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December 2007 - Ministries

December 31, 2007

Resting in Service

Mark 6:30-44 Â…Â…. And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." Â…Â… Jesus has been teaching, healing and casting out demons. Mark says that Jesus and His disciples were staying so busy with ministry that they hardly had a chance to eat. He has just gotten the news that his dear friend, co-laborer and cousin, John the Baptist has been put to death by Herod. Upon hearing this Jesus encouraged the guys to get away with Him to a deserted place so they could rest. Jesus was fully man and therefore fully experiencing the fatigue that goes with not resting or eating. He was experiencing the grief that goes with watching a loved one pass from this life. What a perfect excuse to shut down the ministry, take a break and get refreshed. It doesnÂ’t happen that way though and seldom in our ministry as Christians do the people needing to be ministered to stop showing up so we can get a Â"break”. In our story, the multitudes figure out the deserted place that Jesus and the guys are on their way to and they meet them there. Now, while IÂ’m sure the guys are thinking that Jesus wants them to go away as bad as they do, we read that when He saw the multitude (not just a few people) He was moved with compassion and began to teach them. Â"Okay now itÂ’s getting late and we are far from any restaurants and hotels not to mention how wiped out I am, you tell Him.” Â"No, you tell Him!” Who was it that spoke up and told Jesus it was time send them away so they all could rest, I mean so they (the multitude) could get some food? In their fatigue and at the late hour, the guys end up getting to serve the largest miraculous meal ever. What an awesome blessing it is to serve the Lord when we donÂ’t have anything to offer. It is at these times that we really get to see the Lord work. The way we define rest isnÂ’t always the way the Lord does. In fact it is as if serving this great meal is what rested the guys up for what was ahead. Find the rest that you need in serving the Lord.

December 31, 2007

The Importance of “The One”

Luke 15:1-10 From the time that Jesus began His ministry to the time that He ascended into Heaven; He ministered in three different capacities: Whenever they would gather to Him Jesus would speak to the multitudes, teaching, healing and saving many. Then there were the small groups, whether it be the 12 disciples or the Pharisees, these were times when Jesus could establish eye contact with each He was speaking to. Finally, there were those One on one divine appointments; the woman at the well or the demon possessed man. Jesus managed to make time to minister in all of these ways. From these parables it appears that Jesus had a great appreciation for the times with Â"the one”. While I have a great appreciation for Billy Graham, Greg Laurie and others who do great crusades and evangelical outreaches, I think we loose the importance for the one on one times. God has designed us to be personable and relationship oriented. How often we rush through our day to get to that major event that is such a big part of our plans, but what about GodÂ’s plans? Do you notice each and every single person that God brings across your path during the course of the day? Take careful note that nobody crosses your path at random. God will either bring them to minister to you or to be ministered to by you, sometimes both! We need to focus on that one person that is right in front of us on the daily basis. How important was the one that got away to Jesus? While we are an organization and appointment minded society, it is important to allow the Lord to work in the times that we are just in route. We really need to appreciate those one on one appointments and take advantage of the opportunity to minister the love of Jesus to them. They may wind up giving their life to the Lord and that is worth the investment.

December 31, 2007

Keeping the Faith

We can see that the time of our Â"departure” is literally at hand. Can you say that you have fought the good fight? That you have finished the race? That you have kept the faith? These words apply to our leaving this world behind and going to our New Home in heaven with Him. It is there that we will receive the crown of righteousness, not our righteousness but the righteousness imputed to our accounts because of the Blood of Christ being mixed with our faith. Take a moment to look back over your life and see how you have fought and run and guarded your faith. Do you see more clearly now the Â"good fight” and the purposes of the Lord for you while you where here? Take a moment to journal your thoughts on this adventure and all that the Lord has shown you through your time here. Pray that God would teach you how to live out and apply the lessons youÂ’ve learned along the way. Then, turn forward and keep up the raceÂ… cause itÂ’s not over yet!

December 31, 2007

Gett’n Religious

Perhaps one can better attest to the meaning of this verse, not in the ethereal sense, but in the practical sense, if they have visited the widows and orphans in their distress. Many people confuse religion with a game that people play to keep Â"God” happy. Now we can tell them what true religion is and that our God is a God who desires a relationship with each one of His created beings, even the downcast widow and orphan. By our reaching out to them, providing them with a glass of cold water so to speak, we have shown them the love and care of our Creator, Father and Savior. (Matthew 10:42 Â"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” And, Proverbs 25:25 Â"As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.”) Have you ever brought the good news from a far country and done it unto Jesus, not unto yourself? When you return to the place that is extremely spotted from the world your challenge will be to remain unspotted. Take some time to journal how you plan to stay unspotted from the world.

December 31, 2007

He will do It

What joy and delight we can take in passages like this. We know that God has put a high calling on our life. (Â"Be Holy for I am Holy,”(1 Pt 1:16) Â"Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”(Matt 5:48)) The calling that God called us to was not intended for us to live up to, but rather to allow Him to live through us (and in us); For He is faithful and will do it. Yet, what about those times when you donÂ’t feel like doing what He wants to do in and through you? Well, He says that HeÂ’ll put the desire in you to do it. (Both to will and to do, meaning both the desire and the action). So now that we can rest assured that all things He desires to accomplish through us He can and will do, all we need to do is live a surrendered life to Him. Part of this surrendered life is to not complain or argue. For then we would be just like the crooked and perverse generation that we live among. Rather let us shine the Light of Jesus in this dark world and keep living by His word of life. Even if God desires to pour us out as a drink offering, may our lives excite the flames of anotherÂ’s passion for the Lord. Take a moment to rejoice in the work that our Lord and Savior has accomplished through you this week.

December 31, 2007

It’s all about Attitude

Here we are commanded to not be anxious but rather to rejoice in the Lord. For we know that He is in control and why should we grow anxious about anything if we truly have put our trust in Him. We are also told to Â"let” our gentleness be known to men and to Â"let” our requests be made known to God. In Â"letting” something happen we are allowing GodÂ’s work in us to occur Supernaturally Naturally. Gentleness is in the list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, so thus it is understood that this fruit should Naturally bear forth in us as we are Supernaturally filled with His presence. One highlight of this passage is the result of not being anxious but through prayer and supplication letting the Lord know our desires, and as a result, we will find that His peace will guard our hearts and minds. In those moments of anxiety, not knowing the future or how things will work out, we can rest in perfect assurance that God will do whatÂ’s right and although we may not understand the reasoning, the fact, the details, we donÂ’t have to because His peace will pass our understanding and guard us. All this takes place through our loving and precious savior Jesus Christ. Take a moment this week and lay any anxiety down, then with all thankfulness, let your Father know your hearts desires. Then rest in Him, letting Him work out His will.

December 31, 2007

Joyful Strength

At a time of spiritual drought in the land of Israel, having just returned from a 70 year period of captivity in the land of Babylon, the people are hungry for the Word of the Lord. As it is read and explained to all the people of Israel, they were convicted and mourned, for now they saw and understood why they had been enslaved in Babylon. Yet now that the peopleÂ’s hearts were repentant and right with the Lord, it was no longer a time of mourning and weeping, but rather of rejoicing and celebrating. Thus we too are exhorted in the reading and hearing of the Word of the Lord to go and celebrate what He has done in our lives, not sorrowing in our conviction but rather declaring to the World His salvation. Let us go and give portions to those whom nothing is prepared for. Let us declare to a world without joy and without strength, that the Joy of the LORD is our Strength. Take a moment to sit and think and to be Still and remember that this day has been made Holy before the Lord. Meaning He has set it apart and consecrated it unto Himself that He might be glorified in all that happens today. How will you bring Him glory today, on this Holy day of the Lord? In whatever you do remember that it is His Joy that is your strength.

December 31, 2007

Let the Little Children Come

In quite a few places in the Gospel accounts we have record of JesusÂ’ encounters with the little children. Jesus was never to busy to pray for, to hold, to bless, and to gather the little children. Rather, He used the little children as an example for His disciples to learn from (probably something they wouldnÂ’t have thought HeÂ’d do). For the childrenÂ’s sake he rebuked His disciples, so that He might have time with them. Jesus went on to describe how each of us would have to be like a child in order to enter the kingdom of God. This parallels with the idea of being Â"born again,” for even as we are commanded to be born again, we will become children of God (we have now become child like). Yet when you look at the faith and vulnerability that a child has, especially with their parent, you can also see how our heavenly father desires us to remain as children, ever looking to Him for our needs and for His touch, spending time with Him as a child would with his father or mother, to learn from them and grow up being like them. We too are growing up into Him who is the Head, Christ Jesus. Let us learn from Jesus and love the kids we come in contact with this week in the same way that Jesus did.

