what other option did she have, having been married five times?

She was likely living with the only man who would take her, which says much about her state of mind and belief about herself. More than likely she was living under a blanket of shame, and was out at the well in the heat of the day so she could go there in peace, and not feel so bad about herself. Life hadn't turned out the way she thought and she didn't like being reminded of that every day. She hasn't abandoned her faith completely, but certainly couldn't see how her present life connected to God at all, certainly not as a sinner.

Yet when we look at God's perspective, the Father sent Jesus there to meet her. There were no coincidences in Jesus life. He said later in John that everything He did and said was at the direction of the Father (John 12:49 & John 14:10-11). So Jesus was at that well on that day at the specific direction of the Father, and even though verse four is correct from a geographic sense, I believe that this verse was actually speaking about the Father's direction that Jesus must go through Samaria.

Anyway, we come to the interaction of Jesus and the woman, and He starts the conversation, which startles the woman, for as she said Jews and Samaritans did not associate with each other. Jesus starts the conversation because He is trying to draw her out and ultimately set her free. He sues the very thing she seeks, water, to draw here into deeper conversation, and reveal what she really needs. She was desperate for love and acceptance, was willing to live with a man in sin, just so she could feel someone cared for her. She needed to know there was more to life than what she had experienced, and Jesus continues to draw her into that realization.

Finally He reveals Himself to her and by this time she is changed, overflowing already with the living water of salvation. She is so completely changed that she hurries back to town and starts telling me very one about Jesus, encouraging them to meet Him! Gone is the shame, in fact she uses His uncovering of her sins as an example of His ministry. She has been released from all that bound her in the lies and deception of who she was, and instead she steps fully into who The Father saw her as from the beginning. She is one of the most successful early evangelists we see, for on her word alone many had already believed in Jesus (verse 39) and many more came to believe because they encountered Jesus for themselves, because of her words. Imagine, in one afternoon she went from being the shame of Sychar to being the conduit for its salvation!

This was her true identity, who she was and who the Father created her to be. Her life wasn't wasted, her sins and failures didn't define her, instead she was redeemed and restored by Jesus. The Father has the exact same heart for each of us, desiring to release us from anything that keeps us from being the person He created us to be. He has a plan to encounter us, to draw us and ultimately set us free. Regardless of our sin, our shame, our failures, our disappointments, He accepts us, loves us and offers us freedom and restoration.

Let us experience for ourselves that moment of revelation of Jesus as did the woman - John 4:25-26 NIV:

[25] "The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

[26] Then Jesus declared, "I, the one speaking to you---I am he."

Amen, come Lord Jesus!

# 2014 - October

## When We Don't Understand... - 2014-10-02 05:45

This morning I am reading from Luke 18:31-34 NIV:

[31] "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. [32] He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; [33] they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again."

[34] The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about."

I am always amazed when I read the statement Luke makes in verse 34, how the disciples totally missed what Jesus was saying, and its meaning was hidden from them. Jesus really couldn't have been and clearer, yet they didn't understand. I was thinking about how this all was written several years after the actual occurrences, and they are thus based on the Apostles memories of the events.

What I find interesting is their recollection of their totally missing the meaning of Jesus' statement concerning His impending death. I think this is similar to our more modern thought, "if I knew then what I know now, I would have done in this or that completely differently". The point that Luke makes, and I am sure the Apostles had come to understand, was that the meaning was hidden from them by the Lord. He was meant to be abandoned, meant to suffer, meant to be rejected (Isaiah 53), and if they had really understood what He was saying they would have likely tried to dissuade Him or even gotten themselves hurt in those events.

The point is that some things are only meant to be understood in retrospect. It is only in looking back, only when we reflect that we understand some things, and that is the purpose of God. I know of people who beat themselves up over things they didn't see, things they didn't understand, things they missed when in retrospect it all appears so clear. Here the Apostles, through Luke are confessing the same thing, and they see that it couldn't have been any different. This was the will of the Lord, and in time they came to understand that. The Holy Spirit brought revelation and helped them to see what they had missed, helped them to connect the dots and understand the fullness of His prophetic revelation concerning Jesus as it is found in the Old Testament.

I have written previously about how some of their missing Jesus' meaning had to do with their wrong expectations, and this is clearly also one of the reasons they misunderstood what He was saying. Much of this came from the teaching they had heard concerning the Messiah, and for that they cannot bear responsibility. It was only afterwards that everything fell into place. In the same way, as we grow and mature in the Lord we learn things that correct earlier thoughts we had, earlier understanding s, and for this we need to give each other grace, and help.

Sometimes the Lord will bring us into things we don't understand, and we need to trust the He knows exactly what He is doing. The real task is having faith, trust and belief that God's plan is for our good. These events and situations are meant to grow us and mature us. It is similar to weight lifting, it takes a certain amount of stress and strain and work to grow in strength. So let us give ourselves and others grace as we grow and mature and gain understanding. Let us continue to pray for wisdom and revelation.

## Living Up To What We Have Attained - 2014-10-03 07:02

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians 3:15-16 NIV:

[15] "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

These verses are pretty simple to understand, yet significant. I personally have needed to hear that the Lord would help me to think correctly (Paul's meaning at the end of verse 15) more than a few times. There are many teachers out there, and many who teach things not totally in line with the teachings and life of Christ. It is good to know, that the Lord will guide us to the truth as we continue to pursue Him. He will bring correction to the way we think, help us to see where our thoughts are different than His and bring us into alignment if we are open to His correction. For me this means taking a humble approach, always understanding that in some way, or on some point I may not have clarity or think correctly. I am under no false impression that I have everything figured out, and see that approach dangerously prideful.

The second verse (16) is also simple yet full of meaning. What we have already attained is the rich statement, for in many ways we cannot even begin to grasp the reality of what we have attained in Christ.

In Him we have already attained eternal life, who can possibly grasp the fullness of that!

We are, in Christ, co-heirs of God and our inheritance is rich beyond understanding.

In Christ, we are part of the Body of Christ, belonging to each other and His representatives here on earth.

In Christ, all our sins have been paid for, and any debt of sin cancelled, for Jesus took all the punishment upon Himself.

In Christ we have power over sin, the evil one and death, for He defeated all, and as members of His body we walk in His authority!

In Christ, we can minister healing, deliverance, cleansing, forgiveness, miracles, signs and wonders, and even raise the dead!

So yes, let us live up to what we have already attained for it is Glorious!

## Fighting For The True Gospel - 2014-10-06 07:03

This morning I am reading from Paul's letters to the Galatians 3:23-29 NIV:

[23] "Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. [24] So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. [25] Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. [26] So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"

Galatians 5:1, 4-6 NIV

[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

[4] You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

I was just thinking about how's important this message was in the early church. Paul was fighting for the Gospel of grace, and it was so essential they fully understood in this message. For the early followers of Christ were all Jews, but after Peter's experience at the home of Cornelius (Acts 10), it was evident that the Gospel was supposed to be preached to the gentiles. Freedom from the Law was essential for the gentiles to be received, it also offered the Jews the opportunity to step out from under the Law, into freedom, as Paul writes in chapter 5.

I think the Jews struggled with stepping free from the Law for a couple of reasons. First it was well known to them, and people often choose that which is familiar rather than what is best. Secondly, it was easy to keep track and measure one's progress of righteousness by the Law, for there is clarity and black and white. The problem is that this is in direct conflict with the message of grace and the free forgiveness available in Christ Jesus. As Paul says, the only thing the counts, that matters to the Lord is "our faith expressing itself through love".

So, we should be looking at our own lives in Christ and the churches we belong too. Do we feel free from rules and regulations? Is the message of grace and faith expressing itself through love preached and more importantly lived? Is the focus on what we do, rather than who we are? Is the path forward found in relationship with the Lord, or is it through pleasing man, specifically those in charge or with influence?

These are essential questions and ones we should consider, for they will help us to hold fast to the Gospel. Paul was admonishing the Galatians for so quickly abandoning the true Gospel is favor of those that mixed the Gospel with the Law. He says that anyone who does this has become alienated from Christ, a stern warning indeed. So let us be encouraged that the true Gospel is a message of grace and love, one that is meant to set us free! Let us pursue all that the Lord has purchased for us, and throw off the chains of slavery.

## He (God) Has Made Us Clean - 2014-10-07 06:29

This morning I am reading from Acts 10:9-17, 21-22, 28 NIV:

[9] "About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. [10] He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. [11] He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. [12] It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.

[13] Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

[14] "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

[15] The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." [16] This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

[17] While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate.

[21] Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"

[22] The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."

[28] He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean."

I love this story of the miraculous leading of the Lord to open the Body of Christ to the Gentiles. I was thinking about this story this morning and specifically about verse 15, where God said that we should not "call anything impure that He has made clean". This is such an interesting expression, and although the imagery was of animals to eat, He was talking about the Gentiles as Peter correctly understood once he met the men that Cornelius sent.

The word clean from verse 15 is translated from the Greek word Katharizo whose definition is:

1. to make clean, cleanse

a. from physical stains and dirt 1. utensils, food 2. a leper, to cleanse by curing 3. to remove by cleansing

b. in a moral sense 1. to free from defilement of sin and from faults 2. to purify from wickedness 3. to free from guilt of sin, to purify 4. to consecrate by cleansing or purifying 5. to consecrate, dedicate

2. to pronounce clean in a Levitical sense

We understand that God was speaking of the second minor meaning, that of moral cleansing - namely the defilement of sin and faults, and the guilt of sin. So if you follow the logic of the Lord, Jesus sacrifice paid for the sins and cleansed the Gentiles just as much as the Jews. This moral cleansing was applied by God to all men, for He said He has made them clean. This is such good news for all of us who were outside the people of the promise, the Jewish people.

This is not something that we earned, but something given, something already attained for us by the actions of God. We have been made clean, we have been cleansed. As I wrote yesterday, this is the foundation of the understanding of the Gospel of Grace, that salvation is a free gift, not something earned or achieved by our own efforts. This is the reason Paul fought against any merging of the Law and the Gospel, for God had made it very clear that He had already cleansed all men.

It is interesting to note that later in his life, Peter started waffling on this core message, of which he was the primary recipient. I find it troubling that he could forget such a significant experience with God, due to the pressures of men. I also find it encouraging that the Lord, through Paul, wasn't going to let this core message be tainted or forgotten.

I am so grateful for the truth of the Gospel, that I have been cleansed and made pure by Christ. I don't need to earn, or work for this, it has already been given. What I DO want to do, is live up to that which I have already attained, or received in this gift. I want my life to be full of giving thanks for this gift, and to live in such a way that I experience the fullness of this gift in my life!

## Worship Flows Out Of Relationship - 2014-10-08 06:27

It appears that I am still studying the message of the Gospel of Grace, for this morning I felt lead to read from Romans 9:15, 30-32 NIV:

[15] "For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

[30] What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; [31] but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. [32] Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone."

Once again, Paul is focused on the message of grace, and salvation and righteousness through faith. He is writing to the Romans helping them make sense of the way God has worked through history, and how He has chosen to extend salvation to the Gentiles. This is such an interesting topic, for one would think that the Jewish people would have recognized their savior, yet they stumbled over the very thing that was supposed to prepare them for His coming, namely the Law.

Rather than relationship with God, they embraced the rules and regulations. The whole of the Law was meant to lead them to relationship with God, but they settled for remote and unattached worship of God. We find this described in Isaiah 29:13: "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught."

The Lord desires our hearts to be moved by Him, in other words relationships of desire and emotion. The whole of scripture talks about God's emotions towards those that are His people, and His passionate desire for them. He desires that we would feel the same for Him, passionate desire for Him. Here are some verses from Deuteronomy 6:1-6 NIV, in which we find the first commandment, which speaks of love:

[1] "These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, [2] so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. [3] Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

[4] Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [5] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. [6] These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts."

The reciprocal is true as well, that God promises to love the people in return, and bless them, as He describes in Deuteronomy 7:11-13 NIV:

[11] "Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

[12] If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. [13] He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land---your grain, new wine and olive oil---the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you."

This was all supposed to be about love and relationship. Somehow over time, the people of the promise lost focus on the first commandment and focused on the rest of the commandments and the other laws. They passed down the rules and regulations and the desire for righteousness, but chose it pursue this through simply following the rules and remaining detached and unaffected.

We Gentiles, on the other hand knew nothing of these laws and regulations yet were invited into relationship. It is as if we were starting over with the covenant of love that God established with Israel. In Christ, He was establishing a relationship of love with the Gentiles. Once again, as I reflect back over the history of the church, I see that many of us, and many churches have slid away from the focus on relationship and instead have embraced rules and regulations. Our worship of God has become strict liturgical expressions that often fail to elicit any emotion or passion for God. We go to church and worship Him with our presence, but remain unmoved and unchanged in our hearts.

This is not what the Lord is after, rather He desires that we revel in Him, and His wonders. He desires that we see and experience His deep passion for us. He wants us to dance in the freedom that He has purchased for us, and desires that we explore the depths of His passion for us. As Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, [16] "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Eph 3:16-19

So let us examine our relationship with God, and see the great gift of salvation, this free gift that God has extended to us out of His immeasurable love for us. Let us pursue relationship with Him in ways that stir our hearts and uncover that which He has given us. Let us pursue deep and intimate relationship as the foundation of our worship, and let us cease from trying to earn that which has already been given freely. For the Gospel of Grace is exactly this - salvation has been given us, and we can attain this through faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:5).

## The Fellowship and Glory of Suffering - 2014-10-09 05:42

This morning I was meditating on these words of Jesus found in John 13:31-32 NIV:

[31] "When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. [32] If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once."

If one removed these lines from their context (the Last Supper) one would think that God was going to do something awesome for Jesus, like reveal Him to the world, or maybe announce Him as the Son of God that all people would know Him and love Him and serve Him. Maybe in glorifying Him God would establish Him as the King over all. Whatever it was, it would bring Him glory!

What threw everyone for a loop was that this path to glorification leads Jesus straight into persecution, false witnesses, beatings and floggings and ultimately death on the cross! Jesus knew exactly what that path entailed yet chose the path of complete obedience. He understood that His path to glory required the shedding of His blood and the near destruction of His Body.

I was thinking about Paul's statement in his letter to the Philippians 3:10: "I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,...". I have read that verse many times, and have thought Paul crazy for saying He wanted to know Him through participation in His sufferings. I mean, who would choose that? The brief answer is that Jesus chose that, for Love of us.

I was thinking about all this in light of my two nephews who are presently going through Chemo treatments for the cancer that they have in their bodies. I have a bit of the summer crud, feeling a little crappy, and I think I am suffering. They, on the other hand, ache deep in their bones, have lost their hair, suffer nausea, weakness, fatigue and sometimes despair. As I read these verses from Jesus and Paul, I realize a few things:

1. They have and are experiencing some suffering that is in line with what Christ suffered, and thus know Him in a way I have yet to understand or experience for myself. They have chosen to undergo suffering and pain to rid from their lives this evil sickness and its effects, and Jesus did the same, choosing to go through immense suffering and pain to rid us all of the effects of sin.

2. The Lord is able to take the most terrible things in life and bring about Glory! He goes through the final days of His life, suffering and being rejected, yet in the end He is glorified by His Father in the site of men. In the same way, God is able to bring about immense good through the lives of Joe and Marcos, for He is capable of redeeming us from even the darkest hours of our life.

So to those who are suffering, and those supporting them through this time I offer this encouragement. Jesus has walked down very similar paths and He understands well where you are, and what you are feeling. He chose to go there out of Love for us all. Let Him speak to you and comfort you. He is capable of bring Glory to His name, and giving you glory as well.

## Jesus Is THE Way - 2014-10-10 06:18

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 1:15-20 NIV:

[15] "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] 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. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] 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. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

OK, so there is enough to think about in these verses to fill a library. A couple of things that catch my eye and mind:

1. All things were created through Jesus

2. All things were created for Jesus

3. Jesus is the firstborn of creation

4. Jesus is the firstborn from among the dead

5. In Jesus, all things hold together

6. All the fullness of God dwells in Jesus

7. God the Father reconciles all things to Himself, through Jesus

Any one of these short statements could generate hours of thinking. The last one really grabs me, for reconciliation means restoring to favor those that have been separated because of disagreement, or wounding. This is referring directly back to the Garden of Eden, and man's separation of himself from God. However, this includes everything else as well, it wasn't just man that was separated from God, but all things.

In short, these verses describe the reason why we believe there is only one way to heaven, one way to salvation, one way to the Father and it is through Jesus. He is the only way, the only one through whom we can be reconciled. Jesus said it well in John 14:6, saying, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Amen!

## The Cost of Following - 2014-10-13 06:14

This morning I am reading from Matthew 10:37-39 NIV:

[37] "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. [38] Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [39] Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."

These verses are quite challenging to read, another set of verses that I would rather not have in the Bible. I think it is generally true that we humans do not like to give things or people up, especially those that are precious. We don't like sacrificial living and we don't like discomfort. This certainly doesn't sound like a prosperity gospel of plenty and blessing, which is far more palatable and to our liking.

Taking a closer look at these verses might be helpful, but will certainly leave us with questions, specifically how these verses apply to our own lives. I find that the Lord deals with each of us individually and uniquely. What He addresses in my life He never mentions to someone else. We must never lose sight of His personal and intimate knowledge of us.

The first sentence, while spoken with a negative voice is actually about our love and affection for the Lord. Our call is to love God above all else. This was the first of the Old Testament commandments, and it was described as the most important by Jesus in Matt 22:37. What Jesus is providing us is a good measuring stick of our affections. He desires to be first in our lives. If we have someone or something else that we consider more valuable that is what the statement "worthy of me" means in the Greek - not assigning proper worth. Jesus is supposed to be the one that we value most above everything else.

The second sentence is puzzling to me, primarily because He spoke this before He was crucified. We read this verse with a historical knowledge of what Jesus suffered through, but the people He was speaking to had no such knowledge. Here were His disciples, people following Him, believing that He might be the messiah and He starts talking about how they should embrace being treated like the worst criminal. I am guessing there were plenty of confused looks in the crowd, wondering what He was talking about. Regardless it is ominous language, for the carrying one's cross meant one was already convicted and on their way to their death. Maybe that is exactly what Jesus meant, that we must die to ourselves to follow Him fully, and as such be willing to lay down everything, which is a perfect lead into the following sentence.

