Do As I Say, Not As I Do! Uh, what?

TODAY’S READING: Matthew 23; Matthew 24; Matthew 25

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 23:1-4

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:  ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.  They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.’”

OBSERVATION:

I can see Jesus’ heart for a consistent life, and for truth.  It is funny how we sometimes let the inconsistency between somebody’s words & works determine how we will respond to what’s true and right.  For example, “Such & such preacher misused church funds, I’m not going to tithe anymore.”  While the “do as I say, not as I do” mentality is extremely flawed, we cannot throw out godly wisdom because of the ungodly behavior of the messenger.

We can’t throw out the “baby” with the bath-water when it comes to living truth that will benefit our spiritual lives.

APPLICATION:

People have a tendency to accept or dismiss truth and people together.  It takes humility to accept truth from a person that has lost your respect.  Personally I have to work hard at a consistent life - be what I teach.  I can speak all the truth in the world but I will only reproduce what I am.

PRAYER:

Father thanks for your grace.  Help me to incarnate the message that I preach.  Help me to reproduce the life and goodness of Christ in my family and church.  Help my life to be consistent with my message.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

GENEROUS JESUS

TODAY’S READING: Matthew 20; Matthew 21; Matthew 22

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 20:9-16 

"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.  So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.  When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.  'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'

  "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?  Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you.  Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

OBSERVATION:

I love how following Jesus immediately takes away all finagling, competition, hierarchy.  It puts everyone on the same playing field at the exact same level with no advantages against the guy next to us.  That flies in the face of a the religious who build their religion on such principles of hierarchy and finagling - the pharisees and saducess.  In fact it is countercultural to us.  That is how we get ahead in America, either by finagling, beating the guy next to us, or earning position through seniority.

Jesus shows us here that His dealings with us and blessings on us have very little to do with us (in terms of our ability to deal our way into them).  His blessings on our lives are completely based on His generosity - His desire to pour out in our lives grace, provision, mercy, purpose...   At the same time it has everything to do with us - He loves us and His focus is on us.

APPLICATION:

The application in my life is to let this truth balance the way I relate to those who I do life with.  For some reason it is easy for me to live this truth out with the general population of people, but the closer my relationships the more I desire to see growth and fruit.  That is important.  We should be fruitful and mature people.  But I think about my kids and my wife and I know that there are times that I have cultivated an idea of earning my good graces, which I believes serves as a way they understand God.  

I want to balance my behavior with others in such a way that inspires fruitfulness and encourages them to reach their fullest potential in Christ, while at the same time settling in their hearts the awesome generosity of God in their lives that blesses and loves them.  I guess what I see is that it is not up to us to earn Christ’s generosity, but it is up to us to steward and not squander those gifts in our lives.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you that you do love and have blessed me because you are generous.  Help me to grow a family that is secure in that truth.  Help me and my family to grow reach our fullest potential in Christ by receiving your generous gifts and using them to the fullest.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

A Jesus First Life

TODAY’S READING: Matthew 8; Matthew 9; Matthew 1

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 37-39

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

OBSERVATION:

These words are difficult to hear and even more difficult to meditate on.  At first glance it rubs me the wrong way (or maybe the right way - the way they are supposed to), so you think that the logical way to have it make sense is to meditate on these words and the Holy Spirit will do His job and help me to wrap my brain around them.  But the more I read it the more it hurt.  The problem is that my issue is not a head issue it is a heart issue.  Jesus is challenging the heart with these words and He is not taking it easy on His disciples.  As I look at this in context, i see the mission of Jesus shining thru.

The context is here is a strategic planning and training session before Jesus sends out His “terrific twelve” on their first evangelistic outing.  He is giving them the a clear picture of what He is wanting them to produce in others.  He is giving them the definition of successful ministry.  The mark of success is a “Jesus first life.”

I guess the question on a personal level is, “Have I let Jesus so capture my heart that I truly live a ‘Jesus first life’?”