December 31, 2007

Perseverance

What a joy it is to know that we donÂ’t have to justify our sins (though I do try quite often unfortunately) because we are justified by JesusÂ’ blood when we have placed our faith in Him. Now it is with a great sense of Peace that we can follow His lead into that place that none other can access, his grace, and there within, we stand and rejoice in the hope of our soon returning King. Yet in the meantime we know, and it has been told us that we will suffer persecution and tribulations because of our faith both for our strengthening and purification as well as for the witness to the unsaved world. Let us then persevere as we grow in character and place our hope (which does not disappoint) in Him, remembering that we have the Holy Spirit testifying within us, and to us of His marvelous power. Take a few moments and write out any struggles that youÂ’ve come up against this past week that need to be surrendered at the foot of the cross, from there may you find freedom and strength to persevere, and hope in His soon return.

December 31, 2007

Timing is Everything

It doesnÂ’t take but a moments glance of the events taking place around the world to notice that the days are evil and that our time on earth is growing rapidly short. This is both an exciting and sobering thought, for we are exhorted to walk circumspectly or carefully, with wisdom. In our foolishness (and might I add selfishness) we often miss what GodÂ’s will is for our lives and for the circumstance we are in. We are called to redeem the time, to buy it up, to make the most of every minute and opportunity. Rather than willing ourselves with things of this world that keep our minds on our self (i.e. wine) we need to be filled with the Spirit and allowing the overflow of our heart and lives be those things which bring Him glory and honor. Why should we deaden our senses and play the game of the world when we can spend time enjoying the sweet rhapsody of His presence and the things which He has ordained for us to engage in. Two attitude qualifiers that Paul gives us are that of thanksgiving and submission, and when we have an attitude as such we too will be taken into the throne room of God and drinking deeply of His presence. Take a few minutes and offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord for what HeÂ’s done in your heart and life recently, then prepare your heart to serve Him as He calls us to live in submission to one another.

December 31, 2007

Orphans, Aliens, & Obedience

Through this passage we receive many exhortations, of which, the primary one seems to be that of keeping our eyeÂ’s fixed on the Lord. Yet in learning to fear God, to walk in His ways and to serve him with all my heart, keeping His commandments, I find that GodÂ’s expectations of me are beyond my capability to perform. Then comes the passage of being circumcised in heart and not being stiff necked. What this is saying then is for our hearts to be open and bare before the Lord, sensitive to His every whisper. Also, by not being stiff-necked, we show that we are relinquishing control. As a horse allows its rider to guide and direct it, may we allow God to guide and direct our lives. This passage then caps off with the idea of reaching out to the orphans and the strangers (aliens in NIV) meaning the people who have neither parents nor a home and are thus alien or strange to us. We have the opportunity to now be in the land of a people who are very strange to us and minister among the fatherless and tell them about their heavenly father who loves them so very much. May we keep our hearts soft to him and our necks loose for his guiding as we strive to love our Lord by ministering to the orphans and strangers.

December 31, 2007

The Christian Wardrobe

After being called forth from our graves, we need to be unwrapped from our grave clothes (much like Lazarus in John 11:44). Our grave clothes were those things which we identified with the world through. Now that our grave clothes have been taken off, we are left in a sense of naked shame, and rather then standing bare and ashamed before God and others, it is our Fathers desire for us to be properly and modestly clothed. Here is his list of clothing to put on in Col 3:12. Once we are properly dressed we can rest in the peace of God (ruling our hearts) with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving, knowing that our new beautiful wardrobe is all at His cost not ours. Since we are now dressed like our Savior, (we had better know who He is and how He acts), we are admonished to allow him to Â"dwell in us richly.” The result of His rich presence in our lives is that whatever we do both in action and in speech will be done in His name and for His glory. Pick out your wardrobe today and write down how you can be clothed in Him. (Note that His Wardrobe is our Word-robe  I know IÂ’m a corny pastor too.)

December 31, 2007

Learning to Walk

We know that it is often easier to talk the talk then to walk the walk, yet over and over again in scripture it is our Walk that God addresses. Here in Galatians we are exhorted to Walk in the Spirit. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? First of all our Walk is characterized not by the physical moving of our feet, one in front of the other but rather it is the way and means by which we conduct our life, our behavior, a mixture of our attitude, speech, actions, mindset and motives (emotions). All of these things as they manifest themselves into a real and tangible lifestyle are what then demonstrates our Â"Walk.” Now, understanding ‘walk,Â’ we see that we have two options of what to walk in, the Spirit and the Flesh. These are not just opposites of each other, but more than that, they are opposed to each other, for it says they are contrary, meaning that they work against each other. To walk in the flesh is to give in to our natural (and debased I might add) appetites in a way that is outside of GodÂ’s provision. It wasnÂ’t wrong for Jesus to turn stones into bread, but it was wrong for Him to use His power for such a thing outside of the Fathers provision and direction. Likewise, to walk in the Spirit is to submit ourselves to the FatherÂ’s will and to let Him and the power of the Holy Spirit control our every action, movement, and thought. Oh, the freedom of utter abandonment to Him! Commit to prayer and thought how you might be able to exercise your spiritual legs today by Walking in the Spirit.

December 31, 2007

Unity in Service

This passage among many others ranks up there with the most difficult to live out. For there is nothing I fight more often, no temptation that I have to overcome more readily than that of selfishness. This passage not only ties in the aspect of selflessness but also that of unity and service (which true service can only come from selflessness). The idea presented of esteeming others better than oneself is to paint a picture of a servant and a king. The servant would be daft if he thought himself higher than the king he was serving. In the same way we are to treat each other with the humility, love, respect and an attitude that we would a king. For remember, when we serve each other we really are serving the Lord and he is the highest sense of Royalty that exists (and we are his sons and daughters or shall I say it, Princes and Princesses). To be in one accord is a picture not of uniformity but rather of harmony. For example if I was to play a musical chord on a piano or guitar it would be made up of three different but complimentary notes. These notes work together to form a beautiful sounding, rich and full chord. When we live in this form of unity and harmony with one another, it is as if Christ Himself were conducting and playing a musical symphony with us as His instruments. Think about how you can look out for the ‘interests’ of others today, both in the fellowship you’ve been called to and among the people God has called us to serve.

December 31, 2007

In Heavenly Armor

Perhaps some of you are familiar with the old church chorus Â"The Battle Belongs to the Lord.” ItÂ’s opening line states, Â"In heavenly armor weÂ’ll enter the land, The battle belongs to the Lord.” The chorus goes on to say, Â"We sing glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord.” (If you do know the song, take a moment if you havenÂ’t already and sing through what you knowÂ… youÂ’ll be blessed!) We are exhorted here in scripture to be prepared for the battle that is being waged. This is not a physical battle but a spiritual one, thus our armor needs not to be external and physical but internal and spiritual. Let us be encouraged this week to approach each day from the stand point of the Victory that Christ has won and from that point head into the battle claiming His victory. Truly we are not working for victory but rather from victory. So be ready to charge the battle field and take as many prisoners possible from the gates of hell and bring them to the rescuing station of JesusÂ’ cross. A note on the armor, as we prepare our armor and make it all shiny, may we not forget that our outer garment is to be a cloak of humility and not some bright and shining mantle. Take a moment and think how Christ lived out the concept of this spiritual armor.

December 31, 2007

Living Sacrifice

Truly we are to present our Bodies to our Father God to be used in His service in His way and in His time. If we remember to offer ourselves to God every morning by praying this verse, in essence offering our bodies as a living sacrifice, we then will be able to be renewed in our mind, our thinking and thus be ready to be used by God that day in accomplishing His perfect will. The idea of being transformed by the renewing of our mind is interesting in that transformation happens as a result of our being made new again. In Lamentations 3 we read that GodÂ’s mercies are new every morning, also in 2 Corinthians 5 we read that we are a new creation. Therefore each morning God wants us to come to Him as a new creation with His new mercies and be renewed in our thinking. It is from this point that we are able to then be most useful for His ministry and do things as He sees fit. For He knows better than we do and our surrender is our gain.