Finally losing our life to gain it, in Him, to me speaks of identity. We are all supposed to find ourselves in Him, and our lives have purpose and direction in His plan. We are called live for Him and take our identity from Him. When we choose to follow Him we take on that new identity, as His son or daughter, and it is this context that our lives should be lived.

Lord, thank You for Your word and truth, guidance and direction. You constantly call us forward and deeper into relationship with You. Help us to put You first in our lives.

## Belief and Love AND Action - 2014-10-14 05:16

This morning I am reading from 1 John 3:23-24 NIV:

[23] "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. [24] The one who keeps God's commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

I love these simple and clear verses. John describes the primary call of all Christians in one sentence and describes it simply as believing and loving. It is important to note that believing is not just intellectual acknowledgement, but rather an active lifestyle of belief. In the same way, loving is not some simple emotional state or affection, but rather is an active lifestyle. So the questions presented are:

1. What does a life of belief in the name of Jesus look like?

2. What does a lifestyle of loving each other look like?

In my opinion the two questions are actually tightly intertwined. They are both relational, expressed through relationships. Our belief in the name of Jesus means, to me, that I understand and believe who Jesus said He was, namely the Son of God and perfect representation of the Father, and live my life as if that was the case. If He truly is the Son of God and speaking for the Father, then His words are the most important words in history. He showed us the heart of the Father and if I belief this, then I must conform my life to His for He brought the Father Glory, and I want to as well. If I believe He broke the chains of sin, sickness, disease and death, then I should not fear these things for they have no real power. If I believe in Him and believe that He is alive and lives within me, then I should listen to Him, trust in His guidance and operate in His power. If I truly believe in His name, then my life should be different than those who don't believe.

A lifestyle of loving one another as He commanded us means laying down my life for our friends - see John 15:12-13. John describes it well in the preceding verses to those I quoted above, as follows: [16] "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18. Our live for others must involve action. James said it this way, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17.

So, let us believe and love and show both through our actions and our lifestyles.

## Sincere Love! - 2014-10-17 05:08

This morning I am reading from Romans 12:9-13 NIV:

[9] "Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil;

cling to what is good.

[10] Be devoted to one another in love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

[11] Never be lacking in zeal,

but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

[12] Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction,

faithful in prayer.

[13] Share with the Lord's people who are in need.

Practice hospitality."

I love it when Paul has these short exhortations. Each of them is worthy of reflection and internalization. I separated each of the main ideas on its own line to actually help me stop and read them individually. So often I would see this all in a paragraph and just read through the list, nodding my head as I read each, agreeing and thinking they sound swell. The reality is that each statement is loaded with truth.

Taking just the first statement -"love must be sincere", there is much to consider. The NASB translation says, "let your love be without hypocrisy" which gets a little closer to Paul's meaning. Sincerity has a little too much emotional warmth in our modern usage of it, Paul is not talking about love that is "well meaning" but rather is talking about love in which there is no falseness at all! No mixed messages, no feigned affection, no faked feeling or putting on a well-practiced persona. His idea of love - the Greek word here is Agape - is the same as Jesus' idea of love in John 15:13 NIV: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.". That is sincere love, love in which there is no falseness, but rather utter selflessness and sacrifice, putting someone else before one's own life. No loving to get something, but loving through giving everything, even to the point of death.

As I was writing that last statement I was reminded of something I read concerning John G. Lake and his early missions work in Africa. I have included a brief few paragraphs that exemplifies sincere love. ( http://www.tidenstecken.se/enlake.htm):

"Lake and his churches had one hundred and twenty-five men out of on the field at one time. They were a very young institution, not well known in the world. One day, certain men in England and America began rumors about Lake. Finances got so low under the awful attack, as people withdrew their support, that they soon could not even mail $10 a month to the workers. Then it got so bad he could not even send them $2. Lake did not want to take the responsibility of having men and their families on the frontier under such conditions.

Staff at headquarters sold their clothes, jewelry, pieces of furniture, and in one case their house to bring those one hundred and twenty-five workers off the field for a conference. One night in the progress of the conference, Lake was invited by a committee to leave the room for a minute or two. The conference wanted to have a word by themselves. He stepped out to a restaurant for a cup of coffee and returned soon after.

When John came back in, he found the chairs arranged in an oval, with a little table at the end, and on the table was the bread and wine. Old Father Van der Wall, speaking for the company, said, "Brother Lake, during your absence, we have come to a conclusion; we have made our decision. We want you to serve the Lord's Supper. We are going back to our fields (the mission fields they had been assigned and to which they had given their lives). We are going back if we have to walk back. We are going back if we have to starve. We are going back if our wives die. We are going back if our children die. We are going back if we die ourselves. We have but one request. If we die, we want you to come and bury us." The next year he buried twelve men, sixteen wives and children. Lake sadly recounted, "There was not one of them, if they had had a few of the things a white man needs to eat, but what they might have lived."

As an end-note, this sacrifice was not unrewarded, for Lake's ministry exploded afterwards. "His anointed miracle ministry resulted in what has been described as "the most extensive and powerful missionary movement in all Africa (at that time)." As Gordon Lindsay wrote, "during that time he spent five history-making years in South Africa, engaged in a ministry which in some respects rivalled that of the Early Church.". His ministry was responsible for raising over 1,000,000 converts, 625 churches and 1,250 preachers in five years of ministry." ( http://healingrooms.com/index.php?page_id=422 )

That level of commitment, zeal, and love is extreme and thankfully (selfishly) something I haven't been called to live out. However, this perfectly exemplifies the call to lay down our lives in love for our friends and fellow members of the Body of Christ.

Clearly, there is much to mine in Paul's three verses from Romans 12. Let us allow these words to penetrate deeply into our hearts, into our lives and let the Lord bring forth beauty and treasure that is eternal!

## Truth and Conviction - 2014-10-18 06:41

This morning I felt lead to read from 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NIV:

[1] "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--- [2] for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. [3] This is good, and pleases God our Savior, [4] who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, [6] who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time."

As I read these verses I am convicted of my lack of prayer for this present administration, choosing to gripe and complain, rather than pray. There are many things I wish weren't in the Bible, and at present this is one of those things because I would rather gripe and complain. However, I believe this is the Word of the Lord and so, I need to change my mind about this and decide to pray and intercede for this government. It's not like I haven't ever, but the far greater flow out of my mouth and heart is not prayer for this administration. I stand convicted and choose to repent.

Additionally, starting in verse 3, this is such a great description of the heart and direction of God. Summarizing:

1. It pleases God when we pray for those in authority

2. God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth

3. Jesus is the One and Only mediator between God and Mankind

4. Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all people

Each of these is a significant statement of faith and belief. They should drive our thinking and ultimately our actions. As the Body of Christ we must make sure that we express God's love and desire to all people. There is no people group, no nation, no tribe that God does not want to see saved, and this includes groups who actively persecute Christians. We must stand on the truth that is expressed here, in love. Jesus is the only mediator between God and Mankind, which means He is the only way. There is no other. To be clear the original Greek is the word mesites whose definition is:

1. one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant

2. a medium of communication, arbitrator

So on one hand we have mankind and on the other we have God and Jesus is the only one who is the go-between. He is literally than man and God in the middle. This is why it is so important that He was fully man and fully God, for that allows Him to be the mediator. This is why we Christians believe there is only one way to the Father and His dwelling place in Heaven. There are no other ways, other truths, other gods who can fulfill this role. To make a full explanation of this requires going back to the beginning of the Bible and discussing God's plan for mankind, man's sin, and the separation that sin caused between mankind and God. That discussion is a bit much for a morning meditation, but it brings us to this same point of understanding.

Simply put, Jesus is the way, the mediator between God and man, He is our Ransom and God desires that all men might experience salvation and freedom, and understand this truth.

Amen and amen.

## Sowing And Reaping: A Natural and Spiritual Principle - 2014-10-20 06:04

This morning I am reading from 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 NIV:

[6] "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. [7] Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. [8] And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. [9] As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever."

[10] Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. [11] You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

As I read this I thought of the other reaping and sowing verse from Galatians 6:7-10 NIV:

[7] "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. [9] Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

It is so helpful to me to know that the Spiritual principles of our faith are related to the natural principles, as described here by Paul. Sowing and Reaping is one of the simplest principles, yet many of us don't live our lives in this way. This principle speaks of a natural progression over time, where some seed is planted and over a season of germination, growth and maturity a harvest is finally recognized. Again, this principle takes time. In our modern microwave world we think everything should happen in an instant, and that is not the way described here.

Secondly, the natural principle says if you want a certain type of harvest, you need to plant that type of seed. Again, because so many of us are so concerned about instant results, we think there must be another way, and special process of secret way to get what we want. Our marketing companies generate billions of dollars in sales by selling us instant fixes that are not seeds of the harvest type we want to reap. I was driving yesterday and heard an advertisement that said this guy's special insight of how to flip houses and generate $20,000 almost instantly was completely risk free. It would only be a couple of weeks and you could cash out with tons of money. What a load of lies. In the same way, all the exercise equipment manufacturers that promise firmed and toned bodies make it look easy and almost overnight, but they never mention the hard work, the diet restrictions and self-motivation required to actually achieve those results.

The simple truth is what we sow we reap. In spiritual terms, if we want a deeper relationship with God, we need to spend time with Him, for that is how relationships grow, through relating. If we want to grow in insight of God's Word, we have to spend time reading and learning and working to gain understanding. If we want to grow in our spiritual giftings, we must exercise them and learn how they operate and develop. If we want spiritual intimacy with God, we need to spend time being intimate with Him.

I have always been intrigued by those men and women of God who seem to have deep relationships with God, who can hear His voice with clarity. As I have read about their lives, to the individual they all have recognized this type of ministry through years of prayer and developing their ministries. I have learned to be wary of those talking about how quickly they have been established in their ministries, as if they have a special relationship with God, that means they have missed much of the natural growing and maturing process God takes the vast majority of us through. Large fruit that grows unnaturally quick usually falls off the vine or breaks the branches because there isn't the appropriate support.

I also find it interesting how the purveyors of the prosperity gospel, have taken these verses, especially those from 2 Cor 9, and turned them into some special financial blessing secret. The worst of the lot make it seem like God is a money printing machine, where you put one dollar in and receive back 10 times in return, guaranteed. I would guess that most of those ministries don't point back to Jesus words in the Gospels where He says our investments here on earth build our accounts in heaven (Matt 6:19-21, Matt 19:21, Mark 10:17-30, Luke 18:18-30).

Going back to the natural principles at work, sowing is followed by a time of germination, growth, watering, cultivation and finally a harvest. God will bless those who give generously, His word says so, but it will be over time and through process. It will most importantly influence our heavenly account with the Lord. Also Paul speaks about a harvest of righteousness that goes along with an increase of the store of your seed. The Father is not stingy nor is He hard-hearted and as we give to Him, He will pour abundant blessings back to us.

This doesn't mean we won't experience difficult times, for in growing seasons there is often heavy rains, winds, scorching sun, and dryness, but if we persevere we will experience the harvest. So let us not grow weary of sowing, waiting on the Lord, fertilizing, cultivating and maturing, for they were all required to reach maturity. Let us not abandon hope when we encounter storms, or difficult times, for there will be a harvest.

Finally a word for those in desperate need, sow what you need, in whatever amount you can. If its healing, pray for others healing. If it is financial, give what little you can afford to the Lord, and He will be faithful, His words says so, and my experience is in line with His words.

Amen Lord, we trust in You!

## Come Away With Jesus and Rest - 2014-10-21 05:20

This morning I felt like reading from Mark 6:30-31 NIV:

[30] "The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. [31] Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

These verses are found in between Jesus sending out the 12 Apostles to do ministry and feeding a crowd of 5000 and immediately follow the section on the beheading of John the Baptist, so although transitional in nature, they have a nugget of significant truth that I hadn't really noticed before, Jesus was encouraging the Apostles to rest and step away from the people for a period.

I guess it really shouldn't be surprising as Jesus called himself the "Good Shepherd" (John 10:11) and caring for His sheep is part or His role. I just had never seen this or noticed this before. I think, at times, those of us in ministry feel obligated to work unceasingly, because the need never goes away, but here Jesus is showing us, with His attentions and words that rest and a time away is the absolute right thing to do.

Notice the invitation is unto Himself, inviting them to come with Him, and this is also a critical point, for our true source of life is Him. So if we need to feel refreshed, renewed and need to be refilled, we should go to the source of life, Jesus. He says that out of Him flows streams of living water (John 4:10-14). This living water reminds me of the prophetic picture in Ezek 47:1-12, that speaks of the river flowing out of the temple. The river brought refreshment and life everywhere it went (verse 9) and there was healing and provision produced by it (verse 12). I was also reminded of the verses found in Matthew's Gospel 11:28-29:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

So let us heed the invitation of the Lord this morning and go with Him to a place of rest and renewal, a place of intimacy and refilling. He is our source of life, so let us drink deeply and be restored, and our souls will find rest!

## Dealing With Defilement - 2014-10-23 04:38

This morning I am reading from Mark 7:14-16, 20-23 NIV:

[14] "Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. [15] Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." [16] If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear."

[20] He went on: "What comes out of a person is what defiles them. [21] For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come---sexual immorality, theft, murder, [22] adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. [23] All these evils come from inside and defile a person."

Jesus, in this instance, is talking about food, for the disciples had not been careful to wash before eating, and the Pharisees were all over that defilement. Jesus was addressing the issue of actions not aligning with one's heart, for even though they observed the external components of the law, in their hearts the Pharisees were far from God.

The defilement Jesus is speaking about is based on the law, and all the different things one could do to make oneself unclean. Being unclean would affect your ability to come into the presence of God, and it could only be resolved by sacrifice. The following verses are some of the first that describe this process - Leviticus 5:5-6, 13 NIV:

[5] ..."when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned. [6] As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering ; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin.

[13] In this way the priest will make atonement for them for any of these sins they have committed, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, as in the case of the grain offering. ' "

Thank God that we are no longer under this dispensation, under the law. Jesus was addressing the fact that it is the heart that matters. He had this same theme on His Sermon on the Mount ( Matt 5-7), taking the Law and expanding its definition to include the ways of the heart. The Lord is after our hearts, the very depth of our nature, being changed into His likeliness. It isn't enough to fulfill the external rules and regulations without changing our heart and mind.

The good news is that the Lord promised us new hearts (Ezek 36:26) and to renew our minds (Rom 12:2). He has taken away our guilt and paid for our sins. We have the opportunity, in Him, to be clean.

Amen Lord, cleanse us of all that defiles us. Give us new hearts and renew our minds.

## A Rewired Brain - 2014-10-24 05:49

This morning I was reading from Mark 7:31-35 NIV:

[31] "Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. [32] 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.

[33] 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. [34] He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means "Be opened!"). [35] At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly."

As I read this I realized that one thing of significance is not called out in this story, namely the gift of language that was imparted along with the healing of deafness and muteness. In my earlier life and planned career of education, I was very interested in deaf education, because of the struggle to teach language. If someone is completely deaf they do not have the natural understanding of language that we all develop from the time we are babies. Teaching a deaf person to read is very difficult because they really have no idea of verbal communication and the written language is really a representation of the spoken language.

In this story Jesus heals the man of his deafness, his muteness AND at the same time imparts the gift of understanding and being able to speak the language. This would be the equivalent of completely rewiring his brain in an instant. To put it in context, it would be like someone from America instantaneously understanding and being able to speak Mandarin. English and Mandarin have almost no common elements, and if you learn one, you really are not better off in learning the other. To further complicate things, our present understanding of deaf education and the teaching of language, in particular, has made significant strides in the last 200 years. Things like ASL didn't exist that long ago (it originated in the early 1800s), so the deaf man in this story likely had very little understanding of language or communication other than what he had figured out on his own. Going from being deaf and mute to being able to speak is an amazing miracle when we consider the reality of the situation.

At a couple of healing conferences I have attended, one of the things we prayed for was people who were afflicted with dyslexia, or other learning disabilities. We asked the Lord to effectively rewire their brains and saw and heard some miraculous results. Several people, at one conference in particular, experienced complete healing, and one young man spent the entire night reading, because he was so overjoyed with being able to read for more than 20 minutes without being totally exhausted. He said it was like the information was just flowing into his brain and he didn't have to work to understand anything. It was an amazing transformation of his ability to learn. This example of healing would be very similar to what is described in these verses from Mark, the rewiring of the brain, and sudden understanding of language.

I felt encouraged to write about this today because I think we sometimes put limits on what God can do, and what He wants to do. We think of the brain as one of the things that we just need to deal with, and learning disabilities are just part of the way some people's brains operate, with no real hope for change. I am here to say that everything is within the ability of God to change. There is nothing in us that He can't touch or change or heal. No disability is beyond His power, no personal characteristic, no personal struggle, nothing is beyond His touch. He can rewire our brains in an instant! He created them in the first place. So, let us not settle for less than He wants to give us. Let us not just accept things the way they are, but let us pursue God for all that He can do, and wants to do.

When Jesus ministered on the earth He healed every sick or afflicted person that came to Him, but he didn't heal all the sick or afflicted in the region. There were those that didn't go to him, and thus weren't healed. Likewise, sometimes we don't go to the Lord for healing because we either think He can't, He doesn't want to, or we can live with whatever it is that afflicts us. Let us be encouraged that He wants to heal us, He can heal us, and His desire is that we are free from that which afflicts us, and is not His best for us.

Lord, I ask that You would astound us with wonders! I am reminded of His promises in Isaiah 29:13-14, 18-19 NIV:

[13] The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. [14] Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. "

[18] In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. [19] Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel."

Amen, come Lord Jesus!

## Jesus Our Priest - 2014-10-25 09:08

This morning I am reading an interesting section from the Letter to the Hebrews. In this section the author is talking about the priesthood of Jesus. We often don't spend much time on the historical significance of this, but to the Jews this was a critical point, for it was the Priests, descended from Levi, whom were appointed as the ministers of the covenant, and ministers unto God. They offered the sacrifices for forgiveness of sins, and guilt on behalf of the people. They were basically the mediators of the old covenant. It is in this context of understanding that the author writes about Jesus, as follows:

Hebrews 7:12-19 NIV:

[12] "For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. [13] He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. [14] For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. [15] And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, [16] one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. [17] For it is declared:

"You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

[18] The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless [19] (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God."

