Going Before Us

Jesus warned his disciple that they would be scattered when he was crucified. But he also assured them that there was no reason to fear as they would not face the future alone:  "But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee" (Mk 14:28).  They would not have worry about what they would encounter in the future because Christ would be there, waiting for them. 

This is the same promise that gave King David confidence to face an unknown future: "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there" (Psa 139:7-8).  David would never arrive anywhere that God was not already present. Neither will we. 

God is not caught off guard by our circumstances because He has gone ahead and is present in them before we get there: "...all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Ps 139:16).

We do not step into an uncertain future alone. We step into a future where Gid is already present and provisions already made for us. We can face what appears to us as uncertain because Jesus promise "I will not leave you as orphans" (Jn 14:18). 

The future may look dark and bleak at times, but The Lord of Light goes ahead of you to illuminate the way. Do not worry for God is faithful. 

Instead of worrying about the future and how you will get by, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things (things we worry about) will be provided for" (Matt 6:33).

Jus' Sayn. 

Good Days In Bad Times

Life can be very difficult at times. It can be difficult most of the time. But our days can always be good. What kind of Pollyanna, pie-in-the-sky notion is that?  It is neither Pollyanna nor pie-in-the-sky, it is Kingdom Truth!

The circumstances of life do not determine the quality of one life, if it did only the rich and highly favored would be happy. But, in fact, many rich, powerful people who have everything are not at all happy. Conversely,there are many poor, powerless people who live with a song in their hearts. 

Consider this, as couple get older and look back over their lives,they often look at those early days, when they had nothing and so many things were working against them as some of their happiest days. How can that be?  It is not the external state but the internal state from which happiness and contentment flow. 

Listen to the words of the apostle Paul: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess 5:16-18).  Prayerfully rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances. How, why?  Because the inward work of the Kingdom is so much greater and it's results are beyond time and circumstance. 

What gives the young couple in love so much joy despite the meager and often difficult circumstances is the hope born out of their love for one another.  What allows the Christian to have joy and a heart filled with gratitude, despite difficult circumstances is equally the hope born out to the love that exists between the believer and the Lord.

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" (Rom 3:5).  Jus'Sayn. 

Blown Away

In ancient times, the heads of wheat would be shaken about and tossed in the air so that the chaff would be blown away by the wind. Metaphorically, to be sifted like wheat was to so shaken up as to come undone. 

If you were sifted like wheat, you were ripe to be defeated or devoured like wheat sifted and ground into flour. Satan desired to do precisely that to the disciples, but Jesus had other plans: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Lk 22:31-32).

Satan desires to do the same to you and me as "he goes about like a hungry lion, seeking whom he can desire" (1Pet 5:8).  You may have already been through an encounter with Satan that left you shaken to the core or it may be coming or even coming again. 

Satan wants to devour you, Jesus yearns to deliver you. Your part is to "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mk 14:38).

But, if you do fall into the grip of temptation and are shaken to the core by the trap Satan has set for, don't give in or give up for "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it" (1 Cor 10:13).

When tempted to do wrong or turn your back on God or betray your faith, remember it is Satan seeking to drag you down and Christ would will lift you up. Keep your eyes on Jesus, even in a storm - especially in a storm that you are not blown away like the chaff from beaten wheat. 

Jus'  Sayn. 

Breaking Good

Like the character on the TV series, "Breaking Bad," Jesus facing the worst possible outcome through no fault of his own, reached the breaking point, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Mk 14:34).  But unlike that character, Jesus chose good not evil at the breaking point. 

The TV character, like people are tempted to do when pressed to the breaking point, chose to pull out the stops and do whatever he felt he had to do to address the situation. He broke bad and while he thought he had things under control at first, he soon began to see that his life was spiraling downward fast. 

The problem "Walter White" found in "Breaking Bad" was caused by his focus when things seemed to be so out of control - he focused on himself, what he wanted and what he could do. The end game of self-focus is self destruction. Walter didn't save his life or his family, his life was traded for a life of crime, which destroyed his family and the life he sought to protect. 

When Jesus reached the breaking point, he chose good. Instead of focusing on himself, what he wanted and what he could do, he lifted his voice to heaven crying out, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mk 14:36).