December 31, 2007

Johnny B Good

John 1:30 He was a young blue-collar boy from the country when his life was turned upside-down, or shall I say right-side up. Somewhere swimming among the nets of the family business word gets out that a prophet has arisen again in Israel. For the last few hundred years there has been silence. Now rumor has it a wild-haired ascetic is preaching up a storm among a river of repentant Jews as they immerse themselves in testimony at the Jordan. As you can imagine, such a torrent of revival has a habit of stirring things up, especially with the sedentary eels of complacency who currently run this current-less pool. It also has a habit of wafting scents of hope to hungry souls, like this one. So a boy leaves his fatherÂ’s business, his hometown (appropriately called Â"house of fish” by the way) to find a man on the other geographical side of Israel, Judea. He may not know what he looks like, but he is sure he will know when he finds him. DaysÂ’ journey away he encounters the utter antithesis of the pomp that had paraded itself as successful religion. Here is a man who displays his authority in countenance and not in clothing. His mansion is the open wilderness. In fact, nothing of him beckons status quo, as his beggarly appearance is entirely overshadowed by the wealth of his mission. Poor and Rich, Merchant and mendicant all come to hear, not see. John. When asked, he will denote himself as a voice, not an image. This type of religion would have been so unfamiliar to that boy, to say the least. Oh how far much of Â"Christianity” has come from that man. This was such a man that would leave the incumbent tyrannical religious system stewing in their own traditions. This was such a man to be revered for his abandon more than his amassments. Sounds like the perfect opening act for God in the flesh. Although he had shed the comforts of the world around him, it didnÂ’t mean he was without. Clanging under his purse strings was certainly clarity. No man before ever appeared to be so clear of who and why he was. He was clear on things we are incessantly in need of reminding. 1) The world was not his home 2) The Kingdom was not his to own 3) That kingdom was eminent to come And most importantly, he was not to be the destination, but the roadmap. And He lived like this was the reason for his being. Oh how simple things can be when we molt the complexities of this worldÂ’s trappings for the true prosperity of GodÂ’s Presence. Although John had been on this earth 6 months earlier than Jesus did, he was clear that he hadnÂ’t gotten here first. And such was the man Jesus would say would top all born of women. The boy who found him would become his disciple, but only until Jesus Himself came to call. This boy was John the disciple. It was his hand who held the quill that penned the scripture above. I wonder how much fondness pounded through his veins as he recalled the words John spoke. After all, is would be his words that would last, nit his appearance.

Dear God, deliver me from the shackles of this world. Like John, give me a heart that could happily leave the couches of this worldÂ’s comforts for the Promise of Your Presence. Please help me to be consumed with the mission You have set before me as the smoke of my vanity evaporates for the substance of Your character to emerge in me. Help me to hunger for me home, heaven itself, where You have prepared blessings uncalculatable. May I become more invisible and yet more heard as I speak of your coming kingdom, may it govern what I do and who I amÂ…

December 31, 2007

Rich Kids

You remember them, they were the kids that always wore the name brand clothes, they always had the latest most popular shoes. They were always dropped off in the fanciest of cars. When they smiled they had the straightest, whitest teeth and their eyes lit up like dollar signs. They were the rich kids. As easy as it was to identify them it was difficult for us lower-middle class kids to identify with them. Although they may have had other things going on at home, the people we saw seemed to have it going on. Our feelings toward them fell somewhere between envy and resentment which all rooted to a disgruntled jealousy. What was it that identified them more than the spirit in which they lived? Â"Â…..But you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, \"Abba, Father.\" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with ChristÂ….” As Christians we do have it going on! We have the Spirit that identifies us. We are able to live lives that testify of the richest Dad of all. We should be living lives that would make people that donÂ’t have what/Who we do jealous. We need to identify with Him in the hard times too: Â"if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together”. This is all for the greater Glory. While possibly having to endure through some difficult times in this walk of life, we can rest assured in the hope of eternity with our rich Dad. While everything the world invests in is rotting away we can be sure that our inheritance is not one that will fade away! This is what will testify to the world of their need for Him too. They know their time is coming. Â"For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our bodyÂ….” LetÂ’s live like children of the King and celebrate the riches of His kingdom as we eagerly await the return of our Dad. Boy is that going to be a flashy vehicle to get picked up in.

December 31, 2007

How Big is Your God

As comfortable as the view is, as inviting as His embrace is and as important as it is to find ourselves resting the lap of God, we donÂ’t want to loose perspective of how big God is. You know of situations IÂ’m sure where a close relationship was formed between a person in authority and a person who is to be submitting to that authority. Sometimes the familiarity factor comes into to play and an important appreciation and respect can be lost. Abraham had a special kind of relationship with the Lord, one of closeness and complete reliance. Abraham was old, his wife was barren and God had made him a promise to make him the father of many nations. As God led Abraham and worked in Him, not only did Abe grow closer to God but his faith had to grow as well. So it needs to be for us as Christians. Sometimes we forget what a big sacrifice it was that Jesus made to give us this closeness. When it comes to the little day to day situations that we have, where does our faith go? We forget that this God Â"who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” is the same God in whose lap we sit. Suddenly this God who was big enough to save us from our own death and free us from our slavery, the one that we are so close to isnÂ’t big enough to pay the bills, heal a relationship or comfort us in a hard time. We loose the reverence, respect and appreciation for how big God really is. We need to Â"not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but be strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and be fully convinced that what He has promised He is also able to perform.” Loosing perspective will cause us to lack the faith that it takes to see our awesome Savior come through in even the simplest of situations. As we continue to rest in His embrace of grace, every so often we need to just sit back and really see how big He really is. DonÂ’t forget how big your God really is.

December 31, 2007

Itchy Feet

During the reign of Asa king of Judah, worship was restored. While in the very depressed time of division in Israel, the tribe of Judah did a house cleaning and renewed a covenant to serve the Lord and Him alone. Everyone that wouldnÂ’t seek the Lord was put to death whether small or great, man or woman. Asa removed His own mother from office of queen, destroyed the idols she had erected and put back in place the dedicated items of the Lord. In the season of this very loyal king the people of Judah experienced a great time of peace. Enter the villain; Baasha king of Israel decides it is time for the peace to end and comes up against Judah. In an effort to seek protection our hero Asa gets itchy feet and sells out literally by offering the articles from the treasuries of the Lord and his own stash to the king of Syria Ben-Hadad. Instead of claiming the protection of the Lord and resting in the covenant with Him he goes running to the support of the world and gets all wrapped up in a treaty with Syria. So often in our walks with the Lord we experience great times of peace with Him and from Him. However close our relationship is with the Lord, the circumstances of life still go on around us. All it takes is for us to take our eyes off the Lord and put them on the circumstances. We forget that the Lord is the one that will get us through it. In this distraction we get itchy feet and end up turning to what ever seems like an option to bail us out of the situation at whatever cost. Instead of resting in Him we go running to the world for a solution when He is the solution. This can end in great tragedy and oppression. The world doesnÂ’t have anything to offer us that God wonÂ’t give us. We need to continue to rely on Him especially in the times that seem hopeless. He is our hope. Why do we go running to the resources of the world when we have all we need in Him? This notable king Asa, who had such great beginnings ended up dying of a foot disease. While dealing with the disease he didnÂ’t repent and turn back to the Lord but he continued running to the world for results. Guess what, he didnÂ’t get them. DonÂ’t get itchy feet when troubled by the circumstance. Keep your pace in your walk with the Lord and let Him get you through it.

December 31, 2007

Giving

Proverbs 11:24-26 These are some interesting thoughts on the topic of giving. It seems so backwards to say that a person who gives freely will gain even more, and that a generous man will prosper. How is it possible for us to give away all that we have and yet become wealthier in the process? As strange as it may seem, I’ve seen people who are blessed financially and they are usually very generous. I’ve also met poor people who hoard what they have. The picture that I get is that of a vessel or a hose. If we, as God’s chosen vessel’s, don’t give out what he has blessed us with that would be equivalent of putting a cap on the end of the hose and keeping the water from spraying out. The more open we are to allow God’s blessings to flow through us the more that He will send His blessings through us. I say these things with a great measure of conviction, for I know that I’m far from practicing this principle. I rely to heavily on numbers and making ends meet. As much as I’ve made this about money and wealth, it doesn’t need to be the only thing that applies here. I believe that if we are giving of our time, energy, resources, or anything that we’ve been given, as long as it is at the beckoning of the Lord, we will find that He will provide more than enough surplus on the other side of it all. Think about the boy who gave up his lunch, a few fish and loafs of bread. He probably got stuffed and could take home leftovers if he wanted to after he gave up what he had to Jesus. On the converse side of this, we read that he who withholds unduly or ‘excessively’ will come to poverty. How fascinating that God says that when we hold back excessively and don’t give out freely we will end up becoming poor. We serve an awesome God, whose ways are higher than ours and whose thoughts are above our thoughts. Yet He is so faithful to guide us and lead us in His everlasting way. My prayer for us this week is that we would see all that we have in light of God’s grace and that we might not hoard what we have but give and use it for His glory, submitting to His calling with sincere obedience. May we all become rich givers of His kingdom.