Continuing on -

Hebrews 7:24-27 NIV:

...[24] "but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. [25] Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

[26] Such a high priest truly meets our need---one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. [27] Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."

We have in Jesus one who perfectly fulfilled the old covenant, established a new covenant, and as the high priest is our way to the Father, and the source of all the forgiveness of our sins. This again is why we believe that He is the only way. No other individual has fulfilled perfectly and personally the priestly duties. This is also why the law and the Old Testament no longer apply, for Jesus issued in a new priesthood which requires a new law, a new covenant.

Jesus understood this when He talked about the new covenant at the Last Supper, as follows:

Luke 22:19-20 NIV

[19] "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." [20] In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

Jesus in establishing a new covenant with His blood, and his body as the sacrifice was taking on a new priestly ministry. As the author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote:

Hebrews 8:1-2, 6-7, 13 NIV

[1] "Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, [2] and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

[6] But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. [7] For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.

[13] By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear."

So, the significance of this all is that Jesus has established a new covenant, and we are no longer subjects to the old covenant. As the establisher and mediator and high priest of this new covenant, Jesus is our only path to the Father, our only source of forgiveness and cleansing of our sins. He personally paid with His body and blood for our sins, so we don't need to pay. He made the perfect sacrifice so we don't need to offer any. He now sits on the throne in Heaven where He intercedes for us.

Finally, because we have Jesus as our true High Priest, we no longer need any other priest/man to intercede or mediate for us. We can and should go directly to Jesus and the Father. Lord, help us to look directly to You, turning to You and receiving from You forgiveness and cleansing of our sins! Amen.

## Real Speech, Real Answers - 2014-10-26 06:03

This morning I am reading from Colossians 4:5-6 NIV:

[5] "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. [6] Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

What a simple scripture, and simple suggestion, yet so hard to actually live out. I am probably the worst in the world of making the most of every opportunity. It seems my mind and my thoughts are always on something else, distracted by the business of my life and demands of my job, or whatever excuse I choose for the day. The simple reality is that it is hard to be constantly focused and viewing things from God's perspective. I find hundreds of things to distract me in a day, and plenty to distract me even when I am praying. Because my mind is elsewhere, I rarely make the most of every opportunity - just being real.

Certainly my conversations are not always full of grace, and seasoned with salt. The idea Paul is expressing is that our speech and conversation should be attractive to those on the outside, unbelievers. Our speech and conversation to each other can sometimes be so full of Christianese, that the normal man cannot comprehend it. Let us be real and loving in our conversations!

Grace is unmerited favor, which as speech should be very attractive to people. Paul is saying people should know, through our speech, that we favor them, just as Jesus favors them. What a difference that could make in man of our lives, if we just knew and believed that people favored us!

Finally Paul exhorts us to all this that me might know how to answer everyone. This where the preceding verses are so helpful, as they describe the opportunity to make our speech acceptable, and appealing. Ultimately, He wants us to be ready to share, ready to love, ready to extend mercy and ready to be real. I think sometimes we feel like we need to have all the answers, and I can tell you that is the last thing we need to do. We need to be real! If we are struggling, say so. There is nothing more encouraging than hearing from someone who is going through exactly the thing you are, but who has hope and joy.

Lord, let us extend ourselves in You as salt and light, hope and healing, mercy and forgiveness, and unmerited favor! Give us the words we need to unlock hearts, bring healing and restoration and You to those we meet. Help us to be focused and aware, not distracted by the work and cares of the day! Let us provide real answers for the real concerns of those we meet.

Amen!

## Love and Obedience - 2014-10-28 05:53

This morning I was reading John's first letter. I must say He is a hard author to follow for he seems to spin around a couple of topics over and over again. For me Paul is much easier to understand, for his thoughts are usually expressed in a logical flow. Anyway, as I mentioned above, John has a couple of recurring themes and they are love for each other and God, and obedience and sin. Here are a couple of verses that are key in his letter-

1 John 3:23-24 NIV:

[23] "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. [24] The one who keeps God's commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

1 John 5:2-5 NIV:

[2] "This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. [3] In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, [4] for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. [5] Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

1 John 3:4-8 NIV

[4] "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. [5] But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. [6] No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. [7] Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. [8] The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."

These themes are all interwoven and you can't have one true in your life, and the others not true. If we say we love God, but hate our brothers we don't really love God, for our brothers and sisters are His children. If we say we believe His words, but don't love our brothers and sisters, which is His command, we are lying, which is sin.

It is in loving each other that we carry out His commands. It is by believing His words that increases our faith in Jesus, which leads to deeper relationship with Him, which leads to us operating out of love. As we obey the Lord, loving Him and our brothers and sisters, we are being obedient and no longer sinning. It is in loving each other that we overcome the works of the devil.

So let us examine our lives and see how we are loving Him and each other, for the two go hand in hand. Left us believe His word, and follow His command to love one another.

## Provision, Restoration and the Holy Spirit! - 2014-10-29 06:03

This morning I felt led to read from Joel 2:21-32 NIV:

[21] "Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things! [22] Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.

[23] Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. [24] The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

[25] "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten---the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm---my great army that I sent among you. [26] You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. [27] Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

[28] "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. [29] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

[30] I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. [31] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. [32] And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls."

I really love the imagery of these verses for in them the Lord promises provision and blessing, restoration of all that was lost, and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I mean what more do we need?

I also like the fact that we see the natural leading the way for the spiritual. He promises spring and autumn showers that bring natural provision for the feeding of our natural bodies. And afterward, He promises to pour out His Spirit on all, bringing provision of dreams and visions and prophecy that will feed our spirits, and bring us real life, life from the Holy Spirit.

As I read these verses this morning, the message of restoration of that which was lost resonated the strongest with my spirit. I believe the Lord wants us to know that anything that has been lost in our pursuit of His will and way has been noticed and He will be faithful to restore. I am reminded of the promise of Jesus in Luke 18:27-30 NIV:

[27] "Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."

[28] Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"

[29] "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."

These really are such awesome promises, and we need to hold onto them, for the enemy would try to convince us that we have given more than we have received. He tries to convince us to count the cost and see how God has shortchanged us. He accuses the Lord in our hearts and is trying to convince us that we serve a stingy, cold hearted God who demands much and gives little in return.

Nothing could be farther from the truth! As Paul says in Romans 8:31-32 NIV: "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" The Father has given us that which was the greatest treasure, His Son Jesus, as a ransom for us all. He has given us all things to enjoy and fill our lives. He is the most gracious and giving individual there ever was or ever will be.

So let us rejoice in His promises, believe God's description of Himself, and trust Him to pour forth provision, restoration and His Holy Spirit. He does love us more than we can ever comprehend, and He is faithful!

## Pursue That Which Endures - 2014-10-30 06:24

This morning I was reading in my Bible, and an interesting set of verses have jumped up. Like normal I was asking the Lord for direction about what I should read and the number 495 popped into my head. When this happens I usually will turn to that set of pages in my Bible, read them to see if anything resonates with my heart. If something does, I will also check other chapter and verse combinations that match, in this case I read some chapter 49s. There is a specific theme to three of the verses I read this morning, each having to do with one's purpose and also comparing oneself to others, specifically the wealthy and wicked nonbeliever.

The first set of verses is from Psalm 49:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12-13, 15-17 NIV:

[1] "Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,

[2] both low and high, rich and poor alike:

[5] Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me---

[6] those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?

[10] For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.

[12] People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.

[13] This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.

[15] But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.

[16] Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;

[17] for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them."

The second set of verses is found on page 495 in my paper Bible.

Psalm 73:1-7, 11-13, 16-20, 23-26, 28 NIV:

[1] "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

[2] But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

[3] For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

[4] They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

[5] They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.

[6] Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.

[7] From their callous hearts comes iniquity ; their evil imaginations have no limits.

[11] They say, "How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?"

[12] This is what the wicked are like---always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

[13] Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.

[16] When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

[17] till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

[18] Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

[19] How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

[20] They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

[23] Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

[24] You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

[25] Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

[26] My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

[28] But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

And finally from Isaiah 49:1-13, 16 NIV:

[1] "Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother's womb he has spoken my name.

[2] He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.

[3] He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor. "

[4] But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God."

[5] And now the Lord says---he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength---

[6] he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

[7] This is what the Lord says---the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel---to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

[8] This is what the Lord says: "In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances,

[9] to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.

[10] They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.

[11] I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.

[12] See, they will come from afar---some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan. "

[13] Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

[16] See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me."

My meditation this morning is on the pursuit of the Lord, rather than the pursuit of riches and wealth. In both of the last two sets of verses the author was looking at their own life and was thinking to themselves that they had pursued God in vain. They thought that while they had been pursuing God, the wicked and those who trusted in wealth were prospering and seemingly without any problems. The Lord opened the eyes of the authors in both cases, first in Ps. 73 to see the final destiny of those that don't trust in the Lord, and in Is. 49, to see the greater call in their own life.

I felt that this was an important message this morning both for myself and for others. If you are questioning your pursuit of God, having made decisions based on your efforts to follow His will and you haven't seen His blessing or financial gain, do not fret or believe for a second that God has passed you by. It is easy to look around ourselves and see others that appear to be more blessed, those that live in nicer homes or drive nicer cars, or have better jobs. However, it might appear here on earth, we need to look at the eternal perspective that God sees from. We have no idea the actual impact our lives have in the world, nor do we see our future, but the Lord sees all! We need to learn to trust His perspective, listen to what He says about us, and believe Him when He speaks of our value to Him, and His love for us.

I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. [12] Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. [13] You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Let us not be wooed by the attractiveness of passing fame, wealth or glory, but rather let us pursue that which truly endures, that which is the greatest treasure, relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let us trust that He is good and faithful in all things and our inheritance in Him is beyond comprehension.

## Responding To A Father's Love - 2014-10-31 06:42

This morning I was reading in Mark's Gospel. I love this story of Jesus raising the little girl from the dead.

Mark 5:21-24, 35-43 NIV:

[21] "When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. [22] Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. [23] He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." [24] So Jesus went with him....

[35] While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?"

[36] Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

[37] He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. [38] When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. [39] He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." [40] But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. [41] He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). [42] Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. [43] He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat."

There several things that I really like about this story. First, Jesus is stirred by this man's love for his child. He was a synagogue leader, yet he went himself and pleaded earnestly. The Greek for this phrase could be translated 'with much begging', in other words this man was emotionally distraught at his daughter's condition and Jesus was moved with compassion for him.

The reason I like this is that aside from my wife I have no greater emotion or love for anyone other than my children. My heart is immediately impacted if they struggle, if they are sick, or hurt. I want desperately to see their situation improved whatever it is. It is not something I can control but is based in the deep love I have for them. I think this is common for most parents, and it is good to know that Jesus sees and understands this love and responds to it.

Second, Jesus already knows what the outcome will be before He gets to the girl's side. When people tell them that she died, His response was "Don't be afraid, just believe." He knows He will be able to raise her from the dead, and just was not worried about it, how difficult it was, what originally caused her death. He just knew the Father wanted her raised from the dead, and so He obeyed. He knew the Father had the power and provided it to Him through the Holy Spirit. He had no concern about the Father being weak, confused or uninterested.

Third, when the people laughed at Him, He didn't stand for it. He also wasn't looking for some lift in the popularity of His ministry. He purposely moves forward with a minimal crowd. He was more concerned about the parents and the girl than He was about then great increase in popularity He would receive.

Fourthly, His directions are practical, telling the parents to give her something to eat. He cares for our spiritual bodies as well as our physical bodies. Sometimes we think we need to hear something that is great and spiritual and He will be talking to us about getting more sleep, or exercise or eating better. He really does care for us in those ways.

Finally, His invitation to her is extended to all of us who feel stuck, dead inside, hopeless, lifeless, exhausted, or otherwise afflicted. He is reaching out His hand and taking our hand in His and saying, "get up, stand up!" He desires us to be set free from whatever binds us or holds us, and He has the power to set us free. Our only task is to believe Him and stand up. No matter how weak, lifeless, beat-down, or defeated we feel, He can help us to stand up!

Thank You Jesus for Your compassion, Your understanding and Your real love. Thank You for being concerned about us all, and loving my children as much as I love my children!

# 2014 - November

## We Are A Letter From Jesus - 2014-11-03 07:17

This morning I have been reading through Paul's letters to the Corinthians. I like to take time to read larger chunks of scripture, as I pick up a different perspective when reading it en masse, rather than focusing on a single passage. I find that it helps me to gain a better understanding of the writer's mindset and the flow of his thought. I also will see things that I hadn't seen or thought much on before, when reading a larger amount. This morning I came across these five verses - 2 Corinthians 3:2-6 NIV:

[2] "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. [3] You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

[4] Such confidence we have through Christ before God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [6] He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant---not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

I really like verse 3, where Paul talks about the Corinthians as being a letter from Christ. That is a very interesting image to think on, that we are a letter to those around us from Jesus. There is the old saying that 'we might be the only bible some people ever read', or the only Christian some people ever know, and while that is often used to spur us to evangelism in all cases, I think its roots are here in Paul's letter.

We are supposed to be changed in a way that is visible, the Holy Spirit writing upon our hearts brings change to us. We, as members of the Body of Christ are part of His letter to all mankind. This helps me to consider my actions and my words and wonder if they would represent the very words of Jesus? Unfortunately, more often than not I don't think I am a good representation, but I am trying to become better and to make myself available to be shaped and changed.

Secondly, I am encouraged by verse 6, for the competence and confidence that Paul has comes from a realization that it was Christ Jesus who made him a minister. It is Jesus who trains us, who gives us direction and guidance and who pours out the Holy Spirit on us. He makes us competent ministers of the New Covenant. He is not requiring us to be ministers of the word, but rather of the Spirit. So let us entrust ourselves to our teacher and learn of the Spirit, and learn to become competent ministers of the New Covenant.

Amen!

## The Plans of the Lord - 2014-11-04 06:22

This morning I was journaling about the need to do some planning regarding my life and specifically that which I am about for the Body of Christ. I was not sure what to read this morning so I just opened my Bible randomly and these are the verses that I opened to - 1 Chronicles 28:11-14, 19-20 NIV:

[11] "Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. [12] He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. [13] He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service. [14] He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service:

[19] "All this," David said, "I have in writing as a result of the Lord's hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan. " [20] David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."

My eyes first landed on verse 19, which is really a direct answer to the question I had running around in my mind. This is the exact line I had written in my journal not 5 minutes earlier - "Second, I don't really have a plan for moving forward and setting goals or anything, I think I need to spend some time and prayerfully consider that."

I love it when the Lord interacts so intimately and directly. The Lord wants to be this intimate and direct with all of us, and really it just takes us listening and believing that He does. I could just have easily not opened my bible, not taken time to listen and just had that idea pass through my mind without asking Him to guide and direct me. It is in listening that I heard Him. Amazing how that works! :-) When I was younger in my faith I found that the Lord spoke louder and more simply, as I was just new at listening to Him, but now it is usually a quiet word. The good thing is that I take time to listen (not bragging at all, this is something the Lord has helped me develop over the last 30 years).

Anyway, the other thing that I really like about these verses is that the Lord put the plans in David's mind (verse 12) and the plans were very specific. Again, I think we often might not believe the Lord would work this way, giving detailed amounts, weights and designs, etc., but David was very clear here that this all came from God and He helped David to understand it. I think it is perfectly fine and right to ask the Lord for specifics if He is giving direction. He cares for us every bit as much as He cared for David and we have the advantage of the Holy Spirit present in us to guide and direct us.

So I guess I am going to be entering into a time of planning, and asking the Lord to give me clear direction and guidance. If you feel like you need help from the Lord to know what to do, ask Him and He will guide you too. All we need to do is listen! Amen Lord, release Your plans!

## Paul's Peace and Perspective of His Purpose - 2014-11-05 07:17

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians 1:12-14, 19-26 NIV:

[12] "Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. [13] As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. [14] And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

...[19] for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. [20] I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [22] If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! [23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; [24] but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. [25] Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, [26] so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me."

I am amazed at Paul's attitude concerning his imprisonment and being kept under guard. As he viewed his situation, he saw what the Lord was accomplishing through his chains, namely the increased boldness of sharing the gospel, as well as the gospel being preached to the palace guard, a group that would normally not have been the recipients of the gospel because of their duty. Paul has his eyes open and sees the working of the Lord in all things.

In verses 19-25 he expresses such a peacefulness in the face of his possible death, it is very encouraging. He understands his ultimate destiny and his hearts true home and is unafraid of the path to get there. He is convinced that the Lord has more for him to do here on earth. That is such an unusual sentiment in our day, having a clear sense of what the Lord has planned for one to do and how long it will probably take. Most of us are unaware of our purpose or calling, or the Lord's plans for our life. Even those who walk with the Lord regularly often don't have this perspective. I think this is partly because we don't want to know. We want to live our lives believing we have a long and productive life ahead of us. We don't like being confronted with our own mortality.

Paul, on the other hand welcomes the consideration of his mortality with increasing anticipation, calling the chance to be with Christ far better than life here. I am convinced that this is not based on a rosy picture of heaven or paradise, but rather a personal knowledge of Jesus, and the fullness of relationship available to him. My point is that he had correctly assigned value to that which is most valuable, eternal life with Christ Jesus.

Finally, Paul is writing this relatively late in his life, after all his missionary trips, after founding and establishing churches all over, and yet he still sees that there is remaining work for him to do in the Body of Christ. If anyone could retire, based on his accomplishments, it would be Paul, yet he understands his role and purpose and knows there is work that still remains to be accomplished. I think he fully embraced his earlier verse 1:6..."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." Paul knew that if he placed his confidence in Jesus that he would complete all that he had been appointed to do. He was confident in Christ, confident in His goodness and faithfulness. He was confident that all things would be useful and lead to Christ's greater glory, so he was unafraid of hardship or suffering.

Oh to have the same perspective and understanding of our purpose and God's faithfulness to complete the good work He began in us! Help us Lord Jesus!

## Miraculous Provision - 2014-11-06 06:41

This morning I felt I should read from Mark 6:31-44 NIV:

[31] "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." [32] So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. [33] But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. [34] "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

[35] By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late. [36] Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."