Jesus could have fought back, he could have called for "twelve legions of angels" (Mt 26:53).  He could have stopped the crucifixion but he would have lost his life - the life of unity he had with the Father from before the beginning.  By taking things into his own hands, he would have circumvented the will of the Father and doomed mankind to eternal destruction. 

Jesus broke good "leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Pet 2:21).  When it seems that all of Hell is breaking loose around you, that is not the time to let Satan suck you in to self-determination. This is precisely the time to break good and call upon the Father, seeking His will and His strength. Jus' Sayn. 

Lost Opportunities

When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, he took his disciples with him, wanting them to "keep watch and pray."  They were given the opportunity to bring comfort to the Savior of the world as he prepared himself to endure the weight of the sins of mankind. But they missed out on that opportunity as they slept on their watch instead of praying. 

He plainly told them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, stay here and keep watch" (Mk 14:34), but three times (the same number if times Peter would deny him), he came to them and three times they were sleeping instead of keeping a watch of prayer. On the third time, Jesus said, "Enough!  The hour is come" (Mk 14:41).  In other words, time opportunity to provide comfort to their Lord in this monumental point in history had passed.  

When Jesus faced his trial and confrontation with the Devil in the dessert, "the angels came and attended to him" (Mt 4:11). But in the garden, that ministry to the Son of God was presented to the disciples and they passed on the opportunity. They would not be forsaken by God, they would have other opportunities to serve Him and serve The Lord they did - to the point of death for most. However, that opportunity was gone,  that moment for ministry would forever be lost. 

Jesus may be promoting you to attend to a friend or provide help to a stranger. He may be leaning on your heart to provide service to Him by ministering to another. As the Bible says, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me'" (Mt 25:40).  It won't be your only opportunity to serve but it may be your only opportunity to serve in that moment, meeting that need. It will be a lost  opportunity that may never come again. Jus' Sayn. 

Failed Yes, Failure No

It was true of Judas, it was true of Peter, it was true of all the apostles: "I will strike the Shepherd and the sheep will all fall away" (Mark 14:27). It is true of you and me. Everyone fails God: "All sin and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 2:23).

However, judas chose to be a failure by hanging himself in his grief and his guilt instead of gangling on and allowing the Spirit of Christ to restore him. Peter was grieved, he felt terribly guilty, but he lived to be restored by the Savior. The rest of the apostles did the same. 

You and I will bear the same guilt at times and even those our spirit may grieve us, we are not throw-aways, we are keepers in God's sight.  Yes, we fail - that is a part of the fallen human condition but becoming a failure is a choice. Slipping in the mud is due to a temporary loss of balance but to wallow in it is a choice. 

Jesus didn't say "come unto to me all who have unburdened themselves of their struggle," he said, "come unto me all who are heavy burdened" (Matt 11:28). He calls you to himself, warts and all.  He loves you just as you are. And he loves you enough to empower you to become better to be redeemed time and again. 

Jus' Sayn. 

Keeping Watch

When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross and bear the guilt and sin of the world, his spirit was deeply burdened and he greatly desired the watchful prayers of his disciples and closest friends. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death ,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch" (Mark 14:33).

Instead, three times he found Peter and the others asleep. As The Lord prepared himself to face the most difficult time of his existence, as history was coming down to the most critical moment in all of time, while the future of mankind was weighing in the balance, the disciples slept.

They were physically and emotionally exhausted. They were humans just like you and me with physical limitations. We probably wouldn't have done any better. Probably not, but we could have and so could have they.  

In preparation for war during the Veitnam Era (thankfully I was not actually sent), we would be placed on guard duty at the end of the day and sometimes followed by kitchen duty (KP - kitchen patrol) and then start a new day, without the mandatory sleep period.  In war, sleep is often foregone for long periods. If you raised children, you've had sleepless nights with sick children.  People are able to forego sleep when there is sufficient reason. 

The disciples just really didn't get the gravity of the moment. All the forces of Hell were marshalling  against The Lord in his human form, the pressure was great and the stakes couldn't be higher, the disciples slept. Mostly, I don't think we get it either. I often hear people say they can't get up early enough for prayer and quiet time, they can't stay awake after the last child is put to bed and the last electronic device is turned off, and there is no opportunity during the day. Just when do you keep watch?  When will you find the time?  Do you think the war is over, that Satan is done?  Jus' Askn. 