December 31, 2007

Rebuilding the Walls

Nehemiah 4:6-9 We all come to different times in our lives where God wants to either tear down or build up. Either way it is always to our benefit as long as He is the one directing it. For example, if IÂ’ve set up habits or practices that are sinful or harmful (to others or myself), these are the types of things that God would want to tear down (and throw out) of my life. On the other hand when building up in maturity, edification, healthy and good habits, accountability (an excellent safe guard to keep us from stumbling) among other things, these God would gladly direct in the process of building up and establishing. In this passage from Nehemiah we see the Israelites, having just returned from their Babylonian captivity, in the process of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Having these walls built would give them protection and in a sense, freedom. They would be ‘secureÂ’ to worship God as well as not having a symbol of shame (the walls being broken and the gates burned caused Nehemiah to weep when he heard it Nehemiah 1:4). Notice that vs. 6 says ‘we rebuilt,Â’ likewise we can come along side each other in the work that God has called us to in building each other up. The next phrase says that they worked ‘with all their heart.Â’ This point struck me and convicted me. I was forced to think through my own life and whether or not I was doing the things that God has called me to with Â"all my heart.” When we serve God with all of our heart we should expect to be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12) We see here that the people from Samaria and some of the surrounding cities (examples of worldly peers) came against those who were seeking to do GodÂ’s will. Yet we also can learn from their response, which was to Â"PRAY.” (vs. 9) May we be encouraged this week, whether it be to let God tear out those things which donÂ’t belong, to build up those things which do, or to Pray in the face of troubles that oppose His will for us. And lastly, may we bond together in the Spirit as we seek to live in the Spirit and serve Him and the body. Here is a quote that correlates: Â"God gives us the grace to accomplish what He calls us to do. His commands are also His promise of victory. Sometimes you might feel that it is impossible to endure to the end. That may be right! But when we come to the end of what is possible for us, then we can see God do the impossible. Faith has not begun until we believe God for the impossible. We donÂ’t need faith to do what is possible. So if you are facing impossible situations in your life, praise God, for now you can begin to exercise your faith.” - Floyd McClung, Jr (1945-)

December 31, 2007

Resting In Him

Mark 6:30-34 In meditating on this passage the LordÂ’s voice was calling out to me and telling me to find my rest in Him. His disciples had gone out preaching, healing, casting out demons, and ministering to the people of Israel. They were, no doubt, astonished by all that they saw, and all that God had used them for, yet IÂ’m sure they must have been exhausted as well. Why else would our Lord say to them, Â"Come asideÂ… and rest a while.” There is an odd balance to be found between Â"work” and Â"rest” when engaged in the calling of the Lord. God created us as Humans with limitations. HeÂ’s given us bodies and called them the Â"temple of the Holy Spirit.” In that light, should we not be mindful then to take proper care of these Â"vesselÂ’s?” It would seem that complaining about sickness (as a result of neglect) would be just as foolish as complaining about suffering for something foolish weÂ’ve done. In light of this ‘principle of rest,Â’ IÂ’m most certain that Jesus was just as tired as His disciples were, yet we read that after they got in the boat and came to the other side, that He had compassion on the people and taught them. He wanted to be their Shepherd. Here in lies the paradox of knowing when to rest and when to minister. The answer is both easy and hard, for it is Â"When the Lord calls.” Thus we rest and labor at His desire of putting our hand to the plow or supping at the table with Him. I suppose that even in these things there are seasons to be had and refinement to go through, as with all things in life. Let us set our hearts and ears upon listing to our Masters voice that we might know His beckoning to sit at His feet and sup with Him, as quickly as we do the call to the field of harvest.

December 31, 2007

Practicing Forgiveness

The world has a (Biblically based) standard that they call the Golden rule: Â"do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. For us as Christians the bar is raised a bit. We should do unto others as has been done unto us. Or as Jesus says in Luke 6:36 Â"Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” While we donÂ’t have a problem accepting GodÂ’s forgiveness for our sins, why is it that when it comes time for us to extend forgiveness we act like we havenÂ’t had an example? Oh, I donÂ’t know how many Christians quote the context of Lamentations 3:22-23, Â"the LordÂ’s mercies are new every morning”. Sadly many of us practice a lifestyle that says Â"the LordÂ’s mercies are new every morning for me, but itÂ’ll be some time before I can forgive you.” The idea of Jesus dying on the cross for my sins before I even committed them, before I even acknowledged them and before I even asked for forgiveness is huge. Yet how do I respond when that close friend does me wrong, when my spouse doesnÂ’t remember something I thought was important or when my co-worker doesnÂ’t take the time to communicate with me? My response should be just as JesusÂ’ is for me. Forgiveness: leaving it behind, letting it go. Jesus teaches us that we are even to forgive our enemies: Luke 6:27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you...” The more you have a problem with someoneÂ’s attitude or personality, the more someone may hurt you and test you, the more you should be praying for them. If we apply forgiveness and prayer as the way we respond in whatever relationship, friend or enemy, we will be demonstrating the Christ-likeness that we are called to. The lifestyle of forgiveness is the one we need to live as Christians. By this we will testify of a forgiving God who said, Â"Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.”

December 31, 2007

The Power of Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Prayer is an interesting form of communication. It is more highly advanced than the latest cell phone technology, and better yet, it doesnÂ’t cost any money and comes with Unlimited Anytime minutes. In fact it is also just the opposite of Cell phones, in that putting some ‘radiatingÂ’ device up to your head for too long will eventually lead to some sort of cancer, yet prayer has proven to bring health and heal people of cancer (among other things). Although the ‘cell phoneÂ’ hype has been going on for quite sometime now, it seems to still be the ‘new and coolÂ’ thing to have a certain ‘ringÂ’ or type of phone. If only we got as excited by prayerÂ… One can go on and on bagging on cell phones, but they serve as an important symbol for us humans: The need to communicate. God created with a desire to form and build relationships with others. This parallels His desire for us to build our relationship with Him. There have been many barriers over time that have inhibited people from building relationships with others, a major one being that of ‘long distances of space.Â’ Tracing the development of technology from the telegraph to the phone to the cell phone we can see mans interest in having less of a barrier and more ‘instant and immediateÂ’ results. Yet prayer has been available to us since the beginning and I suppose less effort has been put in by mankind to develop and encourage this ‘communication deviceÂ’ than has been done recently in the ‘phone industry.Â’ Perhaps people prayed more often when phones werenÂ’t available. Rather than calling their spouse, family, or friend perhaps they called on God. My prayer is that weÂ’d all learn the value and power of prayer. Prayer has the capability to take us into the Throne Room of God. Prayer brings us closer to God and puts us more in tune with His heart. May the week be full of prayerful times that refresh your life. Here are a couple quotes to ponder on prayer. Enjoy! Â"Listen! You who think yourselves to be so dull and fit for nothing! By prayer you may live on God Himself with less difficulty or interruption than you live in the vital air. WouldnÂ’t it seem, then, to be highly sinful to neglect prayer?” - Madame Jeanne Marie de la Mothe Guyon (1648-1717) Â"When the Church spends much time praying, it begins to see what God does and does not approve of, and through that people are led to repentanceÂ… But thatÂ’s still just the beginning. ItÂ’s the repentance of the Church as a whole that leads to revival. As the revival sweeps the land, even non-Christians begin to repent. Soon you have a mighty move of God in the country. It all starts with prayer, and it all continues in prayer.” - Ron Auch (1951 - )

December 31, 2007

Meditation on Naaman

Naaman, the masculine version of Â"Naomi” or Â"Pleasantness” is in almost all ways the envy of nearly all others. As the commander of SyriaÂ’s elite fighting force he is resplendent in prestige, as a minister of the King he is great and honored, as a military leader, undefeatable, and personally he was as wealthy in valor as he was monetarily. Who wouldnÂ’t want to trade places with him? Well, everyone. But why? Then we read that he is a man in need, dire need. You see he was a leper, one slowly decaying away by what is called HansonÂ’s decease today. It is a degradation of the synapses caused by an acid-fast rod-shaped bacterium that had, somewhere previously entered undetected into his mucus membranes. Now his nerves of steel are eroding into lifeless canals like deserted streets through ghost towns. His rugged brassy skin and vitality dry to dust and tumbleweed away. What a strange dichotomy, the emblem of success in the body of defeat. His military exploits have left in the spoils a Jewish servant, which tells me that this man was considered foe to Israel. Ironically his relationship with his captive appears affable and benevolent. It is she, his wifeÂ’s maid that will offer him hope beyond his own fading strength. She tells of a prophet from her land, the land he had previously stolen her from. It has been said of him that he has the power of God to heal. NaamanÂ’s dusty veins drench with direction and resolve. He is going to go there and find healing. But what would make this man respond so favorably to his enemy? Naaman comes with a parade-full of pomp and presence, and roughly 2 ½ million dollars jingling in his saddle-bags. So here he comes, the might of Syria weakly flexing in his chariot and horse show, and there he stands at ElishaÂ’s door, awaiting a welcome of equal grandeur. Oddly enough, he will not even see the face of the prophet, but rather, a servant of such insignificance that even the Bible chooses not to name him. His message is. Perhaps, proportionally as unusual, Â"Go and dip yourself in the Jordan 7 times.” Imagine working so hard to present all the trophies of your importance only to be met by some no-name butler who flips open the door and nonchalantly tells you to go jump in a lake, seven times! And then, slam goes the door. The wind-wake of this breveloquence only bellows the spontaneous ignition of this generalÂ’s fiery indignation. Â"How could he?” Â"Who does he think he is?” Each thought becomes another can of gas dropped into the inferno raging in his bosom. As the Tempest of a man stomps off, bags still full, but pomp spent and pride charged he heads off in a trail of verbal sparks among the brush of his emotions. Again, a servant of his comes to his rescue. Â"If he had told you to do something heroic, wouldnÂ’t you have?” inquires the voice of reason. You see the problem was that he came there with a concentration on his dignity, not disease, his nobility more than his need. This becomes the problem with any self-made man. The Flashfloods of pride so commonly wash away any avenue to genuine healing and restoration, for itÂ’s a torrent ignorant of GodÂ’s love in revolutionizing the humble who tend to forget less from whence their healing came. God tells me that his tools for me are simple yet have remarkably profound effects. ThatÂ’s what makes them so hard for me to inculcate into my self-reliant personal make-up. They require simple obedience to allow God to do the complexity of His work. I would rather have a checklist of Herculean feats, then I could know IÂ’ve earned it, but God isnÂ’t looking for my heroic earnings, but rather the humility of my trust. Naaman will finally concede, at the cost of his pride, not pocketbook. It will cost him seven trips into a slimy, dirty, and rather chilly river of faith as if with each entrance another layer of that self-reliance will walk in and a new, greater, and meeker man will step out.