[37] But he answered, "You give them something to eat."

They said to him, "That would take more than half a year's wages ! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"

[38] "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see."

When they found out, they said, "Five---and two fish."

[39] Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. [40] So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. [41] Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. [42] They all ate and were satisfied, [43] and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. [44] The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand."

I love this story for several reasons. First, it is because of the Lord's compassion that He ministers to these people in the first place. His heart is moved by those that are hungry for His teaching and touch.

Second, He recognizes the physical hunger as well as their spiritual hunger and meets their need miraculously. If you look closely at the verses, its apparent they had enough money to buy the bread for all those people, but the apostles didn't want to do that, nor did the Lord! He knew that the Father wanted to demonstrate His ability to touch the Father's divinity and power (this is clearly a miracle of creation). He also knew that the Father wanted Him to demonstrate that He was the good shepherd, for a shepherd's responsibility is to feed the sheep. This is a perfect picture of sheep being fed, lying down on the mountain, being fed to the point of satisfaction!

Finally, when the apostles gave out of their own need (if you read at the beginning of the story Jesus was trying get them away from the crowd to rest and eat - verse 31) the very food they were planning to eat themselves, God provides for them a much greater abundance. This is such an awesome example of how the Lord can intervene in a situation when we turn what we have over to Him.

This is a pretty significant principle in the Kingdom. Whatever we give to the Lord, He will return to us with interest and even abundance. Jesus spoke about this principle several times. This is the sowing and seed principle - in this case demonstrated with food. The disciples needed food, but rather than eating it for themselves they gave it to the Lord, and in return they ate until they were filled and collected 12 baskets full at the end. That is a very good harvest from the little seed they sowed of five loaves and two fish. Other times that I can think of where Jesus discussed this principle are found in Matt 19:27-30 (Jesus describes the rewards for those who have given up things to follow Him); Matt 25:14-30 (The parable of the Talents); Matt 6:28-34 (Seek first the Kingdom).

So I am encouraged today that the Lord cares for my spiritual and natural needs. He understands my situation and has exactly what I need. He also has more than I can imagine if I will entrust my needs and resources to Him. He desires to show Himself as my provider, my Good Shepherd and as such will be faithful. I need to listen to what He is saying and trust Him that He will meet my needs. Finally if I trust Him with my resources, many others will be blessed as well by the miraculous provision He provides!

Amen Lord that is the kind of life I want to experience!

## Let Our Light Shine - 2014-11-07 07:03

This morning I was reading from Mark 4, which begins with the parable of the sower (verses 1-20) and what followed next was what caught my attention. The Disciples had asked Jesus to explain the parable, which He did, and then He went on speaking to the disciples with the following statements:

Mark 4:21-25 NIV:

[21] "He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? [22] For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear." [24] "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you---and even more. [25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

These statements always confused me somewhat, for I wasn't sure, based on the translation, if this was Jesus correcting the disciples or revealing some additional truth. I decided to read these verses in a different translation, as sometimes the way one translation has it written it is just a bit confusing. Here is a translation I ran into on the site www.Biblegateway.com, which has over 100 translations available.

Mark 4:21-24 Disciples' Literal New Testament (DLNT)

The Lamp Comes To Shine, Not To Be Hidden

[21] And He was saying to them, "The lamp does not come in order that it may be put under the basket or under the bed, does it? Is it not in order that it may be put on the lampstand? [22] For it is not hidden, except in order that it may be made-visible [a]. Nor did it become hidden-away, but in order that it may come into visibility. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear".

[24] And He was saying to them, "Be watching what you listen-to. With what measure you [b] measure , it will be measured to you— and it will be added to you.[c] [25] For he who has— it will be given to him. And he who does not have— even what he has will be taken-away from him".

Footnotes:

a. Mark 4:22 Or, revealed. One would only hide a lamp for the purpose of shining it at the proper time. The lamp may be Jesus, who came to light the world, but is hidden from Israel until the proper time; or, the truth Jesus brings, which is now hidden in parables in order that it may come into visibility at the proper time. Or, the lamp may refer to the word of God which believers hide in their hearts in order that it may shine at the opportune time.

b. Mark 4:24 Or, hear. That is, in the sense of 'obey'.

c. Mark 4:24 The measure you use reflects your spiritual capacity, and your ability to receive. If you listen to the traditions of the Pharisees, it will limit your ability to receive spiritual truth.

This actually helped me understand that Jesus was explaining the use of parables and the 'hiddenness' of the Word, and in reality the Kingdom and character of the Father. They are not meant to be hidden so that no one can find them, but rather they were concealed for such a time, and for the greater glory of God. Jesus was laying responsibility for further revelation on the disciples, a responsibility that they did well to carry as is evidenced by the church. I am reminded of Paul's statement concerning the full revelation of God's plan to include the gentiles in salvation (Col 1:25-27) .

Simply put, the truth is meant to be exposed to the world, and we are those through whom it will be exposed. There is also the encouragement that the more we listen the more we will hear, the more truth will be given to us! Amen! This really is like the parable of the talents, those that take what they are given and invest it (shine it out to those around them) will be given more (See Matt 25:14-30). This is the sowing and reaping principle, once again!

So let us take that which we have been given, the Truth and Light of Christ, and let it shine! For it was put in us for that very purpose!

## Testified by Power - 2014-11-09 07:16

This morning, while doing a little research of the Gifts of the Spirit, I came across these verses - Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV:

[1] "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. [4] God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews knew his audience would always approach things from their background of understanding the law, and thus starts this point by referencing the law ("message spoken through angels"). He compares the law which was given to them in this way to the message of salvation that pronounced by Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. His message is simple, if they believed and followed the law, how much more should they embrace this message of salvation which came from God's Son?

I like the parallels he draws, for the people of the Old Testament were convinced of the authenticity of the message concerning the Law, because God worked miracles. You could say that the miracles and signs and wonders that God did testified to His authorship and involvement. In the same way, the Lord's Gospel of salvation was testified to by the signs and wonders and miracles that were done by Jesus, as well as the Apostles and disciples, and church.

Jesus said these signs were meant to convince us that He was from God and of God - John 14:10-11 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."

As I think about this, I think one of the reasons we see a weakening church is the lack of the testimony of miracles, signs and wonders. This is what convinced the Israelites in the Old Testament and the people of Jesus' time, why would we be any different? Are we so modern in our thinking as to no longer need miracles and signs and wonders to help us realize that God is real and His words are true? Or have we settled for intellectual knowledge, and based our beliefs on the words and tradition? It seems to me that the Church was birthed in power (Acts 2) and the Gospel was testified to by power (1 Cor 2:4; 1 Thess 1:5), and is meant to be experienced as such.

Let us ask the Lord to breath on the Church and restore the signs and wonders and miracles that testify to Him. Let us pray for a full restoration of the Power of the Holy Spirit to the church!

Amen!

## Consider Others First - 2014-11-10 19:25

This evening I am reading from 1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV:

[8] "Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. [9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

These are two very rich verses. I am just going to break them down word by word:

Like-mindedness: the Greek word means together thinking and perceiving. This is such an interesting concept, because I think in America we value our independence and thinking the same as others is often seen as compromising our beliefs. I think that is exactly what Paul is encouraging them to do, to lay down their own opinions and thoughts and consider the way others think and learn to think together. I think this is actually very hard to do, and still provide a nonjudgmental environment at the same time. It is something that takes time to establish as a culture, and something that must be chosen, certainly not forced.

Sympathetic: means to experience the same as someone else, if they suffer you are suffering. This is again requires the laying down of our own lives and willingly embracing the lives of those around us, and connecting ourselves to them. Suffering is especially trying, and difficult. Everyone is happy to celebrate with you when you are celebrating, but it seems that it is a rare friend who will suffer with you when you suffer. It is a great challenge and one that you must enter into willingly.

Love one another: this really encompasses both of the earlier words, for this is speaking of the love Jesus commanded us to have for each other. He calls us and invites us to that greater place of sacrificial love, putting someone else before ourselves. He said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13).

Compassionate: the Greek means to have good feelings in one's gut (bowels). This would be the Greek understanding of where our emotions rise out of, synonymous with our heart. In other words our bowels are moved, our heart is moved, it is impossible not to take action one is so moved by another. This is deeply felt love, capable of causing us to put down whatever we are concerned with and becoming involved. It says many times that Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the people and the result was usually miracles!

Humble: the Greek here actually means courteous and friendly, kind to one another. Being friendly is also a choice, something we must choose to do, for being short, sharp, crabby, spiteful, angry and foul are just too easy, especially if one is self-focused. That is where the idea of humility comes from, namely looking to others, and considering their needs before one's own. A humble individual doesn't need to, nor should they think poorly of him or herself, just highly of others, putting the others before themselves, choosing the others first. If one is courteous, one lets the other go first...that is the idea of Peter here. Jesus knew He was the Son of God, yet He served others, even washing their feet like the lowliest servant.

Imagine a church where everyone practiced these things! It would be amazing!

Finally, the call is to bless in all circumstances, whether you have received blessings or curses, insults or evil actions. I could generally agree to all the first ideas, but this one really stretches me. I want to defend myself, I want to pay back injury with injury, yet we are called to follow Jesus' example. I don't want to be seen as weak, wimpy, unable to defend myself or my honor. The idea that we return all this with blessing, and not just saying the words of blessing but actually meaning them is incredible. I was listening to one of my favorite teachers, Graham Cooke, and he was telling how there was a pastor who was attacking his (Graham's) ministry constantly. As Graham sought the Lord on his response the Lord told him to bless the other pastor financially. He actually had Graham go down to the cash machine, take out cash, put it in an unmarked envelope and slide it under this man's door, not just once but for months on end. That is the type of blessing that we are called to do! Wow! All I can say is help me Lord Jesus, I don't think that is in me yet.

So let us think on these themes, think of these words and see how we can sow them into our lives! What we sow, that is what we reap!

Amen Lord!

## Freedom, No Matter the Circumstances - 2014-11-11 06:53

I came across an interesting section in scripture this morning that got me thinking. The verses are as follows - Exodus 6:6-11 NIV:

[6] "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. [7] I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. [8] And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.' "

[9] Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.

[10] Then the Lord said to Moses, [11] "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country."

I found a few things about these verses interesting. First and foremost, the Israelites didn't believe Moses when he brought them the message from God. I was thinking that to that point their interactions with God had been limited to a few of their forefathers. By this time, they had been in Egypt for about 300 years so their communal memory about being the people of God, the chosen people, was probably weak to say the least. It says that it was because of their discouragement and harsh labor that they didn't believe him. One could say that their circumstances overwhelmed their limited belief.

Secondly, I was thinking if their situation was better they wouldn't have needed or embraced their redemption nearly as much as they did. However, despite their desperate situation they were unwilling to believe rescue was possible. Desperate situations require significant intervention, and God tells them that is what He is going to do and they don't believe Him. I think much of what God was doing with the ten plagues was actually convincing the Israelites that He was capable of doing what He said He would do.

Finally, the term 'swore with uplifted hand' is what drew me to this verse in the first place. That is an unusual phrase that only appears a few times in Scripture, and this is the first place. I went back to God's interactions with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and none of them mention the uplifted hand. I was intrigued by the idea of God swearing a solemn oath to a people. Normally we swear to a greater power, to a sign of greater authority, and here God swears to the people. His right hand raised is usually a sign of His power and authority, and in this case He is swearing both to the fulfilling of His promise. As I was writing this, I thought of the fact that Jesus raised both His hands when He went to the cross. It is interesting that both hands raised are both the sign of surrender and the sign of victory! How appropriate!

Anyway, here are the thoughts I take away from these verses:

1). God is able to do exactly what He says He will do, no matter what the circumstances seem to indicate.

2). Absence of interaction with God causes one's faith to weaken.

3). God is not worried about our unbelief, He believes in Himself, and we will too before He is finished.

4). Desperate situations call for glorious intervention, and God is capable of glorious intervention.

5). There is no set of circumstances that God is unable to set us free from.

6). God will do what He says He will do!

Amen Lord! So if you find yourself in need of a rescue, seemingly locked in desperate circumstances, God is capable of breaking in and setting You free. He does this for His people, those that have put their hope and trust in Him.

## Becoming Like Christ - 2014-11-12 06:55

This morning I was wanting to grow in my knowledge of what kind of man Jesus was and I felt like reading out of Luke 14:1-6, 12-17 NIV:

[1] "One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. [2] There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. [3] Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" [4] But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.

[5] Then he asked them, "If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?" [6] And they had nothing to say.

[12] Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. [13] But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, [14] and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

[15] When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." [16] Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready...."

I had a couple of reflections on these passages. First, although Jesus battled regularly with the Pharisees, he was actually on friendly terms with them, at least with some, even dining in this one's house. He came to call sinners and set free those of us who are bound in sin. The Pharisees are no different than all of us in that regard. You could say that Jesus loved the man, but disliked his teaching.

Second, Jesus was always on, always being watched, and He was constantly in communication with the Father. Thus, he never missed an opportunity to speak what the Father was whispering to Him, nor the opportunity to provide additional insight into the Father's heart.

Third, He was moved by people' sufferings. In this case there is a man suffering from dropsy, or edema, which is severe swelling in the connective tissues due to retention of water. In this case, after using the man's suffering to make a point about the rules of the Sabbath, Jesus heals him, so one would expect Hus swelling went down immediately. That must have been an awesome to witness!

Fourth, the teaching on the banquet in Heaven was apparently a spur of the moment teaching, yet full of significant truth. The second section starting with verse 15, is actually prophetic, speaking about the day when the doors we be swung open to poor and lowly, and even the gentiles. This is huge and yet it came forth almost as an afterthought to the conversation that was happening at the banquet. It is thus important for us to pay attention at all times to what the Lord might be saying, sometimes using completely nonreligious scenarios to impart significant truth.

Lastly, we should be careful how we give, for giving when one expects to receive an equivalent gift in return is not what we are called to do as His followers. We are supposed to be generous, extending grace to those around us. Grace is unmerited favor, in other words favor that is not being returned, not being earned.

Lord, help me to assimilate these truths into my life. My goal is to become more like You in every way, so I want to learn from You and I want to embrace all that You model in the Gospels. I want to become like You Lord.

## It's All About Relationship - 2014-11-13 06:26

This morning I am reflecting on some challenging verses from Luke 13:22-27 NIV:

[22] "Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. [23] Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

He said to them, [24] "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. [25] Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' [26]

"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'

[27] "But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'"

I must say I haven't liked reading these verses in the past because they make salvation seem so limited, and that seems to disagree with other statements that Jesus made. As I was reading them this morning, I had a different take, and understanding. Putting these verses in context of what Jesus was teaching about and dealing with is helpful. He is approaching the end of His ministry and people do still not understand, Pharisees are still asking stupid questions and viewing things from a purely religious works perspective. Jesus takes an opportunity, afforded Him when someone asks the question about salvation, to explain what He is inviting people to, that is relationship.

If we look closely at His statements, He says that people will be rejected because the owner doesn't know them or where they come from. This is the language of relationship. This is the key, it's all about relationship. He says, "I don't know you or where you come from". These are the things we know about the people with whom we are in relationship. We know them, we understand them, and we know their history, their story. This only comes through time spent, conversation, intimacy and honesty - all key components of relationship.

Hanging out with the owner "eating and drinking" is not enough. I believe this is a picture of the Lord's Supper, or communion. It is not enough to go to church and participate in the service, as proximity and casual acquaintance doesn't bring salvation. Nor is it enough to know his teaching -"you taught in our streets". Jesus says neither will suffice and result in salvation. It is knowing and being known that is the key message, the key requirement.

Jesus was addressing those who were around Him, but were not engaged in relating to Him, for I am sure there were many who hung out for the free meals and excitement of what He did, but never grasped the significance of what He said. He came as the Father's perfect representation and was approachable by all, and invited all to know and be known. I am reminded of His statements from John 10:14-16 NIV: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

It's all about relationship, to know and be known. Let us pursue Him, as He is the way, the truth and the life.

## The Glorious Name of Jesus - 2014-11-14 07:15

This morning while laying here praying for my nephews who have cancer, I was reminded of something I read recently about the name of Jesus, and praying in the name of Jesus for healing. I did a little research this morning concerning this and there are numerous verses that make it very clear that it was through the Name of Jesus, and in His name that the Apostles ministered and the church was born. It is around the name of Jesus that people gathered, and it was because of His name that they were set free and healed. Here is a small assortment of the verses:

Acts 3:6-7 NIV

[6] "Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong."

Acts 3:16 NIV

[16] "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see."

Acts 4:30-31 NIV

[30] Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

[31] After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Acts 16:18 NIV

[18] "She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her."

Acts 19:13-17 NIV

[13] "Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." [14] Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [15] One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" [16] Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

[17] When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor."

Philippians 2:9-10 NIV

[9] "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,..."

Colossians 3:17 NIV

[17] "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

So let us gather under the glorious Name of Jesus and proclaim His Name, as the only Name by which we are healed, set free, and our sins are forgiven. Amen!

## Missing the Big Moment. - 2014-11-15 21:29

This evening I am reading from John 13:31-36 NIV:

[31] "When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. [32] If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. [33] "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

[34] "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

[36] Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."

This really an amazing scripture, as apparently Peter totally missed one of Jesus' most significant statements, the NEW commandment. Do you see how Peter remains totally fixated on the statement Jesus made previously about them not being able to go where He was going? He totally misses the part where Jesus is speaking a new commandment, something that hadn't happened since Moses' time. This is also one of the times where Jesus clearly equates Himself with the Father, as His obedient son. Only God can issue commandments to the Jews.

Peter, however, is totally fixed on Jesus leaving them. We get a glimpse of what is going on in his heart a bit later, but it is clear that Peter is no longer thinking about the Kingdom or the Father's will, but rather is selfishly focused on himself and his relationship with Jesus. He was still in it for himself, and it will take the passion and crucifixion for Peter to realize that.

So my question for me is 'have I ever missed the commandment of the Lord because I was too focused on myself?'. Do I get fixated on the last thing that the Lord has said and totally miss the new word from Him? Am I more focused on my position than I am on the work in front of me?

Lord, I pray that You will help me and keep me from missing what You are saying!!!!