The ministry question is, “Am I successful at helping others become ‘Jesus first Christians’ or am I creating an environment of simply learning & living out principles?”

These are extremely important questions because while godly/biblical principles are important and life changing, they don’t necessarily put Christ first in your life.  People, Christian & non-Christian alike, who live out very godly principles even biblical principles (whether they know it or not) are better off because of it.  There is spiritual law at work, it just is true no matter who you are - if God says these things are healthy, produce life, are good for you, and will make things better for you, then you can bank on it.  Even if you don’t bank on God.  The problem is that some things in life are not covered in scripture or you have not read that part.  What happens when you need God to call an “audible”.  Somethings need to go beyond principle and into faith.

This is critical because people can learn principles, go to church, and never yield their lives to Christ in that “I will drop my nets, quit my business, leave my hometown, whatever is necessary, and follow Jesus.”  I am afraid that many people’s commitment to Jesus is only as deep as their brain and anchored on principles that work with or without giving your life to Jesus.

What really grabbed my heart is that a Christianity is more than a set of Biblical principles.  In fact the Bible is more that as set of principles to mined out (though that is one of its greatest impacts on humanity).  The Bible is a is primarily the story of God and what He has done for humanity.  The primary purpose of the Bible is to inspire a “Jesus first life.”

APPLICATION:

I need to read the Bible not just to find the principles for life now, but to find the story of God and let it capture my heart.  Read it with an eye on eternity.  Read it relationally rather than academically.  I need to make a heart commitment to Jesus and not simply a mental assent to principles of the Bible.

I need to preach the story of God, as much as the principles of the Bible.  I need to shoot for discipleship not conversion.  Share a message and a hope that is focused on eternity.  Life on life, relational.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for showing yourself to me thru your word.  Thank you for being a God that moves beyond logic, principles, and reason.  Thank you for being a God that I can “bank on” when principles fall short.  Help me to have a Jesus first life.  In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Pigs & Pearls Don't Mix - Treasures in heaven

TODAY’S READING: MATTHEW 5,6, & 7

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 7:6

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

OBSERVATION:

What stands out is that doing righteousness things for the approval of men is like giving dogs sacred things, or putting a beautiful pearl necklace on a pig.  People are not capable of carrying such a responsibility as receiving you, your efforts, or your sacrifices in a healthy way - they will trample them and they will turn on you.

Jesus is continuing his sermon that began in chapter 5  - talking about attitudes of the heart being meek, humble, merciful, pure, etc..  He then goes to say that these attitudes will help you life a life before God and not before men.   He says that these attitudes will help us to season our world with our lives (salt), and we will be a part of the revelation of Christ to the world (light).   He then talks about treasure found in eternal things like helping the poor, prayer, fasting, sacrifice, loving our neighbors, etc..  But he qualifies this by saying that those same things done with a desire to gain the attention, approval, and applause of men is like putting your treasure in an unsafe place.  In fact if he says that if you do these things for men your reward will be found in men.  However, if you perform before an audience of God only, then that is where your reward will be found - in Him, stored up in eternity.

APPLICATION:

 There are a lot of things that belong to God that we give to unworthy entities.  Our desire to be recognized, need for fulfillment, our sacrifice & hard work, praise, our search for significance & praise.  To do things for God that nobody else knows about.  Amanda and I were going thru a hard time financially one time.  Somehow, somebody caught wind of this and anonymously began sending us gift cards to the grocery store every month for a year.  We are not sure who because they did not want to be known - they were doing this for us but before God.

PRAYER:

Lord help my heart to stay humble before you.  Lord help me to continuously put my treasures in eternity and not in temporal things.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

Beat The Chaff Out Of Me

TODAY’S READING: Matthew 1; Matthew 2; Matthew 3; Matthew 4

SCRIPTURE:  MATTHEW 3:11-12

"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

OBSERVATION:

This separating the chaff from the wheat seems like Jesus is talking about groups of people.  Kind of like separating the sheep from the goats.  While I would like to think that I am the wheat, I know that there is chaff in my life that hinders my walk with God and diminishes His fulness in my life.  Typical human stuff, you know.  