King of the Humble, When I come to You now, what am I coming with? Clearly You know me better than I do. Help me to never forget that You are not looking for the filthy rags of my own accomplishments to purchase Your favor. Only when I am small will I ever look up to you at all. Show me again how desperately You are seeking meek men who are more clear on their Master than their muster. Help me to rest in Your endless love knowing that although none of my faults have escaped You, Your love is greaterÂ…

December 31, 2007

Meditation on Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-3 Perhaps one of the most frightening moments in a manÂ’s life is when, in a stable relationship, his beloved acquired wants to have one of those Â"where are we now?” talks. We used to call them Â"DTR” (define the relationship) moments. You can find a hulk of a steely-faced male, unmoved by the threat of danger, heroic in battle that will digress to a mere quivering shaggy at the threat of one of these talks. Jesus, however, is not such a man. He takes the subject head on with a myriad of people who so desperately need to know. JesusÂ’ Â"talmudim” (apprentices), common fishermen, have been busy bringing in the vagarious off-scouring of civilization. The irony of the outcasts of a Theocracy encountering the Loving God who has been waiting to touch and heal them demands I decide my true religion. I can no longer lounge on the lofty platitudes of ethereal idealisms while simpletons get the joy of encountering the Living God who revolutionizes lives. The real difference is action. Now brigades of mendicants, the weak and beggarly advance up the hillside; the scourges of humanity now dredging forward to the Walking, Living, Breathing Pinnacle of Purity. Jesus has been awaiting them with the power of heaven to cleanse, cure, and care for the formerly forsaken that flop about in the nets of these men. To the clean-nailed religious elite, these are the cursed, the abandoned by a Holy God. To the Holy God, well He has a better term for them. Imagine the scene, a hillside covered with crutches, cots and crying towels that will no longer be needed, ever again. There are none crippled here. Not any more. And then it hits me, I have been a crippled person for so long, I do not know who I am now! I guess I could call myself an Â"ex” crippled, but even that looks to the past not the present. Within this sea of hearts brews the inevitable query Â"who are we now?”.

December 31, 2007

Meditation on Matthew 4:20-25

Matthew 4:22-24 Jesus has called four blue-collar fishermen to throw their nets on a completely new side of their ambitions. They are now hauling in men; but not just any men, the ones too weak to come themselves. The ones who could only come by the benefit of dragging. These fishermen knew, if they could just bring them to Jesus, He could fix them. And so they came; the desperately ill, the spiritually trodden, the emotionally ransacked. So these men take on the most profane and yet profound task in the universe; helping the helpless to the true Help of Heaven, Jesus Himself. But why these commoners? Why these Â"average” men? Who else could carry the stench of the paralytic covered in his own waste? Who else could bring the demon possessed but simple men with simple faith? A person racked with the hosts of hell need not a doctrinal accosting; they need the freeing power of God. One blown aimlessly by the hurricanes of their unkempt emotions need not a dissertation on the finer qualities of public protocol, they need to be brought and tethered to the immovable Rock of Ages. These men knew how to throw nets low, and pull, thatÂ’s all. And thatÂ’s all Jesus wanted; simple men with simple faith. The result will be astounding; countless touched by God. It is so east to forget that God really wants to touch people, make them whole, and He is looking for anyone simple enough to bring them to Him and let Him do the work. Later, these men will stand before the intellectually manicured Religious council called Â"the Sanhedrin”. Their evaluation of these men will be that they are simple, unschooled (as in their seminaries) and that they have just been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). I ask myself, Â"would that be enough?” DonÂ’t get me wrong, we are to Â"Study and show ourselves approved…”(2 Tim 2:15) but it is under no circumstances a viable substitute for being with Jesus. The most powerful part of Acts 4:13 is that Jesus had been murdered by these Â"holy” men over 2 months prior! Now they are looking into the faces of peasants who have just fellowshipped with Him. What could be a greater witness than that? You know, the more I look at these men, the less ordinary they become. It will never be in ways evaluated by this world, to such a set of priorities their actions are at best, benevolent, but to heaven beautiful and profound.

Dear Holy God, I know that You have not called me because of my wit and candor, nor the amassments of talents or goods, clearly anything good I possess you have bestowed upon me. Please help me, in my pursuit of You to never forsake You for the knowledge of You, and please make me a person who understands that it is not the depth of my intellectual fortitude or presentation of my own personal piety that ascends Your priorities in my ministry, but the act in simple faith of bringing others to You, knowing that if I could jut bring them to You, You could fix themÂ…

December 31, 2007

Practically Uncomfortable

Lately, God has impressed on my heart the principle of remaining uncomfortable. When I am on a missionÂ’s trip, my mindset is very outward and IÂ’m not concerned so much with my own needs. Somehow, in greater faith, IÂ’m able to rely more heavily on the Lord for my daily needs and thus concern myself more wholly with the tasks to which He has called me. At the same time, my comfort zone is diminished allowing me to do things that I wouldnÂ’t normally do on a day to day basis at home. The converse of these things I find at work when I am at home. For my comfort (IÂ’m sad to say) is a much higher priority here than when IÂ’m out on the mission field. My thoughts are much more selfish; and warmth, food, and physical rest are among the top things I seek after on a regular basis. Yet it is at these times that the Lord disrupts and upsets my mundane and comfortable lifestyle by asking me to do something beyond my capability. Yet even here it seems as though a half day at most is spent with the Missions mindset and IÂ’m eager to go home to my warm house and comfortable lifestyle. It is in the midst of this struggle that God has continually taught me to not think of this life on earth as my ‘home,Â’ but rather the mission field. IÂ’m not Â"home” till IÂ’m in His perfect presence, without sin, in heaven. In Philippians 3:20-21 Paul says, Phil 3:20-21 This verse serves as a powerful reminder to me of where my true home is. Also in 2 Corinthians 5:6 we read, 2 Cor 5:6 and it is with the purpose and ministry of reaching the world with the reconciliation provided through the Cross of Christ that we are given to be His ambassadors. With these principles in mind, may we be spurred on to greater works in Him (who is able to accomplish these things through us). May our God who is rich in mercy continue His work of transformation in us, as we know Him to be able, even to subdue all things to Himself.