## The Power to Live and Love - 2014-11-16 07:25

This morning I was reading out of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19 and I noticed how Jesus was stretching the minds and hearts of the disciples. Here are two specific sections, pay attention to the disciple's responses to both statements by Jesus:

Matthew 19:8-10, 23-26 NIV

[8] "Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. [9] I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

[10] The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."

[23] Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. [24] Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

[25] When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

[26] Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

It is interesting that in the same chapter Jesus is addressing both marriage and wealth, two topics that are very much under fire these days in America, but for different reasons. I think one could simply state Jesus' teaching with one statement, that 'following Him isn't always a cake walk'.

Following Him requires us to move past our own wants and needs and consider others first. It means laying down our lives for others (John 15:13), loving them as we would want to be loved (Matt 19:19). It means loving with action, not mere words (1 John 3:18). This applies to our wives, our families and those we interact with every day, as well as to complete strangers (Luke 10:25-37), and even our enemies(Luke 6:35).

When confronted with that list I can have a very similar reaction to the disciples, questioning the possibility of this for any human. The really good news is that God doesn't expect us to be able to do this on our own - see Jesus' statement in verse 26. He believes it is impossible for man to do these things on his own (John 15:5). I like a statement that Brother Lawrence used to make when he realized his sin, he would say, "What do you expect Lord, I am a sinner.". He was simply stating the fact that apart from God's help we are incapable of doing all He calls us to do.

So then, how are we supposed to successfully follow Jesus? He provides the answer to that as well. We need God's help. The other good news is that He provides us the very help we need in the person of the Holy Spirit, resident in us (John 14:17; Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit provides the strength and power we need. Jesus even told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to be given to them because then they would receive power (Acts 1:4-8). The Geek word for power here is dunamis, from which we have the word dynamite! The word meant strength, power, ability, authority, resources and influence to do something.

As I look at this all, I am convinced that it is not the Lord's will that we feel defeated by our own weakness, but rather that we experience the very real power and strength of the Holy Spirit. He wants us to know the power we have in Him, to see victory instead of defeat! When He stretches us out of our comfort zone, or out of our physical or emotional abilities, it is so He can step in and show us His Glorious power, on our behalf. These things are impossible to do by ourselves, but with the Power of the Holy Spirit, all things are possible!

Amen, let us pray for and receive the Power of the Holy Spirit which God makes available for all of us for our daily lives. Let us receive the Power of the Holy Spirit to help us in our marriages, in our work, in our relationships, in our ministry and in our lives!

## Laying Down One's Life - 2014-11-17 07:16

This morning I am reading from Matthew 16:21-27 NIV:

[21] "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."

[24] Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

As I was looking at these verses, my mind was drawn to Jesus' statement at the end of verse 23, and the next statement He makes which talks about one of the requirements of following Jesus is denying oneself. In verse 23, He states that Peter does not have in his "mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns". This statement is directly related to the next, on denying oneself. When we die to ourselves we are laying down our ideas and opinions about our own lives and taking on someone else's ideas and opinions, in this case God's.

As I was reading these verses I was reminded of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, and I believe there is definitely a parallel. The second temptation of Jesus was to gain all the kingdoms of the world, all of their splendor and glory (Luke 4:5-8). He was being tempted to again the whole world, but he would have clearly lost His life, and life's purpose. Instead He had in His mind the concerns of God, and knew the path He must take. He saw the opportunity to become almost a god, being worshipped and adored by all, yet understood that way of the Father was different, and better. The third temptation was for Him to cast down Himself from the parapet of the temple, in effect losing His life, but knowing the God the Father would protect Him. This also is the thinking of man, for the Lord does not welcome, nor require personal physical sacrifice to again access to Himself. There needs to be a submission of our will, but not our physical bodies, for Jesus already paid that price.

Furthermore, if we lay down our lives and receive them back again with new purpose, new life and new vision, we will see Jesus glorified. He will be glorified in our lives. We will see Him move in power, we will see signs and wonders and miracles, and we will see angels ministering. We will receive our reward both now and in the age to come. Jesus promised us as much in Luke 18:29-30 NIV: "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."

So, let us not fear laying down our lives, for He has a better plan and a greater purpose. He loves us and wants us to be with Him. The one that loses their life for His sake will find it, and it will be glorious! We can't imagine in our human mindedness what He desires to show us, but it will be glorious.

## Dead To The Law And Its Punishments - 2014-11-18 06:44

I am reading from Paul's letter to the Romans this morning and came across an interesting section where Paul is describing to the Jews why they were free from the Law. Here are the verses - Romans 7:1, 4-6 NIV:

[1] "Do you not know, brothers and sisters---for I am speaking to those who know the law---that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives?

[4] So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. [5] For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. [6] But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."

The interesting thought that hit me this morning relates to the law, namely that it establishes standards for righteousness and punishments for transgressions. If, through our dying with Christ and rising with Him, we are set free, then neither the requirements nor the punishments apply to us anymore. A dead person can't break the law, nor can a dead person be punished for breaking the law! We are alive in Christ, and in this life we live and serve according to the new way of the Spirit!

As I read this, the first thing to pop into my mind was "what is this new way of the Spirit?" First and foremost it is life being filled with the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. It is intimately living with the Holy Spirit present in our very being. It is deep relationship with a living God. It is no longer a life compared to a written code of behavior, but is now life lived according to the inner manifestation of our loving relationship.

In verse 2&3, which I didn't include above, Paul writes of the analogy of a wife and husband. In verse 4 he speaks of us belonging to Christ, and this marriage analogy is continued. Paul describes this new life as us being married to Christ. This is helpful to me, as being married, my life of intimate relationship with my wife had grown all the years we have been married. My knowledge of her, her thinking, her heart, and her emotions have grown continually. Over time our relationship has grown deeper, and we have become more and more alike in our thinking. That is the type of life change I believe that Paul is speaking about here, a life committed in love and relationship with our God, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Finally this new life, being freed from the requirements and punishments of the Law is made possible to us through Jesus' passion, death and resurrection. We didn't earn this, didn't qualify for this in any way. It is the grace of God, through faith in Jesus that we are welcomed into relationship. Jesus was the one who fulfilled all the requirements of the law and bore all the punishments for our transgressions against the Law, and thus set us free from both. It is because of Him that we are considered dead to the Law and its code of behaviors and punishments.

Why would we now live as if we are still under the rules and punishments that He has set us free from? One of the issues that we find in many of our churches is they have effectively convinced us that neither the law nor the punishments have gone away. What is preached is a new version of the Old Testament law, with a little Jesus thrown in. We are still required to act in a certain way, adhere to a strict set of rules or our salvation is in danger of being lost. We are told that we will be punished by God for our sin, as described by the rules. Yet none of these can be true if what Paul writes here is true. It is about relationships not rules, mercy and grace not judgment. We have been set free from both.

We, however, cannot think that we can do anything we like in this new covenant, which was established by the blood of Jesus. In the same way that we cannot just do anything we want and not have our marriage relationship affected, so it is with our relationship with God. We are meant to be guided and directed by our love and by the ever present Holy Spirit. We are not to live as if we are no longer married, or nor longer in relationship, but are invited and called to experience the wonder of an intimate relationship with God.

So let us live our lives as if we are dead to the Law and its punishments and alive in our new life in Christ. Let us welcome the freedom of mercy and grace and dive deep into relationship with our loving and merciful Savior.

## No Stain, No Accusation Even - 2014-11-19 05:50

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 1:15-23 NIV:

[15] "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] 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. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] 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. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

[21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--- [23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."

I love Paul's descriptions of the realities of Christ, for they are so full of insight and understanding. I could sit and think about the first paragraph above for days. The reality of who Jesus is, what He accomplished and the perfection of Gods plan are really unfathomable. Although unfathomable, I greatly enjoy plumbing the depths of them.

The second paragraph is really where my mind landed this morning, as the idea of us being without blemish and free from accusation really grabbed me. I mean this really is the good news of the Gospel, namely that we are free from any blemish or stain of sin, and free from any future accusation because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. In God's sight we are free and can never even be accused of sin, if we continue in our faith and relationship with Christ. We really are hidden within Christ (Col. 3:3). When the Father looks at us, He only sees us in Christ, covered by His blood, united with Him in His death. There is no stain of sin on Him or possible accusation that can be raised against Him, which is why we experience the same freedom. Wow!

I think it is Graham Cooke who talks about our inability to grasp how good the Good News really is. We struggle with understanding how much favor we actually have in Christ. We can't believe that this message is really true, so we live life as if it wasn't, as if there were something we could due to earn the right for this to be true, to convince ourselves that maybe our merit could possibly qualify us for this gift of mercy and grace. We can't believe that when we accept Christ, we receive all that He won. This is like the game show where behind door number one is every prize available on the show. When we choose Christ, in response to His calling our name, we receive everything that goes with Him, I mean everything. Wow! What an awesome bit of Good News!

Jesus didn't suffer and die and rise from the dead that we would have a 'barely scraping by' experience of God's favor and love. He didn't pay the price for every sin, if there was some extra cost to be paid by each of us. He paid for it all! Like my friend John Brown likes to say, "All means all", he looked it up in the dictionary and that is what it means. We are free of all stains and blemishes caused by sin. The Greek word used here is Amomos which means, without blemish, as a sacrifice without spot or blemish, or morally faultless and unblameable. Wow!

If we are truly hidden in Christ and alive in Him, than everything in Christ is ours when we unite ourselves to Him, through faith. Now we just need to learn to accept that reality and live in that reality! Amen, help us Lord Jesus!

## Love, Faithfulness, Righteousness and Peace - 2014-11-20 05:39

This morning I am reading from Psalm 85:6-13 NIV:

[6] "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

[7] Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.

[8] I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants---but let them not turn to folly.

[9] Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

[10] Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

[11] Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

[12] The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.

[13] Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

I just love the imagery of verse 10, for these are clearly the characteristics of God. They can also be seen to be a foreshadowing of Christ, of His ministry and life. It was for love that He came to earth (John 3:16). It was His faithfulness to the Father's plan that earned our salvation and freedom from sin. It was His righteousness that fulfilled the requirements of the law and has been granted to us (Rom 3:24-25). It was His death and resurrection that brought us peace (Is a 53:5). His faithfulness, as demonstrated on earth was looked upon with favor by the Righteous One, our Father in Heaven.

The Lord, who has given us that which is most precious and highest valued, His Son, will not hold back His goodness, nor has He completed his blessing upon the earth. His nature, which flows from His character is to give and bless. His Word (John 1:1-2) accomplishes His will (Isa 55:10-11)and brings forth a harvest.

He is faithful, He is righteous, He is loving, He is the Prince of Peace!

I needed to know that today! Thank You Lord!

## Living In Reality - 2014-11-21 07:22

This morning I am reading from Peter's first letter, and as almost always, I have found something to ponder. Here are the verses - 1 Peter 1:13-17 NIV:

[13] "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. [14] As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [15] But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

[17] Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."

Starting at the end and working forward, the whole idea that if we have an eternal mindset, then our time here is really a time away from our home which is found in Heaven. We are all visitors here - to quote the Eagles - foreigners whose home now is found in Christ. That is a difficult mindset shift to make, as we are so here and now focused. In a way, the history of Israel really provides insight into this reality. When they were taken into exile in Babylon, they never stopped thinking about and desiring to move back to the Promised Land. They lived in Babylon, but yearned for their home. We must learn to allow ourselves a similar mindset concerning our eternal inheritance, the difference is that we are not slaves but free and redeemed.

Secondly we are called to live in reverent fear. The Greek word is actually Phobos, which is where we get our word phobia. However in the case the meaning as to do with awe, and understanding our true place and reality. We are called to live as if we were in God's presence now. This is where that eternal mindset is supposed to help us, as we come to understand this reality of eternal life is not necessarily or only a time based reality, but rather a Spiritual Kingdom reality. We really ARE in His presence when we were hidden in Christ. This is why Peter urges us to live like we are already in front of the very throne of God.

Stepping further back in these verses, that is why Peter says we should be holy as God is holy. The Greek word used here is the same word used to describe the Holy of Holies, which is where the Lord manifested His presence. To say it differently, we are called to bear the manifest presence of God. We are called to allow His compassion, mercy, faithfulness and love to flow out of us. We are also called to be conduits of His power, producing signs, wonders, healings, miracles and the like. This what one experiences in God's presence. They experience reverent fear in His presence as well.

So our call, our invitation is to conform our lives to this eternal reality, rather than allowing the sinful desires and thinking to permeate our lives. It is really an amazing job of marketing that the enemy has done to convince us that living a Godly, holy life is boring or dull. That we would ever look upon the short-termed excitement that our evil desires promise us when compared to the glories of unity with Christ Jesus is almost inconceivable! Yet we continue to struggle and battle choosing to live in ignorance, or more pointedly, ignoring the truth. Ignoring the truth doesn't make it less true, it just causes our hearts to become harder and more resistant to the truth.

So let us examine our lives, see our reality for what it is, namely that we are in the very presence of God. Let us view ourselves soberly, making good decisions about how we will live out our life, allowing the very presence of God to dwell with us and within us. Let us live our lives in such a way that we allow God's presence to flow out of us to impact our families, our jobs, our schools and our communities.

## The Cure for Powerlessness - 2014-11-23 05:42

I just had an interesting thought subject flow through my mind. I opened my bible to Psalm 106, and in that Psalm the author is recounting the history of Israel, constantly complaining, constantly turning to other gods, all while God is directing them through the wilderness. I was thinking how that is so much the human condition and approach, how when things don't go the way we think they should we blame God. We blame Him, then look to something else.

I thought about how that is such a symptom of being powerless to change one's circumstances. We are powerless to change, so we seek another source of power. Two problems with that, first when we are dealing with God, He is very aware of our situation and if we lean into Him, He will guide us and teach us and show us the provision He has for us. If we turn away from Him we miss all that. Second, if we turn to other things we are embracing unbelief, and that hardens our heart toward the Lord...not a good situation.

The good news again is that the Lord has provided us Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit, to provide a solution for our powerlessness. We are not meant to live in a powerless state, but are meant to embrace and be in relationship with the Holy Spirit, living within us! We are called to be overcomers (John 16:33, 1 John 2:13-14), more than conquerors (Rom 8:37), victorious (Rev 21:7) full of power (Acts 4:23, Acts 6:8, Col 1:29) and full of life (John 6:63, John 10:10).

So let us be encouraged that the Lord has not left us weak and powerless. Rather, He has provided all that we need in the person of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask for and receive an inflowing of the power of the Holy Spirit to empower us to be who we are called to be!

Amen, come Holy Spirit!

## Distraction Nor Persecution Stop The Lord - 2014-11-25 05:51

I was just reviewing my notes from yesterday and saw that Philips visit to Samaria was actually a fulfillment of Jesus' command and prophesy concerning their ministry after receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8 NIV: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

And in Acts 8, we see Philip doing exactly that, going to Samaria. It is interesting that his visit there was the result of the persecution that followed the stoning of Stephen. Here are the verses to which I am referring - Acts 8:1, 4-8, 14-17 NIV:

[1]..."On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

[4] Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. [5] Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. [6] When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. [7] For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. [8] So there was great joy in that city.

[14] When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. [15] When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, [16] because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."

I find it very interesting that this prophetic word and command of Jesus had not really been fulfilled yet before Acts 8. There is some disagreement as to when Stephen was stoned, which was the proceeding event that caused the persecution to begin. Many put this date about 3 years after Jesus' death. So apparently the apostles and all the disciples who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost had not yet really focused a missionary effort on Samaria, at least not that we are told. Not only that, but it wasn't even a voluntary move, so much as the result of their fleeing the persecution.

That makes me wonder why it took them so long, and why Samaria hadn't been visited yet. I can think of a couple of reasons. To start with the church in Jerusalem was almost instantly very successful after Pentecost. They added 3000 people that day alone. They had plenty of issues to keep on them busy, and they were working through them, and were likely quite distracted. They had to worry about feeding the people (Acts 6), the church was growing because of the miracles and signs and wonders (Acts 5), people were bringing them their wealth and they were distributing that to people as needed. Again we are talking about possibly thousands of people, so these tasks would be significant. The twelve were so busy they finally just had to devote themselves to full time teaching.

This whole situation gives me encouragement for a few reasons. First, even the apostles can get caught up in the success of something and lose sight of the even bigger picture. Sometimes I am so focused on what is in front of me that I forget some of the other things the Lord has commanded me to do. I find myself easily distracted, but the Lord is faithful to see them completed.

Second, seemingly bad things like the stoning of Stephen and the persecution of the church fit perfectly into God's plans. These events which seem so disastrous, can be turned to God's glory if we will follow Him and continue to believe in His word. I can imagine there was plenty of concern for the livelihood of the church after the persecution began. I imagine there were plenty of doubters, plenty who were distracted at that time, yet the Holy Spirit prevailed and grew the church!

Finally, the strength and power produced by the Holy Spirit, through Philip was not reduced at all. He still was able to work miracles, healings and casting out of unclean spirits. When a place rejects the Lord, and His church, the place that rejects them loses the blessing that could be theirs, but the new location receives every bit as much of the ministry of and through the Holy Spirit.

So let us be encouraged if we find ourselves somewhere we hadn't planned, if we realize that we have forgotten some of the things that the Lord has commanded us or encouraged us to do. His word is faithful and will be fulfilled. All the works of the enemy will only cause the Lord's renown to grow greater still. Let us look for the Lord in the new situation or circumstances and ask Him to pour forth the Holy Spirit in might and power.

## Interruptions and Guidance - 2014-11-26 07:19

I was continuing my reading of the Acts of the Apostles this morning. I have always been intrigued by this story of Philip, and his supernatural experiences. Here are the verses - Acts 8:26-31, 34-40 NIV:

[26] "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road---the desert road---that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." [27] So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means "queen of the Ethiopians"). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, [28] and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. [29] The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."

[30] Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

[31] "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

[34] The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" [35] Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

[36] As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?" [37]* And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."* [38] And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. [39] When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

[40] Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea."

There are a few very interesting things about this story, the first of which is the supernatural interactions that Philip has, first with an angel telling him where to go, followed by verse 40, where the Holy Spirit transports Philip some distance to a new town (the distance could be as far as 40 miles). I am reminded of Jesus comments about what is impossible to man is possible for God (Luke 18:27). For Star-Trek fans, this is an example of being teleported, but by the Spirit of God. My son and I were just talking about how awesome it would be if that were real, and then this morning I am reading about this very thing. It is clear the there are things that God is capable of doing that we haven't seen or heard of yet, and this is one of those events in that category. In the Catholic tradition of Saints, there are few Saints who have experienced similar things, so church history does bear witness to this event in Philip's life.