Being that this is an illustration or a parable I don’t want to take it farther than John intended it to go, but there is a significant point that I see in this illustration.  Both the wheat and the chaff come from the same stalk.  Chaff is the part that is dry, scaly, and dead.  It is not good for nourishment.  John says that Jesus will Baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  That thru relationship with Jesus our lives would be threshed - the image of God in us will be preserved and stored while the sinful part of us is burned.

The picture is not pretty.  It sounds like an uncomfortable process.  However, it is necessary and no less comfortable than living outside of God’s design for our lives.

APPLICATION:

I will invite the Holy Spirit to evaluate my life and point out the chaff in my life.  I will spend time daily praying in the Spirit, that He may consume my life, burning the dead, the dry, unhealthy parts of my life, and preserving the parts of me that are spiritually healthy and life giving to others - those parts of me that can grow and build into the life that God originated.

I will continue to cultivate a heart of humility, obedience, and, repentance.

PRAYER:

Father, your word says that you are a “consuming fire.”  I pray that you would consume my life - my desires, my thoughts, my motives, my relationships, my activities.  God, forgive me for letting the chaff build up in my life.  Forgive me for burying your eternal plan beneath the temporal desires and values that I have set in my life.  I love you Lord and ask you to send the firs of your Holy Spirit to refine me more and more, to burn out the impurities of my life.  Have your way with me Lord, I pray.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

LAST PLACE!!! TOP THAT!!! (A desire for the unexplainable)

TODAY'S READING: Psalm 124; 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 13

SCRIPTURE: 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10

"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."

OBSERVATION:

I want to be a testimony of God's greatness - His love, His grace, His power.  If I build something on my own strength it is very understandable.  If I can boast, "Look what I built!"  "I thought of that."  "That was all me."  then what I am saying is that it was explainable and without need of God.  While I acknowledge that I have talents, abilities, knowledge, and wisdom, I don't want those things to define my life.  I do not want people at the end of my life to say about me - "Yeah, his life makes sense."  I truly want people to have to acknowledge God in my life in a way that it gives hope and inspiration for their own lives.

I want to be in last place so I can be on top.  I want the unexplainable to be a regular part of my life.  I want less of me and more of Jesus.

APPLICATION:

Paul, says in other places of his writings that he dies to himself.  Most of us apply this to the bad parts of our lives - hurts, sin, failures,etc..  At times Paul gives this dying a specific context - die to sin, dead to the law, etc., but other times he just says he dies daily, or dies to self.  I tyhink this is the key.  I need to die (acknowledge my death) everyday to all things self - my abilities as well as my flaws; my pride as well as my insecurities; my righteousness as well as my sins; my motivations, my agenda, my desires, etc....... myself.

I need to come alive in the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ thru prayer and the word.  I need to spend time with the one who allows me to live beyond myself and brings the unexplainable to fruition.  The one who marks my life and will have people say about me, "WOW!  I never saw that one coming."  I want to live a last place life so that as Christ takes first place in me and thru me I can say "TOP THAT".

PRAYER:

God you are good to me.  You are the unexplainable factor that I want prevalent in my life.  Lord that my life would be profoundly and significantly lived out before my family, friends, church, and community, I wouldn't be able to point at any part of it without pointing to you.  Help my life be marked by your presence, goodness, grace, love, strength, and power.  In Jesus name,  AMEN!

Bad Company Corrupts Good Character

TODAY’S READING: Psalm 149; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Corinthians 16

SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:33-34

“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’  Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.”