December 31, 2007

Simon Peter: The Divinity of Restoration

Luke 22:31-32 Jesus is having one of those Â"we need to go back to the basics” talks about one of the fundaments of His Kingdom, greatness. Here he is battling the fiery dragons of His impending torture and death while His closest friends lounge and argue over which of them is the greatest. How ironic. The One who placed the stars, holds the universe together by His word empties Himself into the feeble vestibule of a lowly unattractive man and His closest friends are vaunting their own human grandeur. It is time for a reality check and it goes to the one who, perhaps, may have been the match who lit these coals in the first place. Remember PeterÂ’s original name was Â"Simon” (meaning shifting reed or for all intent and purposes Â"unstable”) Jesus will give him the name Â"Petras” (or Â"the Rock”) but here Jesus again uses Simon, purposely. You see Â"The Rock” is only Â"the Rock” when he is trusting in the Power of God. Here he, in his own strength is as unstable as the storm of emotions he is riding as he unwittingly touts the banner of his frail devotion. So Simon is confronted with the scariest truth of all, who he really is. Â"Satan has asked for you”, Jesus tells. Would this be an honor to him? Singled out by the enemy? The King of Demons wouldnÂ’t go after the pawns of GodÂ’s Kingdom, but the kingpins, right? But Jesus did not say that Satan asked for only him, but it was in JesusÂ’ response that singled Simon out. Â"I have prayed for you”, not Â"But no way is he gonna touch you, my man” but that all Jesus would do is pray, not for safety, not for SimonÂ’s victorious battle but for his ultimate restoration. I wonder how many moments of defeat in my life are just honest confrontations of who I really am, reality checks by my Savior. Jesus has let the enemy sift, but to the enemyÂ’s dismay only for GodÂ’s glory. Jesus knows that Simon needs to be shown his own weakness before God can shine His strength in its place. Jesus already knew that Simon would fall, and I canÂ’t imagine hearing Simon parade himself as a spiritual brute with that knowledge Jesus though, doesnÂ’t focus on the folly, or the fall, but the final product. Â"You will fall, Simon, and I am going to use you greatly once you have been restored”. To restore is GodÂ’s divine itinerary. Luke 19:10 Think of how He relates the kingdom to a lost coin, a lost sheep, or a lost son (Luke 15). All three were already under the care of the guardians, but all three had to be brought back to them. In all three cases there is great rejoicing at their return. All three grieve intensely at their loss. And God is in the business of Restoration. I find it fitting that with each gospel focusing on one facet of JesusÂ’ being (Matthew - King of all, Mark- Servant of all, Luke- Humanity, and John- Godhood) that each one ends with a trademark of that quality. Let me explain. In Matthew, as Jesus is presented as King of all the book ends with a command – to go into all the world and make disciples. Train people for that Kingdom. In Mark Jesus, as servant of all, challenges His fellow servants to the greatest service Â"Go into all the world and preach the gospel…” In Luke as it focuses on the Humanity of our Savior it ends with the promise of the Holy Spirit to empower human believers to do their heavenly calling. But in John, Jesus presented as God, how does it end? It ends with the restoration of Simon, or at that point shall I say Peter? And this man will stand before leaders now with reckless abandon and unkempt boldness. He will bring the gospel to devout Jews at the Pentecost and watch 3000 rescued at his message. He will bring that saving truth to the gentiles and watch the Holy Spirit fill them just like his brothers. The only difference is now it is not by his might, nor by his power, but by the Spirit of God. To forgive is godly, to restore is divine.

Â"Father of forgiveness, please let me always rely on your power and not the strained sinews of my own feebleness. I know that you humble the proud but for those who humble themselves you will lift up. Please let me, in honest evaluation of myself seek Your strength to do Your work; seeking the lost to restore them. Please help me to be an implemented tool of Your restoration project and rejoice at their return even as I grieve in their loss. I pray for those who have sat with You and yet even now are in the far county of their own self-serving rebellion. I especially pray for ________________...”

December 31, 2007

Look Up

From the headlines this last week: Â…6.5 earthquake shakes the Central Coast, Â…..devastating mudslides in San Bernardino, 20,000 + killed in earthquake Iran, Â…..bloody Christmas for our troops in Iraq, Mad Cow disease found in Washington, N. H. hospital warned about Meningitis. Things may be looking kind of grim for folks that donÂ’t know the Lord. Having their things destroyed, their comforts removed and their livelihood put into subjection to the elements and worse. We may know people who are a mess right now because the things around them are out of their control. Good news Christian. They are better out of our control and in the Lords control. Things are only going to get worse in this world around us. While everything around us is shaken up (Hebrews 12:25-29) we need only to cling to Him that is in control. He is Rock solid and will not be shaken. As we cling to Him we should take the advice given by Jesus: Â"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift your heads for your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:7-28) As we look up, as we keep our eyes on the Lord, the circumstances around us wonÂ’t shake us out of control and we will be available for the ministry He wants to do through us to those that are shaken up. Not to mention, we will be the first to see Him when He appears: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 Talk about being comfortable!

December 31, 2007

The Power Of A Touch

Luke 8:45 Jesus has returned to Capernaum. He has just cast the army of Hell out of a man on the other side of the lake. Now He returns to the crowds and the clamor. We read they are waiting for Him. Among the swarm the synagogue leader, Jairus (Hebrew for Â"enlightened by God”) begs Jesus to heal his ailing 12 year old girl. She is at the throes of death and each second allows mortalityÂ’s steely talons to further sink in. Every second is his enemy. Jesus is not only willing to heal, but also willing to follow him home. To think that God would come home with you to heal your little girl, but a walk takes more time than a word. So here he is rushing Jesus, for time appears to be the most important thing, or is it? On His way he abruptly stops. The crowds press in and collide like bowling pins. There is no time for stopping, his girl is dying. But Jesus isnÂ’t for the moment even considering the girl; He has another 12 year issue to deal with. Amidst the crowd is a woman, fettered by her own private manacles of helplessness, lunging for the keys. She has tried every advertised cure known to her in science and medicine, but each further incarcerated and isolated her, draining away her funds and bleeding her hope. Now the chains rattle in the prisonerÂ’s cell of a cowered frail frame of a woman. Then came Jesus. She moles her way through the compacted girth of the mob with the determination of a linebacker at a free-ball fumble. All in her wants to touch Him, even if itÂ’s just the hem of His garment. She wants to be healed, she wants to be free. Spotting a clearing she lunges, and touches. Immediately she knows there is change within her. How could she ever think that would have stopped the surf of the crowd with that single touch? Even as Jesus stilled the Sea of Galilee with a word, now the tides of the crowd halt with his voice. His question pushes through the foggy mass. Â"Who touched me?” She knows she is busted. The spotlight pierces the oblivion of the crowd and besieges her. You see, she is not going to get away with trying to subterfuge the power of God without succumbing to the person of God in the process. He isnÂ’t in the business of performing miracles for people who will not meet Him first. The Disciples are perplexed. Â"Everyone is pressing against You and yet You asked who touched You?”. Somehow her touch was unique to theirs. Jesus would quote Isaiah 29 saying Matthew 15:8 Could that be the difference? Perhaps what really separated her from the others is that while all were inadvertently rubbing up against God, she was the only one willing to touch Him with her heart. Oh, the little girl will die, and then Jesus will steal her from the despot of her malaise, and the father will have to realize that God is not moved with the iron goads of desperate words but with the gentle touch of a lunging heart.

Â"My God and maker, please help me in this prayer to reach out to You with the touch that stills the crowds of circumstances and silences their tumult. Even amidst it all show me how I can have a private moment, Just You and Me, Your power and my lunging heart. While others may brush up against You, help me to reach with the faith that encounters You and causes You to turn an encounter me…”

December 31, 2007

Giving Thankfully

God works mightily and we are blessed to be a part of His movements. He continues to impress on my heart that my body is His for His use. My cryÂ’s to Him have been, Â"Here I am, Save me!” not in a sense of ‘salvationÂ’ but rather with the thought of sanctification. His setting apart of myself from the things of this world, my flesh, and the wicked schemes of the enemy has been crucial, so that I might be fully occupied by the wonderful works of our Creator. He constantly reminds me that He desires obedience over sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22) and in that I must remember that obedience involves sacrifice. Thus the giving of myself to Him must be done in joyfulness not out of obligation, for He says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 Although this verse directly applies to our gifts in a more monetary sense, I am reminded that God does not want the giving of myself unless it is done in cheerfulness. A quote to wrap this up says, Â"There are three kinds of giving: grudge giving, duty giving, and thanksgiving. Grudge giving says, ‘I hate to,Â’ duty giving says, ‘I ought to,Â’ thanksgiving says, ‘I want to.Â’ The first comes from constraint, the second from a sense of obligation, the third from a full heart. Nothing much is conveyed in grudge giving since ‘the gift without the giver is bare.Â’ Something more happens in duty giving, but there is no son in it. Thanksgiving is an open gate into the love of God.” (Robert N. Rodenmayer 1909-1979) (See Psalm 100:4). May this season be a reminder of GodÂ’s precious gift to us and our giving ourselves back to Him.