Secondly, this in only mention of Ethiopia in the NT, and it is believed that this Eunuch was responsible for the early evangelism of Ethiopia. The church there is one of the oldest Christian churches, and from what I understand they trace themselves back to this event, which would have happened roughly three years after Pentecost. I am encouraged by the moving and guiding of the Holy Spirit in encouraging Philip to meet this Eunuch, for clearly there was a plan in place by the Holy Spirit to spread the Good News to Ethiopia, and He caused this to occur by interrupting Philip and having him meet the man. These types of events could be classified as divine encounters, where two people are brought together unknowingly for the purposes of God. I have had several times where it was clear the Lord had me meet someone, completely unknown to me that significantly changed my life or theirs. I like the fact that the Lord can intervene, and through one purposeful, but seemingly chance meeting affect the lives of a whole nation.

Finally, not losing sight of the fact that the Lord specifically intercepted the Ethiopian just as He was most open to the Gospel. I believe that even if the man had not been a vehicle of the evangelism of Ethiopia, the Lord still would have directed Philip to visit with him, as the Lord cares for each of us, and is intimately aware of our heart condition, and circumstances. This is one thing I know for sure, the Lord knows exactly what I am thinking and where I am and He can touch my life at exactly that spot. In this case the Ethiopian was reading from Is 53 the exact verses that prophetically spoke of Jesus, and it was at that exact moment that Philip ran up. This is just a beautiful example of how the Lord choreographs circumstances to His purposes. He is the God of perfect timing. There are many times I would like to know ahead of time about His perfect timing that He has planned, but invariably He is right on time, with exactly what is needed. I am so grateful for His faithfulness.

So today I am encouraged to be on the lookout for the guidance of the Lord in my life. I look to Him to arrange divine encounters, even to the point of interrupting my life and causing me to go somewhere I hadn't planned. The Lord cares for us all and He has the perfect interruption(s) planned for us all.

Amen!

## No Enemy Can Stand - 2014-11-27 09:39

This morning I am reading from Acts 9, which is the story of Paul's conversion. It really is an amazing story. Here are a few key verses - Acts 9:10-19 NIV:

[10] "In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

"Yes, Lord," he answered.

[11] The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. [12] In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."

[13] "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. [14] And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

[15] But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

[17] Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord---Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here---has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." [18] Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, [19] and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus."

I can imagine the surprise of the early church when the Lord chose Saul to be his "chosen instrument". He was one of the chief enemies of the church and was aggressively pursuing them, trying to destroy the church. If you ever wondered if the Lord was capable of taking care of His Church, this example should settle that concern. The Lord completely disarms Saul and turns him from being a bully to being a bulldog for Him. The Lord steals one of the enemy's chief weapons against the church and converts him into one of the greatest evangelists to ever live. Awesome!

I also love the way the Lord confirmed His Word with supernatural acts and miracles. Here is a great example of how logic and knowledge of the Word was insufficient to bring about conversion, but a power encounter and supernatural occurrences completely convinced Saul and brought about his conversion. In Acts 26, Paul speaks about his upbringing and his pursuit of the church as follows - Acts 26:4-5, 9-11 NIV:

[4] "The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. [5] They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee.

[9] "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. [11] Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities."

Paul knew the word of God, had lived a life of righteousness according to the law, was zealous for God, but had totally missed the Good News. Paul must have been a member of the Synagogue in Jerusalem, and was likely present for many of the events that were recorded in the earlier chapters of Acts. He must have heard the proclamation of the Gospel, and certainly heard Stephen's discourse that is recorded in Acts 7. Despite all of this exposure and a trained knowledge of the prophets and the very prophesies Jesus fulfilled, Paul's heart was unmoved, and likely hardened further.

I take great encouragement that the Lord is fully capable of drawing anyone to himself and bringing about their conversion. There are several people that I know that have not received salvation yet, and for whom I am praying. This story gives me great hope for them. No matter how resistant to the Gospel, no matter how strong their mind and arguments against the Lord, He can intervene and convince them of their need for salvation. The one thing I need to do is be ready to do my part should the Lord ever call me like Ananias. The Lord does use us to confirm His words, to bring healing and work miracles, and we must be ready when we are given the opportunity.

Lord, we pray that You would intervene in the lives of those who have not yet understood their need for salvation or You. Break into their lives with signs and wonders and supernatural situations that they cannot argue away. Lord, we ask that You would convert all those that are attacking Your church, for none of Your enemies can stand against You! Thank You Lord!

## Choosing To Live Like Him - 2014-11-29 08:39

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 3:5-8, 12-14 NIV:

[5] "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. [7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."

[12] "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

These verses offer up a very nice contrast of the worldly life and life as a Christian, as they pertain to pursuits and character. I find it interesting that Paul, in both cases, speaks as if these actions and character traits are ours to produce. We can allow the bad list, verses 5-8, to be in our lives or we can clothe ourselves with the Godly virtues listed in verses 12-14. The choices and the resulting fruit of those choices are ours to make and exhibit.

We can choose to put to death those things that belong to our earthly nature, and we can rid ourselves of the rest of the list. Paul is writing to the Colossians encouraging them to do so, which means that for some of those early Christians, they had not yet done so. They were saved and following Christ, yet there was residue of their previous lives as unsaved people pursuing whatever they wanted. Paul calls them to a life of imitating Christ, for none of these are found in Him.

There are those that think salvation is enough, and then that they can go on living life like the rest of the world, and that is not the case. To be Christian, we are called to be like Christ. We are called to dispose of those things that are not like Him, and take up those that are like Him. This is the part of working out our salvation that is our choice. We are given grace and power to change our lives, but the choice to change must be made by us. The outer parts of our lives, our words, actions and thoughts must be brought into alignment with the inner spiritual reality of our new life in Christ. We are responsible for our actions, our words and our thoughts. This is part of free will, we can choose salvation and we can choose how we will behave.

The good news is that if we are called to be like Christ, the help is there to do so. The Lord does not call us to an impossible task, but will rather show us the way as we embrace relationship with Him. That too is part of the requirement for all Christians, relationship with the Lord. We can't become like Him, if we don't know Him. We must know His words, but also His heart and character, and this is best accomplished through daily interaction. The amazing thing is that we are not interacting with a historical figure, but with the Lord who is alive and with us daily. He is completely aware of our world, our circumstances, our struggles and our weakness and because of this He is uniquely positioned to help us. He will guide us to the right decisions, but we must make those decisions. He will show us the right choice, but we must choose. He is like the ultimate life coach, for He will never forsake us, give up on us or get tired of us. If we make the wrong choice, He will not walk away, but will be there to help us with the next choice.

The second list of characteristics is exactly what I experience from the Lord in my relationship with Him. He is compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving and loving. He is never angry, rude, overpowering, harsh, sharp, condemning, hateful, or judgmental. Any time I turn to Him, He is welcoming and present, ready to help, ready to encourage, and ready to show me the best path forward. There are many times that I don't bother to listen, or flat out choose to do the opposite, but He never changes His reaction to me. His mercies are truly new every morning, and even every minute. I have the opportunity to be like Him, and it is my choice whether I am, or not. Personally, I choose to try my best to be like Him every day, constantly ridding myself of anything that is not of Him, and choosing to clothe myself in those characteristics and heart attitudes that are like Him.

Ultimately, He desires that we unite ourselves to Him, so that the world might see Him in and through us. This is the best path, the one that will bear the most fruit and bring about the Kingdom realities here on earth. So let us be encouraged to choose today to live in union with Him, and show the world what the Lord is really like. We have the choice, let us choose wisely. Let us choose to live like Him.

# 2014 - December

## Ambassadors of Relationship - 2014-12-03 06:34

This morning I am reading from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians 5:18-21 NIV:

[18] "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [19] that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

I was thinking about this simple message that we are called to proclaim, that God wants people in relationship with Him. He wants us to be reconciled to Him, in other words restored to relationship and favor. He has made the way possible in Christ Jesus, and now calls us as ambassadors, those that are called and sent to represent this message to all we meet. That is it, that is the simple message of the Gospel - God loves you and wants a relationship with you and has removed any barrier that might exist between you and Him.

As ambassadors we are His official representative s. Here is the definition of ambassador to help us understand the significance of this role:

1 : an official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment

2 a : an authorized representative or messenger

We are God's official representative's whose message is reconciliation. Our message is not the rules or judgments, but rather reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins. We are called to invite the people we meet to be reconciled to God our Father.

It is interesting in the Greek the word is Presbeuo, and its first definition is someone who is older by birth, which is exactly the case for all of us. We have received our new birth in Christ, and now invite others into the same family, as an elder sibling. Paul uses the analogy of adoption in Romans 8:15,23, Ephesians 1:5, and Galatians 4:5 and in so doing is relating to this concept of being joined to a family. We are called to be ministers of reconciliation and adoption, inviting people to join this family, to enter into relationship with God the Father, who loves them. We speak with authority based on our experience as someone who has already experienced this reconciliation. Our official authorization is that - that we are already His adopted sons and daughters.

So let us be conscious of those around us who may not know the invitation exists from our Father. Let us be His ambassadors of the same message we received and believed, that He loves us and wants a relationship with us, and has made a way for us in Christ Jesus. He wants to adopt us all!

## A Gospel of Love and Salvation - 2014-12-04 06:27

Last evening I was reading from one of the early apostolic fathers, a text titled the Epistle to Diognetus. This was written in the between 150-225AD and was written to a Greek individual explaining the Gospel and Christians. It is very interesting reading for you get a bit more insight into the early church and what they understood the Gospel message to be. Here is a quote from the 7th chapter, verses 3-5.

He is speaking of Jesus being sent by the Father God. ..."But perhaps he sent him, as a man might suppose, to rule by tyranny, fear and terror? Certainly not! On the contrary, he sent him in gentleness and meekness, as a king might send his son who is a king; he sent him as God; he sent him as a man to men. When he sent him, he did so as one who saves by persuasion, not compulsion, for compulsion is no attribute of God. When he sent him, he did so as one calling, not pursuing; when he sent him, he did so as one loving, not judging."

These verses present Jesus as I understand Him and know Him. He does not rule and command based on fear or punishment, but rather through kindness, gentleness, persuasion, mercy and love. Sometimes I fear that we have lost this version of Jesus, as we preach holiness and purity which too often turns into religion, works and judgment. As bearers of the truth, we can slip into pride and proclaim judgment upon all who don't understand or embrace the truth that we know. The gospel should not instill fear, nor be forcefully extended, but rather be spread in love, gentleness and persuasion through our lives and love for one another. The church must not take on character traits that are not seen in Jesus.

The other day I was reflecting on becoming more Christ-like, and I was reminded of the WWJD bracelets, which were in fad several years ago. They ask a good question, "What would Jesus do?". While this is helpful in guiding our attitudes and behaviors, we are all called to represent Jesus as He is in the present. We can use historical knowledge of Christ to guide us, but He is alive and at work today, and desires to use us as His representatives. Might we better ask ourselves, "What does Jesus want to do right now?"

It is my belief that if we pursue Christ Jesus in this present moment and ask Him to guide us in action and attitude, that we will faithfully represent Him to our world. If we allow His voice to be heard in our life and we embrace His heart for the people around us, we will operate out of the same characteristics as He did - love, compassion, gentleness, kindness, mercy, grace, persuading and inviting.

Let us pray for the church to embrace and live out this Gospel of love and salvation. "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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17 NIV). "This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." ( 1 John 4:17-19 NIV).

Amen!

## Our Sanctification, His Glorification! - 2014-12-06 20:59

This evening I am reading from Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians. The verses I am focused on are as follows - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NIV:

[11] "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. [12] We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

As I read these verses I am reminded of the teaching of St. Alphonsus De Liguori, a Catholic saint and teacher, called a doctor of the church because of his understanding and teaching of theology. He said that in all things God has two purposes. First, that all things if rightly understood and applied lead to our greater sanctification. Secondly, all things lead to the greater glorification of God. Our sanctification and His glorification. That is basically what Paul is saying here.

I like the fact that God is at work in my life, using His power to bring about my fruitfulness, encouraging me to goodness and faith. He desires my following after Him, and He doesn't just wait for me to accomplish this, but lends me a hand through His power present in my life. Again this strikes a similar theme, for His power present in my life is the Holy Spirit. He is present in me, helping me, encouraging me, working to help me desire goodness and faith-filled living.

He desires that His name would be glorified through our lives. That is actually a bit scary that He would actually let His name be associated with us. No matter how poorly we might represent Him, He has chosen this path and chooses to work in and through us as His primary representatives to the world. He does not leave us in our human weakness though, for He knows full well our human condition. He instead sends us Himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit , to live in each of us. That is just so amazing to me!

Paul knows that God is fully capable of doing exactly what he writes here, for God has done this very thing in his own life. Paul experienced the complete transformation of his life through the working of the power of God in his life. Paul experienced the miraculous, the amazing and the sovereignty of God at work in his own life. He was so transformed and affected by God's touch that he lived his life to glorify the name of Jesus. He was daily aided in this by the Holy Spirit working in and through him.

I am encouraged to ask the Lord for this same help and encouragement in my life. I need You to work in my life, through your power Lord. I want and need Your help to hear fruit through every good deed and act of faith. I want to bring You Glory Lord, that people might rightly ascribe glory to Your name. As I embrace You Lord, I will become more like You - sanctified.

Amen!

## A Kingdom of Power - 2014-12-07 07:31

This morning I have been reflecting on the subject of power as it pertains to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I was doing some context research and ran across two related sets of verses in Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. They are as follows -

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 NIV:

[3] "I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."

1 Corinthians 4:19-20 NIV:

[19] "But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. [20] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."

In these two verses Paul gives his reasoning for the need for the Power of God to be present in our ministry. Paul was a schooled Pharisee and could have expounded for months on the scriptures and the laws, and the related teachings that had been derived from the Law. Instead he chose to come to the people in Corinth in "weakness with great fear and trembling". Rather than using his persuasive words and fine sounding speech, he instead leaned into the Holy Spirit and allowed the Spirit to work through him. He didn't want people to rely on or put their faith in what he said, but rather in the demonstrated power of God.

In fact, Paul goes so far to say that it is the power of the Holy Spirit evident in one's ministry that is proof of their participation in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is one of power, not mere talk! Imagine if we went to church today and rather than a fine sounding sermon the pastor just demonstrated the power of God being present to heal, by ministering healing to all who needed it. Would anyone walk away from that service unaware of the reality of the Kingdom of God? They might have internal arguments about whether what they saw was real, but they would be confronted by a new or different reality than what they were used to seeing. Anyone can talk, but it is God who proves what He is saying with power!

That is why it is so important that we press into the Lord and ask Him to pour forth His Holy Spirit upon us that we might be faithful witnesses to His power and majesty. As He said to the disciples in Acts 1:4-5, 8 NIV:

[4]..."Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit....[8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

It was only after the power of the Holy Spirit was released to the church that Jesus released them to ministry to the rest to the world. It was this indwelling power from God that enabled them to accomplish that which was impossible for them to do otherwise. They could have used persuasive words and told stories about Jesus, but it was the reality of the power of God that convinced them of Jesus' divinity and resurrection. Paul never lost sight of this critical foundation of the church and the Kingdom of God, and it would behoove us to maintain the same perspective.

Let us pray that the Lord would pour forth once again the Holy Spirit in such a way that His power is manifest in our lives and we become His witnesses unto the ends of the earth.

Amen!

## The Importance of Signs & Wonders - 2014-12-10 07:18

This morning I am reading from John 4:46-53 NIV:

[46] "Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. [47] When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

[48] "Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

[49] The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

[50] "Go," Jesus replied, "your son will live."

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. [51] While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. [52] When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him." [53] Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and his whole household believed."

I have been thinking much about the role of the Holy Spirit and how His power affects us, and is so essential to growing in faith and belief. He is a great example of how healing affected the beliefs of an entire family. When one gets healed by the Lord, the whole family is affected.

Secondly, in the past I have read Jesus' response to the man in verse 48, as a mild rebuke. Today I didn't get that impression, rather it seemed to me that Jesus was stating a simple fact. That which differentiated Jesus was exactly the fact that He worked signs and miracles, healings and deliverances. He was not a speaker of the word only, but demonstrated His authority and the reality of the Kingdom through signs and wonders.

He was speaking to a people who knew about God, they were Jews who had a familiarity with the Old Testament prophets and books. They knew about God, but they needed to be convinced that Jesus was who He said He was, and that was generally accomplished through the working of signs, wonders and miracles. Earlier in this chapter Jesus met the Samaritan women at the well and told her everything she had ever done (her words - In 4:39). This prophetic insight into her life was every bit as much of a sign as healing or deliverance. Again, many people believed in Jesus just on the strength of her testimony.

Jesus is simply stating the fact that they, as a people needed signs and wonders to be convinced that His words were true. In much the same way, I believe we all have this same need. Many of us have never seen God work in power and might. Many have not seen a healing or a miracle, and this is partly due to the fact that the church has for many years deemphasized this whole area, because it wasn't something they saw with regularity. Rather than pursuing the Lord for breakthrough in this area, they came up with theology to explain away the lack of signs and wonders. In America we are seeing a significant decline in the church and belief in general, and this is partly due to the fact that people are not convinced by words only approach.

I believe we must see again the signs and wonders, healing and miracles that the Lord desires to do. We must be able to show the world the truth of our beliefs, and that is best demonstrated by these types of actions, things that cannot be accomplished in any other way. I have been blessed to see several miracles ad healings first hand, and because of them, I can never doubt the reality of God. So my encouragement this day is to continue to press into the Lord, a asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to open the way for healing, signs and wonders. Come Lord Jesus and demonstrate Your Sovereignty and Authority over all disease, sickness and deformity.

Amen Lord!

## Doing What The Father IS Doing! - 2014-12-11 07:10

This morning I am continuing my reading from the Gospel of John. The verses that I am meditating on today are as follows - John 5:19-21 NIV:

[19] "Jesus gave them this answer: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. [20] For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. [21] For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it."