OBSERVATION:

I am reminded that people are usually pretty good people to start.  We’ve all heard stories of good kids who go bad - it’s a shock and surprise to all who know them.  We’ve seen generally good people end up bitter and angry.  I understand that we are all born with a sin nature - we are bent toward sin.  However, this transition from generally good with a sin nature, to generally corrupt in character and given to sin is a process.

I guess what I read here is that you give yourself to sin by giving yourself to an influence.  The road to a corrupt character is relationship.  I believe that the opposite has to be true as well - just our sin nature can be nurtured into a corrupted character, so our spirit that identifies with Jesus be nurtured into a righteous character thru relationships.

APPLICATION:

I guess that the best application of this truth would be to wise up and hang around with people who love and live Jesus.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you that you have surrounded my life with so many who love and live for you.  People who love me enough to encourage me in my faith and in righteous as a Christ-follower, a husband, a dad, a friend, and a citizen.  Work righteousness in me thru your influence in my life.  Help me to be a man of character thru as I open myself up to your influence in my life thru prayer, scripture, fellowship, and service.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

BLURRY MIRRORS LIE TO YOU

TODAY’S READING: Job 39; Job 40; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Corinthians 14

SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:11-13

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

OBSERVATION:

We can sometimes use our “Spiritual Maturity” as a point of division.  We can sometimes be frustrated at people’s lack of progress in their lives.  After all, shouldn’t they have it a little more together by this point in their walk with God?  “What do you mean you struggle in your faith?  And you don’t speak in tongues?  You’ve never given a prophetic word in church?”

The truth is that we are all in the same boat to God.  We all smell like sheep.  All of these things that we build ourselves upon and diminish others against will all pass away.  When all is said and done we will see how blurry our mirror was that told us we are right, and mature, and got it all together.  The only thing that we can truly rely on is faith, hope, & love.  Mostly love.

Faith, because it believes beyond our own goodness and ability.  Hope, because it acknowledges that there is something inherently wrong with us while believing that God can make us right.  Finally, love, because all the faith and all the hope in the world is meaningless if we do not have the ability to give and receive love - that is the intent of relationship.

APPLICATION:

I need to make sure that I have patience with others, knowing that I am a work in progress as well.  God has a lot left to do in my life.  I need to have a faith and a hope that is deeply rooted in God’s ability to make all of us better than we are.  I need to make sure that love is at the core of every relationship - that it is the motivating force in my behavior, interactions, and conversations with people.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for giving me me a faith beyond myself and a hope in your ability to change me.  Help me to continue to grow and develop in those areas of my life.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

Unity In Diversity When It Really Counts

TODAY’S READING Job 37; Job 38; 1 Corinthians 12

SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:21-26

“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!"  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,  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,  while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

OBSERVATION:

Community in service is what stands out to me here.  It is easy to get a long with people that you don’t have to depend on.  When your relationship revolves around fun and social events, what’s there to complain about?  However, as you begin to do life together around mission and vision and values there is a lot of potential for disagreement, pride, elitism, and other controversies.  But God designed His Body, the church, to have equal concern for each other.

In other words it is possible to have unity within diversity - it is possible to find community by serving with one another toward a common mission.

APPLICATION:

If this is to happen then we have to possess a big-picture-perspective.  Looking toward at our role as well as the roles of other’s in light of the mission we are trying to accomplish.  Understanding that what we do builds upon and builds up what others are doing to reach the common mission.  Some may teach, others converse, others sing, others set-up, others care for children, others design... We all “Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples.”

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for your goodness to me and for giving me a place in your Body.  Thank you for giving me an integral role in your mission of salvation and making disciples.  Help me to have the big picture in mind and to appreciate the gifts and the roles of others in the church.  In Jesus Name - AMEN!