December 31, 2007

Emmanuel

Romans 12:1-2 Â"So to whom do we offer ourselves up to?” The obvious answer of course is to God. But delving a bit more specifically into the Triune nature of God we recognize that God the Father does not ‘needÂ’ our bodies as He is on His throne. Secondly, God the Son (Jesus Christ) doesnÂ’t need our bodies as He has one of His own. This leaves us with the specific action then of offering our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Holy Spirit. If you think about it, this is in total accordance with the scripture as it says in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that our Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. I knew prior to this that I was to give my life up to God as a living sacrifice but to think of it in terms of surrendering it to the use of the Holy Spirit was a new facet to this gem for me. I had not linked those two thoughts together before. So often I long for the power of the Holy Spirit in my life, to be the person (Christ like) that God wants me to beÂ… fighting those sinful desires that daily war against my mind, my heartÂ… my will. In surrendering my ‘bodyÂ’ as a living sacrifice to the Holy Spirit I realize that I then no longer have control of what I doÂ… the decisions of life are no longer a burden on my plate, for now He is the one using me and accomplishing His purpose in my life. If the Lord would choose to give me cancer and put my in the hospitalÂ… itÂ’s His body and He can do whatever He deems necessary in my life to bring Himself the glory that He deserves. No longer now are my mornings filled with desperate prayers for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon me and to empower me to do His willÂ… instead they are a willful surrender and coming to the recognition that this body (which I often call mine) is not mine but HisÂ… and He can do whatever He wants to with it. IÂ’m merely along for the ride. I hope that weÂ’ll all take time to remember that God is with us (Emmanuel). And perhaps more profoundlyÂ… God has made His home within us.

December 31, 2007

Abraham: A Man Who Builds Altars

Throughout the story of Abram (or Abraham) we see several different Instances where he is building an altar to the LORD (lit. YHWH) and often it is in that place that he will Â"call on the name of the LORD.”(Genesis 12:8) According to the NT book of Hebrews we read, Hebrews 11:8-9 It is interesting then to think of Abraham as a man who never built a house. He understood that his stay was not one that was permanent. Likewise we too should remember that our Â"citizenship is in Heaven,” (Philippians 3:20-21) and we are called to be ambassadors of Christ in a Ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Abraham, although he never built himself a house, he did build altars to the LORD. Thus he saw what was of eternal value and invested himself into those things. He found it to be more important that he had a place to worship God than to seek the comforts of having a house to live in.

May we too recognize that which is eternally significant and then spend our time investing in that rather than making ourselves comfortable in a world that is not our home. Jesus Christ had a similar message when he said, Â"lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” and Â"where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” and Â"seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." When we begin building alters, that is investing in the things of eternal consequence, acts of worship to the LORD, we should find our lives and perspectives altered, leaving us in a place of truth and purpose. For it is in this humble obedience to God that our flesh is rendered powerless and His Spirit is given liberty to move in, change, and mold our lives into the image of Christ Jesus, our Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).

December 31, 2007

Meditations on Joshua (Part 4)

Joshua 1:1-2 In Joshua 1, reality has set upon the heart of Joshua like a crimping tool. For forty years he has ministered to Moses as a soldier, spy, and servant. He has watched the creator talk with Moses like a man does his friend, and yet Moses himself wasnÂ’t worthy of the honor of escorting GodÂ’s people into the Land God had prepared for them. He had watched his entire generation, aside from himself and a Judean named Â"Dog” in Hebrew, (though their cries and afflictions commandeered not only GodÂ’s attention but heart as well) die in the wilderness; all of JoshuaÂ’s immediate family; father, mother, victims of the desert of faithlessness. He had watched God respond relentlessly to the PharaohÂ’s challenge until not a single Egyptian god remained standing. Even the first-born, of which Joshua himself was one, were destroyed outside of the saving grace of the blood of a lamb. Now as the dust clears there is Joshua and a new generation standing before him. Many have never known the affliction of Egypt. All are uncircumcised. All have heard MosesÂ’ challenge to choose life that they and their families would live. All will eventually go whoring after other gods. Now Joshua must lead them. What will happen when the manna stops and the Pillar of cloud and fire disappear? No one in Scripture is told more to be of good courage. As a matter of fact, of the 7 times the statement will be made by the end of Joshua 1, He will be audience to every one of them. How can such a Soldier, Spy, and Servant be so overcome as to constantly need such encouragement? One endearing thing about Joshua is how seriously he takes the responsibilities set before him. I live in a world where everyone seems to want authority and yet no one seems to want the responsibilities attached to them. Everyone wants to be the CEO, office with a view, secretarial staff doing their bidding, but only if the inbox remained perpetually empty. Joshua sees how serious the task of leading a group of whining, discontented, rear-mirror-staring people to the center of GodÂ’s pleasures is. God always gives me an agenda greater than my own imagination and personal capacities. In other words all that God has for me will fail in my own strength. If I even try on my own I am fast-laneing it to frustration and total stress burnout. The only solution comes in holding hands with GodÂ’s call. He always seems to do that for me. God did not ever tell Joshua he would do this alone. True Moses has challenged the people to Â"choose life” sung his song, climbed mount Nebo at 120, and died there. True his entire generation (aside from an 80 year-old Caleb) have met their sandy graves, but Joshua is not alone, thatÂ’s for sure. God has always been the God of the extraordinary to him, but now God must be the God of the ordinary. GodÂ’s solution comes in a single sentence, Â"I will be with You.” Nothing can be more life changing than knowing that my God is Â"Immanuel”, Â"God with me”. God has been with Joshua in the bivouacs, but Joshua will now develop a whole new, deeper, relationship with his master. This is such a leap in my walk as well. There is a problem with Joshuas like me; the battles, the drama, the emergencies are never remotely the threat as the mundane. Conquering is so much easier a mountain to hike than the plains of consistency. It is there that God must meet me, at the every breath, at the every step; the ones no one sees to applaud but Him. If I really want my walk to be in the center of His pleasure I must make God more than just the God of my crisis and crescendos, but also the Lord of my quiet crusades.

My Dear Conqueror and King, please show me today that You are Lord over the entirety of my day, events both small and great. Help me to be aware of the fact that even in the most ordinary moments You remain Awesome. Help me, in the overwhelming pool of responsibilities to surrender it all to You...

December 31, 2007

Meditations on Joshua (Part 3)

Numbers 13:23 In Numbers 13:23 two men, Joshua and Caleb cut down a cluster of grapes so large, it took this Military commander and his buddy to carry it. They were part of a recognizance mission to scout out the land God had promised was greater than anywhere they had ever known. Was the land all God said it was? The answer was yes, but somewhere a second mission, one not in any way sanctioned by God had been ordered, was the land worth the battles they would face to get it? So the land and the incumbent land owners were surmised. Certainly the land was great, plentiful and abundant, but so were the inhabitants. So 12 spies return, and an obvious division arises, 2 with a report on the land, and 10 with a report on the lords of that land. 10 come with a fretful heart, and clearly without faith. The other 2, Joshua and Caleb don't come simply with words, or even for that matter photos, they come with fruit. Those 10 will lead the mass to tremendous regret. They will regret being delivered out of Egypt, the will regret Moses' leadership, they will regret belonging to God. Ultimately that whole generation will all die in the wilderness regretting, all but two. Strangely enough, it is a time like this that Joshua shines. A man of faith becomes a lighthouse on the foggy shores of doubters. His response so exposes his own trusting heart "God prepared and promised us the land and it is all He said it was, do you honestly think He would leave you to fight the battles alone that it takes to get there?" (Loose paraphrase). Remember, Joshua was the commander of the army, and if any Hebrew was going to be in danger in the battle, clearly it would be him. He would be the one leading them. Oh how quickly people vaunt the difficulties of life's battles and forget the one who will not only take them through it, but will joyfully fight for them. I know on the other side is contentment, satisfaction, abundance, and all the other things Canaan represents to me, but the trials and fights sometimes get the center stage. At a time like that remember Joshua, pole in hand, giant fruit cluster following behind. God has called us to go into the world to preach the gospel to all creatures (Mk 16:15) and as we do there will always be someone around those who hear us telling them about the battles they will have to face ("you won't be able to party anymore." You can't sleep around anymore" "your friends will bail on you" "You'll be thought of as weak, needy, helpless") and if that were the only thing voiced i would find myself with few going with me over the Jordan. But God shows me such a model in Joshua. Joshua did not come empty-handed. He came with fruit from the promised land. God tells me that the moment I believed He planted His Holy Spirit inside me (Eph 1:13) and from that point forward He purposes to produce fruit, fruit that would remain (Jn 15:16) So what does this fruit look like? Galatians 5:22-23 As I go about my day today, may I be a harbinger of heaven and come bearing its sweet fruit. All the "love, joy, peace,.." is just an the product of God's presence in my life. What do I think will happen when I see Him face to face? Perhaps what I experience now is just the appetizer for the main course awaiting me when I leave this desert for my permanent home.

Father of Heaven, I recognize that the world is in a critical need for the saving news of Your Son Jesus Christ. Please today bear great fruit through me and make my voice Your banner of hope. I recognize so many have no desire to be where You are because they have heard from others, even many declaring they are Yours, that tell them there is too much to lose and too little to gain. Please rescue them from the endless regret awaiting them and the end of that path and use me to do so. As I walk through this day, please help me to serve the appetizer, that they too, would crave the meal and recognize that there is no greater place to be than in Your arms...