I find this an interesting description of how Jesus does the signs, wonders and healings. He basically just follows what the Father is doing. A while back I was thinking about the present activity of the Lord, and that we should be asking ourselves "what is Jesus doing?" Jesus describes the same exact perspective, one of looking to the Father and doing what He IS doing. He said it was because the Father loved Him that He showed Jesus what He was doing. So, the key point is that their intimate relationship was the impetus to Jesus ministry. He was so aware of the Father, so understood His heart, heard Him and saw Him so well, that He was able to follow the Father's lead.

The situation is exactly the same for us. It is our relationship with the Lord, our intimacy with Him that will lead us down paths of obedience that will result in healings, signs, wonders, etc. We need to ask the Lord to show us what He is doing, so that we can do the same thing. If the Lord invites us to this place, we must believe that He will lead us, guide us, and teach us how to see, hear and understand what He IS doing. We have received the Holy Spirit who will do exactly that - lead, guide and teach.

So let us press into the Lord, into relationship with Him, that we might come to understand what He is doing, and join Him in that very activity. He will "show us even greater works than these" (John 5:20b), so that we will all be amazed and give glory to Him! This is an awesome promise and one that Jesus extended to us in John 14:12-13 NIV: "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Amen Lord, help us to see what You are doing!

## The Folly of Impatience - 2014-12-12 06:52

This morning I am continuing my reading from John's Gospel. The following verses have caught my attention this morning:

John 6:14-21 NIV:

[14] "After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." [15] Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

[16] When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, [17] where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. [18] A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. [19] When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. [20] But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." [21] Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading."

So my first thought on reading these verses was 'what were the disciples thinking, leaving Jesus and heading by boat to the other side?' I mean, really? Jesus goes up on the mountain, evening comes and they decide since Jesus hasn't come back down, let's get in a boat and ditch him? That is essentially what they did! No wonder they were frightened when they saw Him walking on the water towards them. I wonder if they didn't think they were in big trouble?

It is interesting that John was one of the guys in the boat and writing this story. He adds a very telling note in verse 21, that it was only after Jesus spoke to them that they were "willing" to let Him into the boat. In other words, prior to that moment they had been considering the alternative.

There are times that I get the strong impression that the Apostles were totally confused much of the time, and when Jesus isn't there to guide them, they totally fall off the path. This is one of those times. They apparently make bad decision after bad decision, until Jesus speaks and they come to their senses. I think it is actually pretty funny, and appreciate the humanness of them all. It helps me relate to them.

Actually as I meditate on this story, I would say this is the state I find myself in fairly regularly. I don't wait for the Lord. I make a bad decision, followed by a series of bad decisions, and find myself struggling trying to move forward. If I sense the Lord's presence I am afraid because I also know I didn't wait for His presence to guide me, or His will to become clear. Instead, in my humanness, I feel I can't wait another minute and make a decision, just so I can get moving. It might be that my circumstances are getting darker, the wind is blowing and I am not feeling comfortable, and these are my excuses. Or maybe I feel I need to be somewhere else, and I have been waiting too long on the Lord to move, so I just decide to head out. I have lots of excuses, but the result is generally the same - struggle and failure.

I am encouraged this morning that waiting on the Lord is the only thing to do in these situations. When He got in the boat, the winds calmed and immediately they were transported to their destination. They spent hours and tons of effort rowing those three or four miles. If they had waited for Jesus to come, their trip would have been effortless and immediate.

Oh Lord, help me to wait on You, no matter how dark my circumstances. You have the plan and the power to see my purpose fulfilled, and waiting for You to bring revelation is the best thing I can do at this moment. The good news is that You weren't angry with them, and You aren't angry with me if You find me somewhere struggling to move forward, having not waited for You. You will bring about Your plan and purpose, all I need to do is welcome back into my life and my decisions. It truly is folly to be impatient with You Lord.

That is good news Lord! Thank You!

## Presenting Jesus Effectively - 2014-12-13 10:36

This morning I am reading from John 9:24-38 NIV:

[24] "A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."

[25] He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

[26] Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

[27] He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?"

[28] Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! [29] We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."

[30] The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. [32] Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

[34] To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

[35] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

[36] "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

[37] Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

[38] Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him."

This story is remarkable for a couple of reasons. First, it is only at the very end that his man finds out who Jesus is, and actually experiences salvation. Prior to Jesus finding him again, he only knew he had received his sight and could only imagine that the person whom had healed him was from God. Jesus hadn't said that specifically and the man was just trying to understand how he had been healed. In spite of all the questioning and all the harassment that was heaped upon him, he refused to believe anything differently about the one who healed him.

Second, Jesus wasn't real worried about any proclamation of the Gospel, the healing was enough. The man was already convinced by his physical healing, and he just needed to know who Jesus was, and after being introduced the belief and worship was immediate.

To me this story underscores the importance of healing, signs, wonders and miracles in the spreading the Gospel. There is no better demonstration of the love of God than having one's life deeply impacted by experience. There was no amount of arguing that was going to convince the man who was healed that anyone other than God had healed him. That was the only possible explanation!

I pray for the renewed outpouring of the Spirit of God upon the church, that we would once again minister regularly with healing, miracles, signs and wonders. The world needs to see and understand that God loves all men and women, and is alive and touching lives. The church is meant to (re)present the Lord to the world, and when He walked the earth, this was how he ministered, how can we think to present Him in any other way? Come Lord and help us!

## Miracles and Repentance - 2014-12-14 08:32

I was reading in Matthew's Gospel this morning and came across this interesting set of verses concerning signs and wonders. Here are the verses - Matthew 11:20-24 NIV:

[20] "Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. [21] "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [22] But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you. [23] And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. [24] But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you."

Jesus points to the signs and wonders and miracles as the catalysts for repentance. They are meant to cause us to view ourselves against the reality of God, and His Kingdom of love. The right reaction to these miracles is repentance and salvation. The miracles that Jesus performed were an indication that He came from the Father, and proof that He was who He said He was. I am reminded of His statement in John 14:10-13 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

I again go back to the question of how we could think to (re)present Jesus to the world in any other way than He presented Himself. He came from the Father, and proved it through the signs and wonders that He accomplished. While good teaching and preaching is beneficial, it is supposed to be the signs and wonders that are the proof that what we say is true. In the same way as described by Jesus in the verses from Matthew, miracles are meant to draw people back to the Lord and cause them to change the mind and actions (repentance).

So let us not shy away from these signs and wonders, miracles and healings, rather let us press into the Lord for that which is our inheritance. We are meant to be His witnesses to the world, so let us press into the fullness of all the Lord wants us to experience in Him, that we might bear appropriate witness to Him. When we bear witness to Him, to His Glory, to His Kingdom, people will be drawn and will return to Him.

Amen Lord, we wait for You to reveal Yourself in power.

## Inclusion and Revelation - 2014-12-18 06:37

This morning I am reading out of Peter's first letter. He wrote the letter to the Christians scattered throughout what is now modern day Turkey. These were, by and large, people who believed the Gospel but had never seen Jesus, people who were converts from paganism. They were likely not of Jewish decent, and that is significant as it regards the passages I am thinking about this morning.

1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV:

[9] "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

The first line is very significant for these were previously only terms that God used for the Jews, sons and daughters of Abraham. They were the chosen people, the holy nation, and God's special possession, meant to be a nation of priests. Here Peter is extending these very same titles to all Christians, and in this case former pagans. This is also echoed by Paul in his letter to the Colossians 3:12. This verse describes the reality of the in grafting that Paul speaks about in Romans 11. We have been included into the promises that God made to Abraham and his descendants. This really is good news, for the Lord demonstrated over and over again His affection and love and faithfulness to His people.

This inclusion of the gentiles and pagan converts is also one of things that was hidden by God, only to be revealed to the Church, and the Apostles (Eph 3:4-6). In Acts 10, Peter is directed by the Lord to go to Cornelius's house, and while He is preaching the Gospel, the Holy Spirit falls on all the people gathered there, all of whom were gentiles. This was amazing to Peter and his companions, and was so controversial that they had to defend their actions in front of the believers in Jerusalem (Acts 11). According to some timelines of the Book of Acts, this occurred fully 10 years after Pentecost. In 10 years the church had only included Jewish believers. In 10 years they thought they had a developed a pretty clear sense of what God was saying and doing in their midst, and then POW! The Holy Spirit descends on gentiles! This really was am surprise to them all and that one event opened the door to the rest of the world for the Gospel to be proclaimed. Praise God!

Again, I am amazed at how the Apostles and who heard Jesus' commissioning, described in Matthew 28, could have misunderstood or forgotten His words. Here are the verses - Matthew 28:18-20 NIV: "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The simple reality is that sometimes what the Lord speaks and what we hear is different. We can only understand something within the context of what we have already learned or understood. In the defense of the Apostles, Jesus had made it clear several times that He was sent to the Jews, most notably in Matt 15:24 where He said He was sent only for the lost sheep of Israel, when asked by a Cannanite woman to heal her daughter. In Matthew 10:5, Jesus specifically told the Apostles, "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans." It was through this paradigm that they understood Jesus' command. They likely believed that they were called to Jews scattered in every nation, not literally all nations.

Anyway, this morning I am encouraged in two ways. First, to express my gratitude in being included in with the Jewish people in all the promises of God. It is wonderful to know that I am part of His chosen people, the people He has a set apart. Second, I am encouraged to look back on some of things I have heard the Lord say in the past. I believe that with my increased experience and knowledge of the Lord, I might understand things differently than I did before. I want to know and experience the fullness of all the Lord has planned for me, and purposed for me, and I want to make sure that I am not being limited by old paradigms. Lord, I pray that You would bring about revelation of anything I have missed or misunderstood in my past. I am so grateful that the Lord extends mercy to us all daily.

## Living Triumphantly - 2014-12-19 04:15

This morning I am meditating on a few verses from Paul's letter to the Colossians 1:9-14 NIV:

[9] "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, [10] so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, [12] and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. [13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

First, let me say that I like Paul, because he writes these long, complex sentences, which is the way I write if I just start allowing my thoughts to flow. It's nice to know that we don't have to be perfect writers to convey the Gospel. Second, my apologies for the lack of logical flow to my flow of thought, as I often follow a train of thought and don't end up writing what I was thinking about in the first place. Oh well.

So as I start to deconstruct Paul's massive sentence, there are five main things he is praying for the Colossians to possess or experience through the Holy Spirit:

1. Knowledge of His will through the wisdom and knowledge the Holy Spirit brings

2. Bearing fruit in every good work (because they know His will)

3. Growing in Knowledge of Him

4. Being strengthened with power to help them endure and be patient

5. Giving joyful thanks

What a great list of things to pray for each other! He sure knows how to pack a bunch of good stuff into a single sentence. I was just thinking how this reads like a quick study on how to live triumphant lives, and what to pray for daily. As I look more closely at these things I am aware of how essential these are for all of us. We need to understand His will. Obedience is only possible if we understand His will. The good news is that He provides us the guide we need, in the person of the Holy Spirit. He is the very Spirit of God teaching us about His will. It is like your !math teacher is also your tutor. The very one who is asking us to follow His will is helping us to understand what that will is and giving us assistance in following it.

When we know His will we are able to bear much good fruit, and bring Him pleasure. That is an amazing statement Paul makes, that we can please Him (the Lord) in every way (verse 10). I mean, think about the fact that our obedience, knowing His will and doing it, bearing fruit or accomplishing the things He wants for us, pleases Him. Obedience doesn't deflect His wrath, it PLEASES Him. That is completely different than what is too often preached. God is not some sort of bi-polar individual who, if we do what He asks showers us with gifts, but if we don't beats the tar out of us. He is a loving, merciful, compassionate God. He is revealed by Jesus as a loving Father, not an angry punishing Father. Our lives should be lived to please God because He loves us, not lived trying to escape His wrath. Which type of Father would you prefer to be in relationship with?

Growing in knowledge of Him means that we are better able to understand His heart and motives. Paul isn't speaking about head knowledge here, but rather intimate knowledge. The Greek word used is Epignosis and while it means precise knowledge, the roots for this word also are used to mean sexual intimacy. Paul is encouraging us to come to know God, as another person. We can get to know God. We can learn to understand His heart, His desires, the way He thinks, the way He acts, just as we can learn about anyone else. This is best accomplished through time in prayer, time alone with Him, just like anyone else.

We all need strength and power, and the Lord does provide exactly what we need. Paul is clearly speaking about strength and power in our inner man, not our physical bodies (although I certainly wouldn't mind that either). The simple reality is that as Christians we are supposed to have lives that are different than those who do not have God. The world is a foreign place for us, and we need strength and power to stand our ground, to hold onto His truth, and live our lives as a witness to our beliefs. God knows our human weakness, for He became fully man, and He has incredible patience and mercy for all of us. That being said, He would rather have us victorious rather than barely holding on, which is why He strengthens us with power. He wants us to be able to endure hardship, should we face it, and still bear His light.

Finally, having grateful hearts is so attractive and so healthy. We have so much to be thankful for, and when our perspective is gratitude, we are always looking at the positive realities, rather than the negative possibilities. We are called to revel in victory rather than worry about defeat. His salvation and redemption is available to us all, and for this alone we should never stop thanking Him. He blesses us abundantly, daily, and He is always pouring forth more. If we can grasp how good God is, we can live our lives from a fully different place, and with a completely different attitude. He writes about joyful thanksgiving, and that is truly the right heart and attitude the Lord invites us to demonstrate to the world.

In summary, I really need all these things in my life! Oh Lord, fill me up. We all need these things so let us pray for each other and ask the Lord to pour out His graces and blessings abundantly. Let us pursue this example of triumphant living.

## Blessing and Thanksgiving - 2014-12-20 09:23

This morning I felt like reading from the Prophet Malachi 3:6-12 NIV:

[6] "I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. [7] Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty.

"But you ask, 'How are we to return?'

[8] "Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.

"But you ask, 'How are we robbing you?'

"In tithes and offerings. [9] You are under a curse---your whole nation---because you are robbing me. [10] Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. [11] I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe, " says the Lord Almighty. [12] "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty."

So first let me say this is not some give money or else preachy perspective. My focus in these verses is the goodness of God. We are not under the requirements of the Law any more, as Jesus fulfilled every requirement and initiated a New Covenant, which was established by His blood. Our primary command in this new covenant is to Love God and each other, which is not really that different than the Old Covenant. The real difference is that the New Covenant is concerned with individual relationship with God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant is relationship based, not works based. Our righteousness is established through relationship with Jesus, not through our own works. Thus, the requirements of works no longer apply as laws, rather the requirement is relationship.

That being said, we can still learn about the character of God in these verses from Malachi. The very first line, while it could be read as a threat, is actually a statement of His unchanging nature and mercy. God does not change, and that is the reason they are not destroyed. In other words, He would have to change His character to destroy His chosen people! Stop and think about that for a moment.

Instead, God desires relationship, for the invitation is to return to Him with affection, worship and attention, which sounds an awfully lot like relationship. He does not destroy them, but their actions do limit the level of blessing they experience, as they are not enjoying the benefits of relationship with Him. That is the cause of their malaise and unfruitfulness, the blessing of God is not being fully realized by their own choice. We do have free will, and God does honor our choices. If we want to go it alone, refusing His help, He will let us, even though He knows the results will not be pretty.

I am reminded of some verses in Jeremiah 17:5-6 NIV: "This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. [6] That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives."

Back to the verses from Malachi - God's revelation of His character is always true, and for that reason His statement in verse 10 is true for all of us, whether under the old or new covenant. If we believe God's statements about His desire to bring blessing and provision, and we return thanks to Him, in the form of tithes, for all that He has given us already, He will bless us! Period! Tithing is about thankfulness and the recognition that all we have comes from God. His heart is to bless us and provide for us, and He responds to our recognition of that fact with more blessing and provision. This is one of the crazy good realities of the character of God. He loves to bless and pour forth abundant provision, that is His character! In fact, He wants the whole world to see that this is His character, through us (verse 12).

So in this season of giving, let us not forget about giving thanks! Let us thank God for His abundant blessing and provision! Let us turn to Him and trust in Him, as He has revealed Himself. Let us pursue Him in relationship! I am reminded of the promise in Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. [8] They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Amen Lord!

## Hunger, Compassion and Action - 2014-12-21 09:35

This morning I am reading from Mark 8:1-9a NIV:

[1]"During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, [2] "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. [3] If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

[4] His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

[5] "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.

"Seven," they replied.

[6] He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. [7] They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. [8] The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [9] About four thousand were present..."

As I read this story this morning the first thing that hit my mind was the amazing ability the Lord has to turn very little into blessing for many! He is not worried about a small number of anything, for His touch, when empowered by the Holy Spirit, brings multiplication.

My second thought was that it was compassion for the hunger of people that was the impetus of the miracle. The people had been with Jesus for three days, experiencing His teaching, and just being in His presence. They apparently had brought enough food with them for a few days, but by the third day their own resources had run out. In spite of their lack of physical food they stayed with Him for they were hungry for the Word of God. He saw both hungers and was moved by what He saw. The Lord cares about our physical needs as well as our spiritual needs, and our hunger causes Him to respond out of compassion.

As I was just thinking about this, I thought in some ways this was similar to the miracles of manna and quail in the desert, where the Lord fed His people miraculously. He is not going to allow us to starve, nor even go hungry, if we turn to Him and wait on Him. He is faithful, merciful and compassionate, and to act any different would go against His character, as He has revealed it to us. One thing you can bet on is the unchanging nature and character of God. Our hunger, as a result of our following Him and longing for more, is basically His responsibility.

Looking back at the story of the nation of Israel being lead out into the wilderness by God, He promised to care for them, to take responsibility for their survival, and to feed them. Their hunger was His responsibility to fill, for they were there because of His leading. The shepherd and sheep analogy is very poignant here, for a shepherd has a responsibility to feed his sheep. They follow him where he leads them, and their food is his responsibility. Jesus is our Good Shepherd (John 10:14) and is, thus, responsible to feed us and care for us.

Finally, He gave thanks for the seven loaves and few small fish. He didn't look to Heaven and blame the Father for the lack, but rather looked to the Father and thanked Him that they had anything at all. His thanks to the Father was the key that unlocked the provision of Heaven, and threw open the gates of Heaven's provision. The Lord loves thanksgiving and gratitude and really doesn't like complaining, grumbling and ungratefulness. As we learn to give thanks for that which the Lord has provided us, He will continue to pour forth blessing and provision.