Leading Yourself Well Is The Key To Leading Others Successfully

TODAY’S READING: Psalm 122; 1 Corinthians 9 -11

SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 11:31-32

 “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.  When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”

OBSERVATION:

I recently heard the statement “Most leaders who fail, do so because they fail to lead themselves well.”  They can build teams, organize around principles, motivate, etc., but lack the personal discipline to sustain their position and influence.  I think that is what Paul is getting at here.  If we examine our hearts with humility, then others don’t feel the need examine our hearts and put us in our place.  If we work on ourselves, then others don’t feel the need to “fix” us.  If I let God judge my heart then the world has no seat of judgement in my life.

APPLICATION:

I need take time regularly to take inventory of my heart and my behavior.  In these times I need invite the Lord in to judge my life  - not as a matter of heaven and hell, but as a matter of receiving the fullness of the life life offered in Christ or settling for a diminished version Christianity.   This is done thru my devotion times with God, which is why these SOAP times are so important.  I need to lead people and live with people with a deep understanding that I am a work in progress, and my first priority of leadership, my primary focus of leadership has to be on myself.  Then walk in humility as I lead in the roles that I have been given - as husband, as dad, as pastor, as friend, as a citizen...

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for your goodness to me.  Thank you that you love so much that you would involve yourself so closely and intimately.  That as a Father, you would take the time to bring discipline and correction into my life.  I want to always give you room i my life to do that.  I want to be an obedient son who desires the wisdom and correction from his Dad.  You’ve always been good to me, help me to keep trusting myself to you.  In Jesus Name - AMEN!

Give Me A God's-Eye-View Of Life

TODAY’S READING: Job 35; Job 36; 1 Corinthians 7; 1 Corinthians 8

SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:29-31

“What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”

OBSERVATION:

My uncle took some cool photos of baby geckos hatching from their eggs.  He has them in this album that are in chronological order.  He has this great camera with awesome lenses that pickup up on all the details.  So as you are about as impressed with the photography as you think you can be you see the final picture that puts them all in perspective.  The final picture is of the cracked egg and the baby gecko next to a dime.  All of this amazement of new life happened in an area smaller than a dime.

What captures me about this passage is its perspective.  In terms of time and major events that take place in our lives we should not lose our perspective of eternity.  Amazing things happen, marriage, the birth of our kids, the purchase of our first house, the landing of our dream job, etc...  Tragic things will happen, death, emotional wounds, relational pain, etc...  

In light of eternity and in light of the goodness that God has in store for us, these experiences will fit on the surface of a “dime”.  We are called to live with an eternal perspective and with a “God’s-eye-view” of our life.

APPLICATION:

What ever the circumstance, amazingly good or bad, I need to live my life with an eye on eternity.  Grieving shall pass if I let it go, and celebrating will be dim compared to what is to come.  The trick is to experience God in the here and now knowing that the best is yet to come - to weigh everything on the scales of eternity and God’s goodness.   want to have nice things and have my finances in order while still anchoring my security in God.  I want to enjoy the good things in life and mourn the bad things in life, but not be engrossed in this life.  I want to be engrossed in the eternal life that has already begun.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for the gift of eternity with you.  Thank you for the eternal treasures that you have given me - peace, hope, love, righteousness, kindness, relationship with you.  You are a good God.  Give me a God’s-eye-view of life.  Help me not to get too wrapped up in this life, but to live with an eye on eternity.  In Jesus name - AMEN!

As We Decrease Christ Will Increase

TODAY’S READING: Job 30; Psalm 120; Galatians 3; Galatians 4

SCRIPTURE: Galatians 3:26-29 

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

OBSERVATION:

What jumps out here to me is the level playing field that we have in Christ.  Jesus took all competitive points and biases out of the equation regarding our relationship with God.  He took it all away which in essence took away all of our insecurities in our relationship with God.  If we are in Christ then when the Father sees us He sees Jesus “in whom He’s well pleased.”

We don’t have to compare or compete our way into God’s grace.  In fact I think that would change the very nature of what Grace is.