December 31, 2007

Meditations on Joshua (Part 2)

Exodus 33:11 When I think of Joshua, I think of the man who succeeded Moses to take the nation Israel into the Land God had promised. Moses would take the people out of Egypt, but he would die in the wilderness. What an amazing thing to think that Moses, hero of Israel even today, wasn't allowed the right to enter the land God had promised, and yet Joshua (a much lesser stated biblical figure) would. So what separates the two? Clearly both had issues of sin to deal with, clearly both have their weaknesses, but one place in the word defines their characters in a way that is simply so convicting to me. In Exodus 33, the tabernacle of meeting has been constructed, and is open for business. Here I read that Moses would come in and God would converse with him as a man does his friend. Moses then would take the information out to the people. And so the process began, go in, get God's word, go out to the people. It seems like such a healthy ritual, but perhaps there's even a better one. Take a look at Joshua. While Moses comes and goes, he it transfixed. While Moses visits, Joshua builds a home there. Oh that my heart would ache for God's presence and be enwrapped in it as that. Oh that my heart would not just come in for my daily fix of new mercies and directions and then head out into the world but that I would remain there, frozen and overcome by the amazing truth that the One who created the universe with a word, Whose voice shatters skyscraping trees to toothpicks, drops His tone to whisper His love to a flea like me. As I am reading this devotion, already weeds of the cares and desires of this world sprout from my heart. I must thrust myself to Jesus and there remain. And when He goes, I go to, and not a moment before.

Dear God, in this "quiet time" as I have come to You how desperately I need to remain here. I know there will always be something "urgent", something demanding my attention outside this tent of time. Please help me to come in here undistracted and undivided, not simply seeking a quick fix for the day but attaching my lifeline and remaining. As the day proceeds, You lead me through Your agenda, Your way, and accomplish as You Desire. Only let me remain with you throughout the day, and not just live on the breakfast of our meeting now...

December 31, 2007

Meditations on Joshua (Part 1)

Exodus 17:9 Israel, birthed as a nation in the adverse oven of Egypt has found itself freed by God's hand of grace. When in Egypt, the there are no records of military confrontations, only the domination of an evil taskmaster and his minions. Now Israel is a free man being led to the center of God's perfect plan, a land flowing with opulence and pleasure. It is on this journey that attacks come. Often I hear people wonder why things seem to get "tougher" once they have responded to Jesus. The enemy had no problem with them when they were his slaves. Now they are freed and he is upset. What they don't see is who is going to be revealed in the process. Now we are introduced to the first obvious foe to the free Israel. Amalek. I remember Jacob's twin brother, Esau, his familial antithesis. While Jacob was open to God's calling, his brother Esau was selling his birthright for a bowl of stew. It just appears as if Esau was just a man of the flesh. Well his son, Eliphaz ("my god is fine gold") has a concubine and from that relationship is born Amalek. The resulting tribe always seems to be such a perfect archetype of the flesh. Everywhere they show up, it seems like such a fitting paradigm. The first time I see the tribe of Amalek is here in Ex. 17. This is their debut. Israel has arrived at Rephidim ("resting place") on their way to Canaan. It seems out of nowhere Amalek attacks the camp, but not all the camp, they target the weak, elderly, fatigued. What a perfect warning. Israel has stopped to rest and find themselves attacked. Perhaps you heave been there, you know that God has delivered you from Hell and has a plan of wonderful intimacy and total contentedness. Now for a brief moment you stop to rest and out of no where comes the flesh. One word of note here, the flesh will never fight fair, it attacks at points of weakness. Remember, although Jesus said to come to Him and find rest In Him we are never told to rest From Him, or in other words we are never to rest from our walking in Him. Matt 11:28-29 How can we find ourselves victorious against such a formidable foe? (Remember Israel grew up slaves, not soldiers. Up to this point they have never fought a battle together at all). It is at times like this we get a whole new revelation of our God and our responsibility to Him. I need a solution revealed. Enter Joshua. This chapter also debuts Israel's first military hero. It is his job to fight against Amalek in the valley of this resting place. Without such a battle, I would never see Joshua for all that he is. I am reminded that Joshua is simply the Hebrew word for "Jesus". There in the valley Joshua takes his army and routs the army of Amalek, but what is Moses' (and for that mater my) responsibility? Moses' job is to stand on the hill with his hands up, in surrender. It tells us that as long as Moses' hands are raised the battle is won. Moses' brother Aaron and friend Hur notice this and take the responsibility of helping him hold his hands up when they tire. Now you see a vital role of fellowship. So, Moses keeps his hands up, stays out of it, and Joshua routs the army but how? Verse 17 tells me "by the edge of the sword" Oh the sword He wields is deadly to all our foes. I can't help but compare that to my own spiritual armor Eph 6:17 May I never forget, there is no greater assault weapon than His word, and no greater warrior than my Joshua,

Dear Lord, I know that as I walk in You the flesh may be lurking, but I will not cease to walk in you today. Cause me to rest in You, but not from you at all today. And if the flesh does attack, I know You not only have victory, You ARE the victory. Cause me to hold my hands up in surrender and please surround me with Godly friends who are there to keep them up when I tire. Make me such a friend to them as well...

December 31, 2007

Preach the Word!

2 Tim 4:1-3 Although this letter is from Paul to his pastor/friend Timothy, this charge is not just for pastors. As we mature in our relationship with the Lord it is our great responsibility to proclaim His Word to those who are less mature than we are. When we accept the gift of Jesus Christ the information that we have in the Gospel is something that we are accountable for. As we grow there will always be someone a little bit younger in their faith, a little less familiar with the Word that we will need to take the opportunity to share with. To be ready in season and out of season means whether we feel like it or not, whether we feel equipped or not and whether we think they will respond or not. This means that even if we are in a slump or a dry time in our walk, we are accountable to share the Word which God has ingrained in our hearts. And it is not our job figure out what the person will do with what we share with them. It is simply our job to Â"go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” The Word that you already have is easy to share. Though sometimes it seems best to skip over the step by step and zoom to the end result, we need to remember how we came to the knowledge of our Lord and His Word, one step at a time. To take someone by the hand and guide them, instructing them along the way, showing them key points, challenging them to grow and correcting them when they go astray is the way that real teaching happens. The importance of patience, gentleness and respect weigh heavy and will aid the teacher and make the teaching experience fruitful for everyone.

December 31, 2007

Do All In The Name Of Jesus

Col 3:17 Driven by my flesh I really donÂ’t care about you. Driven by my flesh every one of my motives is for my gain. Even in regards to Â"my service”. It is all about me and how good I can make you think I am. No matter what I say, no matter what I do, in my flesh it is all in vain. This was our life outside of Christ. Why would we want to continue in such a lifestyle? After all, the Old Testament, along with our testimonies, are full of Â"how not to do things” examples. How then is this command possible? It has everything to do with what weÂ’ve been told to do up until this point. Living a life in Christ is where we need begin and end. Having set our mind on the things above, we are not motivated by our own desires. Putting on the new man will enable us to walk uprightly and reflect Christ in all we do and say. That old guy just drags us down. By putting on the new man we allow the Lord to change the way we think and act. So, what does Christ do and say through us? How about forgiving each other, how about loving or selflessly serving each other and allowing Him to join us to each other. If we let Him put His Word in us, His Word will be what comes out of us. And that is what will be encouraging to those around us and bring glory to His name. To do things in His Name speaks of power and authority. To have the power and authority to say and do things the way that He does means that we have the power and authority to serve each other and build each other up with the words that we speak. He is our example of this and He is the one that will do this through us. If whatever we do and whatever we say are done with His power and authority we are the ones that end up blessed as a result. Go figure.

December 31, 2007

An Honest Answer Is Like A Kiss On The Lips

Prov 24:26 However short and sweet or long and intense, a kiss requires vulnerability. A kiss is one of the most intimate acts that we partake in as humans. We leave ourselves wide open as we connect with another in a way that only the most precious affection is expressed. As we allow ourselves to be caught up in the moment nothing is held back. Our heart is laid bare as we share the experience in entirety. Have you ever held back the truth or blatantly lied to a friend or a loved one? Have you experienced the distance that is then between you as your relationship becomes less of a priority. We donÂ’t want to experience that intimacy we once had because we have something to hide. There is now something between us that will prevent any form of vulnerability. So it is in our relationship with the Lord. The Greek word for worship, proskuneo, means Â"to turn towards and kiss”. This is the most intimate experience that we share in with the Lord. This is when we have complete fellowship with our God. If there is anything we are hiding, any sin we are harboring or lie we have been living, we are hindered in our worship of the Lord. We need to come before the Lord in spirit and in truth with our heart laid bear and vulnerable to Him. Then the experience of offering ourselves to Him, wide open holding nothing back, will be that of the greatest intimacy. Just as we are only able to kiss one person at a time so also should our heart be undivided in our worship of the Lord.