So I am encouraged today to give thanks for everything that I have, even the smallest beginnings, for the Lord can bless anything with multiplication. I should learn to welcome my hunger as He leads me, for it is attractive to Him and causes His Spirit to rise up and fill me. He takes my hunger very seriously for He is my Good Shepherd.

In closing, I am reminded of these verses from Luke 11:9-13 NIV: "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

[11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Amen!

## Building The Body Individually - 2014-12-23 06:56

This morning I am reading from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians 14:26-33 NIV:

[26] "What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these* must be done so that the church may be built up. [27] If anyone speaks in a tongue, two---or at the most three---should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. [28] If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

[29] Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. [30] And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. [31] For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. [32] The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. [33] For God is not a God of disorder but of peace---as in all the congregations of the Lord's people."

* from 1984 translation.

I find these verses so interesting, especially if we compare them to how most churches work. In most churches there is a select individual, or maybe just a few who are ever allowed to speak. Yet the specific direction of Paul here is that everyone (each one) has something to share, and all of them "must be done so that the church may be built up". Wow! Do you get that significant paradigm difference, and what it is supposed to bring about - namely the building up of the church?!

The simple reality is that the church is made up of many members, and for it to be built up, each of those members must be strengthened individually. How can we be strengthened if we never have the chance to exercise the gifts in us? It takes exercise to strengthen and grow. It is time that the church wakes up and realizes that the church is made up of individuals, each with gifts and talents that the greater Body of Christ needs to be healthy and strong. We don't just need strong pastors and ministry leaders, but everyone, individually strong and growing. I pray that this understanding would permeate the Body of Christ. The Lord called each of us for a reason, and no one is insignificant! We need every sister and every brother strong and encouraged and walking in the fullness of their gifts, working together to build up the Body of Christ.

I know this would be messy and would require active pastoring and mentoring and that is exactly how the Body of Christ is supposed to work. Discipleship is exactly that, at an individual level. We need to have individual connectedness, individual relationships of trust and encouragement. The Body of Christ is made up of many members, each connected to the rest by relationships. Here is what Paul said earlier about the Body - 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV:

[12] "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

[15] Now if the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. [16] And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. [17] If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? [18] But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. [19] If they were all one part, where would the body be? [20] As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

[21] The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" [22] On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, [23] and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, [24] while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, [25] so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. [26] If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

[27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

Amen! Let us pray that the Lord bring revelation and a paradigm shift to the Body of Christ that we might learn to value every individual for their uniqueness, their gifting and their purpose, not just their tithe and membership. Let us pray that the every member of the Body of Christ would be given the opportunity to learn about and exercise their gifts, taking their place in the Body. It is in this way that the Body will be built up and strengthened.

## Training and Transformation by the Holy Spirit \- 2014-12-24 07:10

This morning I am reading from 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NIV:

[4] "Such confidence we have through Christ before God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [6] He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant---not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Here is another interesting verse from 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NIV:

[17] "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

So clearly the theme of my morning meditations continues around the Holy Spirit. In these few Verses, Paul introduces some of the roles of the Spirit. In the first set of verses he talks about how God has made him competent as a minister of the new covenant, of the Spirit. This actually is a very interesting word play, for we often say it is the spirit of the agreement that is important, meaning the intentionality. In this case that would be partially true, for the intentions of the new covenant are essential and a key component of the Gospel. In this case however, we are talking about an individual, hence the capitalization of the word. The Holy Spirit is the giver of life, and represents perfectly the intentionality of the new covenant and is the one who makes Paul competent as a minister of it. So the Holy Spirit really is the Spirit of the new covenant.

A few days ago I used the analogy of a tutor/teacher, here again it fits nicely. The Holy Spirit is Paul's trainer in establishing his competence. It is not Paul's study of the letter, but his training by the Holy Spirit that makes him competent. The good news for us all is that we have the same teacher. We can all become competent ministers of the new covenant. I know that is certainly my prayer.

The second set of verses speaks of the Holy Spirit bringing freedom and causing us to be transformed into His image by the glory of the Lord. What an awesome deal - the Holy Spirit comes and sets us free, brings us into the Kingdom of God, and then causes us to become like Christ as we mediate on His glory. He sets us free from the letter, bringing us life instead, life filled with freedom. As we meditate and contemplate on this glorious reality, and on the glory of Jesus, the Holy Spirit transforms us. The Greek word Paul uses is Metamorpho, which literally means being transformed into another form. This same word was used when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain top. We are not meant to just be nicer people, but to be changed into new people who reflect God's Glory here on earth. Paul says that we ARE being transformed, clearly indicating this happens here, and not just in eternity.

Oh Lord, I pray that these realities would be affected in my life. I want to be trained to be a competent minister of the new covenant! I was to be transformed by Your Glory, so that I might reflect Your Glory here on earth! I want to be transformed, becoming a new man! I want to experience freedom and life, for You bring both, Holy Spirit. I am so thankful for Your constant work in my life, making me more like You.

## Christmas: Immanuel and Incarnation - 2014-12-25 07:03

So as I was thinking about today being Christmas, two words popped into my head, Immanuel and Incarnation. They are both defined by the coming of Jesus that we celebrate today. Immanuel means "God with us" and comes from this prophetic message from Isaiah 7:14 NIV: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." The absolute literal translation of that name is "with us is God". That is an astounding truth, and one that is true today and every day since His birth. Jesus is the very Son of God present here on earth.

Incarnation means " the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form : the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ" Webster's dictionary. We celebrate the fact that Jesus, the very Son of God, came to earth and became just like us, flesh and blood, a man born of a woman. We celebrate the fact the He was fully God and fully man. In doing so, Jesus was able to take our place under the law, and fulfill all of its requirements. It is because He was fully man, that we are able celebrate salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. Paul writes of this in his letter to the Philippians 2:5b-11:

[5]..."Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross! [9] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews also writes about Jesus becoming fully human - Hebrews 2:17 NIV: "For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

We also celebrate the fact that Jesus was fully God, for now He sits in Heaven making intercession for us at the throne of God (Rom 8:34), and ultimately is the King over all (1 Cor. 15:24-27). He is our God, and yet He knows our state, our humanness, and has compassion for us all.

It truly is right to celebrate Jesus coming to earth. He is Immanuel. He is the incarnation of God! The best part is that this is not a historical event that we celebrate but rather the present reality, for Christ is alive and in our midst today! He is and will always be fully God and fully man!

Amen!

## Living to Bring Him Glory - 2014-12-26 08:00

This morning I felt like reading from 1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV:

[7] "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. [8] Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. [9] Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10] Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. [11] If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

So just a few comments on these verses. First, Peter wrote this letter most likely in the early 60's, shortly before his death. His perspective about the end of all things being near was very accurate for himself. Also it was only a few years later that the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, and specifically the temple, so for the Jewish believer this was also quite true, as the end of the Temple and Jewish worship there and even the church in Jerusalem was soon to be seen. That being said, it is also a good perspective to have in our own lives that we don't know our own timelines, and thus we should live with an expectation that our days could end soon, making the most of each day.

Second, the two primary things he calls the church to are prayer and loving one another deeply. I think that would be such a good thing if we could say of any church that they are a praying church and they love each other deeply! We are supposed to be known for our love for each other (John 13:35). Prayer is communication with God, so the combination of the two, communicating with God in intimate relationships, and loving each other deeply through strong relationships, speaks of a very relational church.

Third, Peter encourages them to use their gifts that they have received to serve one another. This is clearly speaking of the Spiritual giftings of the church, for he speaks of God's grace (gifts of unmerited favor) in its various forms. I think we can also include into this our natural gifts and blessings, for all come equally from the Lord, who is our provider. The call to serve one another without grumbling is really a direction to do away with selfishness. Why do we grumble, chiefly because we are looking at ourselves, rather than others! We are feeling deprived, neglected, shortchanged, overlooked, underpaid, etc.

Finally, we should strive to bring God glory in everything we do. We should be aware of how He wants to use us, trusting in Him to provide us direction and guidance. We should have an awareness that we are His representatives, and thus we should live our lives that way. Imagine how different our lives would be if everything we did was focused with the intent of bringing God glory.

So, I am encouraged today to be sober and alert, to pray and love deeply, to serve well and in all things to strive to bring Glory to His name. Amen Lord!

## Lord, Teach Us To Pray - 2014-12-28 10:42

This morning, I am reading from Luke 11:1-13. I had a couple of meditations on these verses back in July and was looking back over them. Here are the verses and the meditations.

[1] 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."

[2] He said to them, "When you pray, say: " 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. [3] Give us each day our daily bread. [4] Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "

[5] Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' [7] And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

[9] "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

These are such interesting verses as they relate to prayer, especially when we realize that this is Jesus teaching His followers how they should approach the Father, in prayer. Looking at His teaching on prayer with a fresh eye we see:

1. Focus on the Name of the Father, bringing Him Glory and honor, recognizing that there is no other God, and He is wholly worthy of our praise.

2. A calling forth of the Kingdom of God - one would expect this would then result in its demonstration (healing, signs & wonders, deliverance, etc.)

3. A call for blessing and provision, in a very practical sense. God is not just interested in our spiritual condition, but also our natural condition.

4. Asking for forgiveness for those wrongs we have committed in our relationship with Him, and a commitment to forgive others for those wrongs they have committed against us. "Freely you have received, so freely give." (Matt 10:8)

5. Asking Him to guide and direct us and keep us on the correct path, to protect us from the deception of the enemy, and unhealthy pursuits of the flesh and the world. The Greek word can be literally translated trial - with both a positive and negative context. The idea is either that the Lord is testing our character and His work in us, or they are specifically designed to lead us to walk away from God and His plans, and thus from the enemy, or both.

After finishing this brief teaching, it seems Jesus tells His followers to persevere in prayer, almost to the point of obnoxiousness (verses 5-8). This is where it gets interesting, for He is teaching His followers how to approach the Father. I think that sometimes we misunderstand these particular verses, because these verses are really to help us to understand the character of the Father, not teach us to persevere in asking, for He isn't anything like the friend Jesus mentions. Jesus is using the story of the friend, who won't help until you just keep banging on their door, to illustrate that the Father isn't anything like them. The real focus is the attitude we should come with when we go to the Father. The NIV translates it shameless audacity, other translations use the word persistence. I like shameless audacity, for that is how I see the Lord wants us approach Him in the confidence of knowing Him. There is no shame in recognizing and our admitting our need, nor in going to the one who can really meet my needs.

Next, the Lord goes us simple directions, ask, seek knock, depending on your particular need. He has established that the character of God is completely different than the character of man, and where a man might give us something if we ask many times, the Father will always. There's is no hesitancy, no waffling, no extensive questioning from the Father. There is no misunderstanding, no bait and switch, no shaming, no rejecting, just answering our need.

Our Father is so much more capable, so much more loving and so much more faithful than any person we have ever met, even the best earthly father. If we can received good things that we need from these types of people, who are sinful and limited at their best, how much more will our Father in Heaven, the one who created us, loves us and has a plan for us, give us exactly what we need. We don't need to be ashamed when we come to Him in our need, we don't need to fear His answer, we just need to ask, seek and knock, and He will deliver.

This is all related to the teaching on prayer, all to help us understand how to approach the Father in prayer. He loves us, and desires the best for us. Let us approach Him with shameless audacity, knowing that He is indeed that good and that faithful.

Continuing that meditation -

I had a very interesting time of insight on Luke 11, and had a bit more as I was thinking about it later, breaking the passage down and taking a different perspective about what is generally taught as the need to persevere in prayer. I am continuing on my thoughts around those verses - how I really think we have generally been focused on the wrong thing.

Luke 11:5-10 NIV

[5] "Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' [7] And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

[9] "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

So, Jesus has just finished teaching them to pray using something we call the "Lord's Prayer". To further clarify this teaching, He uses the example above. So I was thinking about why He used this specific example, and figured there must be some things that we often overlook if we always thought this next story was about persevering in prayer.

First, the assumption that Jesus makes is that you have a need. It is not a big need, but one that is based out of a desire to be hospitable. I was thinking about the fact that Jesus could have used any example of need, but chose to use this, one that is not critical, one that doesn't even involve our own needs. We wouldn't need the bread for ourselves, but for a visiting friend. However important the need, the attitude of the one asking is not even apologetic, and that is the point. There is an expectation, and understanding that this need is one that will be met, no apologies needed. It is as if this was a common need, and everyone understood that of course you would be given bread if you needed it. The timing is the only questionable thing.

Second, why would we go to any friend in the middle of the night for bread? The answer is actually pretty simple, it's because we would know that he had bread! You wouldn't be wondering if he had bread, especially if it was the middle of the night and you just keep knocking. You kept knocking because you had no doubt that this person had bread. So your attitude is simply that you won't leave until he gives you what you want, and what you know he has available. You know that he will give you as much as you need, no doubt about.

Third, Jesus calls it shameless audacity that wins you the bread. That is exactly what I just described, no shame, no apologies in asking, and an absolute certainty that the bread would be provided. This is the real focus of what Jesus is talking about - the attitude of the one in need, not the attitude of the one with the bread. In other words, Jesus is giving us direction about our attitude, as we approach the Father - and calls it shameless audacity. We could just as easily call it expectant faith.

Fourth, I was just thinking that another similar example would be sitting at the table when your father is distributing the food and you hand him your plate. There would be no shame in handing him your plate because you know that he has food that he is giving out, and you are his son or daughter. You would not be ashamed of your hunger, it's only natural, and you wouldn't be apologetic about asking for something that was a given. You would however be thankful for the food.

Fifth, I think Jesus was contrasting the heart of the one who was asked for the bread, and comparing him to the Father. The Father is in no way like this friend and He does not require perseverance, or incessant asking. He does not sleep, or grow weary, (Is 40:28) but is always watching over us ready to respond (PS 18:6; PS 34:15). So to contrast, if we need to continue knocking to get bread from the friend, in contrast the Father will respond immediately. If the man is in bed too tired to answer, in contrast the Father is waiting and listening and ready. If one persistent approach is required for the man, in contrast, we don't need to use that approach with the Father. Jesus was trying to show us the Father's heart.

Finally, Jesus goes right from this story of going to friend in the middle of the night to telling us to ask, seek and knock. He is freshly applying the principles He just described, and simply calls us to approach the Father directly with our needs, whatever they may be. We should do so without shame, knowing that He has exactly what we need, and He loves to give us that very thing. Jesus doesn't add any qualifiers, or any conditions, and that is why I believe He was really talking about our heart condition and attitude toward the Father.

So let us be encouraged in prayer, in turning to the Father. Let us realize that He loves us and does not need to be convinced of our need, nor moved by our incessant asking. He will answer, will open the door and will direct us as we need. Let us repent for any wrong view we have of the Father and let us ask, seek and knock for what we need.

## Transition: Wilderness and Trouble - 2014-12-29 07:52

This morning I have been reading from the book of the Prophet Hosea. This is such an interesting book, and one where the patience, mercy and faithfulness of the Lord are well demonstrated. The following two verses caught my attention this morning: Hosea 2:14-15 NIV

[14] "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. [15] There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt."

I find the seeming contradictions in these verses very thought provoking. In verse 14, the Lord speaks of leading Israel back into the wilderness to allure her. This would normally make no sense, as the wilderness is generally a place of hardship and need, loneliness and difficulty, confusion and lack of direction. The idea of the wilderness being a place of wooing, and where the Lord desires to speak tenderly to her just seems counterintuitive. Yet when we look at the life of Jesus, He was lead exactly there after receiving His baptism. Although there was hunger and thirst, He came out of the wilderness in the power of the Holy Spirit and with an intimate relationship with the Father. I believe the Lord uses the wilderness to strip away that which is distracting and nonessential, to draw one into the fullness of intimate relationship. In fact verse 16, (not copied above) speaks of transitioning one's relationship from servant to espoused of the Lord. Thus, we can look at the wilderness as a season of transition and increased intimacy. Also, once the time of the wilderness is over the Lord speaks of a season of blessing and inherited promise. In Exodus, He leads Israel out of the wilderness into the Promised Land. In verses 18-23 of this same chapter of Hosea the Lord promises to lead them into a place of blessing and plenty.

The second verse from above, verse 15, also is an interesting image. The valley of Achor, which means the valley of trouble, becomes a door of hope. Historically the valley of Achor was where they stoned Achan and his family, after he stole from the Lord shortly after they entered the Promised Land. The Lord had them name the valley, for the sin of the one man had brought trouble on them all as a people. Here the Lord says that this valley of trouble will become a door or gateway to hope. This means that they don't have to live there, but can move forward into something new, some new blessing or promise. The Lord does not require them to stay in that place forever, but is calling them out of that place to someplace new. This is such a helpful perspective, for the valley was named that for the people to remember not for the Lord. He is willing to forgive and lead us forward, and we need to be willing to move forward ourselves, to pass through the door or gate into hope.

So in summary today, whether we find ourselves in the wilderness or in a place of trouble, there is blessing and promise, hope and life on the other side! These are merely places of transition, where the Lord will reestablish relationship, intimacy, affection and hope. So let us not fear these times, or wallow in them, but continue to move forward with the Lord into the season of blessing. Here are the remaining verses from that chapter for further reflection:

Hosea 2:14-23 NIV:

[14] "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. [15] There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. [16] "In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master. ' [17] I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. [18] In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. [19] I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. [20] I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord. [21] "In that day I will respond," declares the Lord---"I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth; [22] and the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. [23] I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one. ' I will say to those called 'Not my people, ' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God. ' "

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## End Things:

Thank you for spending time delving into my relationship with the Lord. I pray that you have been encouraged and have grown in your own walk with the Lord.

In Him,

Sam

About the Author:

I have been pursuing relationship with the Lord since my 9th grade year. I have had ups and downs, but have been able to maintain some consistency in my time with God for the last 30 years. In the midst of that time, I have met and married the love of my life, we have raised 2 awesome children, seen my son marry a beautiful woman himself. Life is full and I am blessed. I make my home in Liberty, Missouri with my wife, 2 dogs and 2 cats.

Discover my other Devotionals:

A Moment With God - Year 1

A Moment With God – Year 2