APPLICATION:

The flip side is that as I gain security I have to give up our pride and replace our source of value.  Rather than having pride in what I have accomplished, or view my righteousness in comparison to others’, or bank on my heritage, I have to measure my life against the plan, purpose, and righteousness of God.  There is something about this perspective that strips away arrogance, pride, and elitism.  There is something about that perspective that makes you grateful for grace.  There is something about that that causes you to decrease and Christ to increase in your life.

PRAYER:

Father, help me to decrease so that Jesus will increase.  Help me to lay down my life daily and live the life of Christ.  Forgive me for putting my trust in anything other than you.  Help me to tear down the things that I have set up as securities in my life that are not You - intelligence, finances, spiritual disciplines, etc.. You are my All-In-All.  You are my only hope.  I love you and praise you for you goodness to me.  In Jesus Name -AMEN!

Repent - Pray - Read - Obey

TODAY’S READING: Job 28; Job 29; Galatians 1; Galatians 2

SCRIPTURE:  GALTAIANS 2: 20-21

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

OBSERVATION:

It is amazing how much we focus on failure.  We can sometimes be our own worst enemies.  Disqualifying ourselves from God’s plan for our lives.  Believing that we cannot be good people, useful to God, good spouses, good parents.  This is directly connected to our faith, or lack of.  We believe that our earthly identity is our only identity - we let our circumstances, earthly heritage, environment, past sins, etc., define who we are and we allow those things establish our value.

But Paul said that upon acceptance of Christ into our lives, upon being forgiven and accepted by Christ that we have entered into the death of Christ on the Cross.  

APPLICATION:

We have been crucified with Jesus and are now dead to those things.  They no longer have baring on my value or my identity. I am no longer a victim because they cannot speak into my life.  I now live based on my faith in Jesus - who He is and who He says I am.  I rank and rate my life according to my value to Jesus - who gave himself for me.  So I can be who He says I can be and I can do what He says I can do.  So daily, I must die to my opinions about myself and come alive through the life of Jesus to who God says I am.  Repent - Pray - Read - Obey - REPEAT.

Father help me to have my heart in true alignment with yours.  That I would see myself as you see me, believe the promises you have given me, and be faithful in the tasks that you place before me.  I love you and praise you in Jesus name - AMEN!

Longing For The Unexplainable

SCRIPTURE:  MARK 16:17-20

“‘And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.’

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.”

OBSERVATION:

I’ve been to some really great churches and some really big churches (Some of the biggest churches in the united states).  The truth is that the growth is explainable.  They are led by incredibly gifted people - some of the best public speakers I’ve ever heard, some of the greated musicianship that you can find, some of the most talented and creative artists, beautifully put together visual presentations, housed in state of the art facilities.  The truth is that in each of these churches, while on this side of their story it all seems explainable, began the same way most do - in faith.  Each one has a part of their story of success that is completely unexplainable.

It is funny we deem what God said would be normal in the lives of believers as weird.  I’m not saying that we’re going to purchase a den of diamondbacks and dance with them during worship, or show visitors of the church our faith by drinking liquid plumber.  But I do long for the unexplainable to be evident in our church.  The miraculous.  

APPLICATION:

I want to do our best to put together great services.  To creatively, intelligently, and lovingly share the message of Jesus.  But I want to see the unexplainable.  I want to see the Holy Spirit attend our message.  I want to see the sick and hurting healed and the word of the Lord confirmed by the miraculous signs that Jesus said would accompany it.  Therefore, I must pray at least as much I prepare.

PRAYER:

Father, I want your Word, the Word I preach, to be confirmed by your work in the lives of those who attend.  Lord, I want your church to grow.  I want to share your word creatively.  But Jesus more than a good service, we need your miraculous touch on our lives.  Send your Holy Spirit.  Bring healing and wholeness.  Accompany your Word Jesus, I pray.  In your wonderful and powerful name, Jesus - AMEN!

“God’s not asking for you to give a lot, He’s asking you to give everything”

TODAY’S READING:  Job 23; Job 24; Mark 11; Mark 12

SCRIPTURE: MARK 12:43-44

“Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’"

OBSERVATION:

The passage gets to the core difference between piety and faith and between religion and relationship.  It is easy to give a lot and still not give yourself to God.  Especially if you have a lot.  This ladies money made little difference to the workings of the temple.  I am sure it was looked upon like people today sometimes look at pennies in the offering basket.  “What are we supposed to do with these?”  Though it made little difference in regards to temple work, her tiny offering (or according to God HUGE OFFERING) is still paying dividends in Kingdom work.

Tough it was probably overlooked by most, it caught God’s attention so greatly that it would make the writings of the Bible.  So today, thru this story, we learn something about God.  We learn what relationship between God and man looks like.  We learn that the heart of God is not looking for us to give a lot, but to give our all.

APPLICATION:

I can sometimes find myself feeling that I have given enough.  Especially, if I play the comparative game.  If I weigh my relationship with God - my service, my time, my tithe, etc., against the status quo.  As I read this, I felt the Holy Spirit whisper, “God’s not asking for you to give a lot, He’s asking you to give everything.”  More than money, or muscle power, or time.  My heart, my family, my future, my entire self belongs to God.

PRAYER:

Father, forgive me for my piety at times.  Help me to release all that I am to you.  Help me to more and more, give you areas of my life that I have held onto.  I really want you to have all of me.  I want you to set the course for my life.  Help me to stop giving you a lot and help me to give you my all.  In Jesus name - AMEN.

The Miracle Before The Miracle

TODAY’S READING:  Psalm 121; Mark 9; Mark 10

SCRIPTURE: Mark 9:20-25

“So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy's father, ‘How long has he been like this?’

‘From childhood,’ he answered.  ‘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.’

'If you can?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. ‘You deaf and mute spirit,’ he said,  ‘I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’”

OBSERVATION:

The entire reason for this man coming to Jesus was a hope that his son would be healed.  Not a complete trust but a hope.  A hope with some history behind it.  Stories of Jesus healing people and performing other miraculous wonders had spread like wild fire throughout the region.  So though this man’s hope wasn’t completely trusting it was not completely faithless.  It was an unsure hope - an expectation, but maybe not.  It was an “If what hear is true I’m sure he can.  However, what if he won’t or what if it’s not true?”

We’ve all had feelings like that.  So Jesus confronted that issue of faith with “Listen pal!  Do you believe or not.”  In fact Jesus puts the boys future in the hands of his father’s faith.  The truth is that Jesus does not need our faith to do a miracle.  Our faith doesn’t encourage goodness in Jesus to win over his crankiness (how silly does that sound).  Jesus is able and Jesus is purely good.  However, in His goodness, He has allowed us to be a partnering agent in the miracle business thru our faith.  Through our bringing our needs to Him with the confidence that He can and will do something.

So the father says, “Yes, I believe - mostly , I think, but maybe not.  So please help my unbelief.”  He was essentially saying, “I believe enough to come to you in the first place, but there is doubt.  If you are truly God then you can even fix my unbelief.”  That’s the miracle before the miracle.

APPLICATION:

I want to believe more than I do.  I’ve been walking with Jesus for 18 years and still there are times when I find myself wondering if He will show up in time, or (being honest here) will he show up at all?  What is it with me that I can’t stay anchored in faith at times?  I want the faith to move mountains.  According to Jesus there’s not a major amount of faith required - faith the size of a mustard seed.  I need Jesus to give me the miracle before the miracle.

PRAYER:

Lord, Thank you for your goodness toward me.  Thank you that I know your goodness - I’ve witnessed you wonderful works in my life and others.  Yet there are times I doubt.  There are times that I worry.  Forgive me for the sin of unbelief.  In times of doubt, please give me the miracle before the miracle - help my unbelief.  Help me to stay anchored in the firm belief of who you are and what you are able to do.  In Jesus name - AMEN!