Seeing King Jesus

A few days ago, I gathered with a family around their very loved patriarch. There were smiles mixed with tears as their were sweet stories mingled with the sad reality. The one overriding note was that he was very soon to see King Jesus.

The family, through their tears, could see clearly the blessing that was about to be bestowed upon the beloved head of their family. He would stand before and shout praises to the One he had served so long and loved so deeply. As much as they loved him and wished he had a little more time here on earth, they were thrilled that he would soon see the King. 

His reality is your reality, by the way. Regardless of how welcome that thought may or may not be just now, the Lord clearly affirms "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62). 

You may not live to see Him arrived in the clouds when He returns to earth, likely you will see Him at the right hand of the Father in glory as leave this earth in death, but you will see Him and that day is not really very far off. Life is short and each day it gats shorter and passes more quickly. 

So, are you ready to see King Jesus?  Are you anxiously looking forward to seeing Him or does the thought fill you with anxiety?  You know He loves you, right?  And He loves you just as you are but still may be calling you to leave where you are. A mother loves her child even when she has to discipline him/her. A mother will love her son even when he is on death row. Her love never changes even when the child needs desperately to change. Do you?  Is your life moving toward the life of King Jesus or away?  

Your audience with the King is drawing near, are you drawing near to Him - that is the most important question of your life. Jus' Sayn. 

Epic Service

In Mark 14:3-9, we read the narrative of an incident where Jesus was reclining (having dinner at a low table where it was necessary to lay in a reclining position) at the home of a leper named Simon. During the meal, a woman comes in (suggesting she came uninvited and perhaps her status in society) breaking open a bottle of nard (an extremely expensive perfume, possibly her life's savings in a bottle) and pouring it on Jesus' head. 

Some disciples were indignant, saying it was such a waste, that it should have been sold and help given to the poor instead (funny how others know what we should with our money). Jesus did not share their opinion, he told them that the poor would always be around to help but that he was only here now and she had did what she could by helping prepare him for his burial. 

He went on to say something that I find more than interesting, "Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  Her action would reverberate throughout history - wow!  Why?  

Because, facing rebuke and ridicule, going against the stream of a male dominated culture, knowing the depth of her own unworthiness, wanting desperately to honor her Lord, he broke open her financial hedge against hard times and poured out her self-dependence and self-worth found in that jar of nard upon the head of the Savior. She did what she could - no regret, no reserve.

She left a legacy of epic service - a service that came from the heart and poured out in unfettered love for Jesus. I'm wondering, how many Christians today have done anything like that?  I know some who have but so many more hold back, keep a reserve, try to keep things under their own control. To serve with abandon, not caring what others might say or what it would cost: Epic!  Jus' Sayn. 

Doing The Unthinkable

In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 14, the disciples are faced with the unthinkable: Turning their backs on their Lord. Jesus said that one would betray him, another would deny him and all would fall away. 

They were incredulous, Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same (v. 31).  And yet, Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him and all the others ran away when Jesus was arrested. 

What is especially interesting to me in this passage is that it wasn't just one or two that caved in and did what they never thought they would do, it was every single one of Jesus' disciples.

These are men who had left everything to follow him, who had walked by his side and witnessed his miracles and the quality of his life. These were men who saw the dead raised and the storm stilled. If these men could fall, what do you think the chances are of us doing the unthinkable?

Could we turn our backs on Jesus or on our spouses, whom we've pledged "until death do we part?"  Could we abandon the Lord or the children we brought into the world?  Could we deny our faith and take up a life of drugs, sexual abandon, greed, etc.?  It's not thinkable until it happens and then we tend not to not think about it. 

The thing is, Satan doesn't care what you've done, what promises you've made or how active you've been in ministry. What he concerns himself with is what he can tempt you to do and what you will succum to. He doesn't worry himself with your stellar past, he focuses on your stalled future.  "...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Pet 5:8).  

The point is, don't let pride in good deeds allow you to dismiss Satan's determination to cause you to do the unthinkable. Instead, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the body is weak" (Mt 26:41).   Jus' Sayn. 

Walking By Faith

Generally speaking, we don't like not knowing what the plan is before we undertake something. If someone wants us to go with them, we want to know to where and for what purpose. If asked to do something, we want to know to what end and what will be required of us. We, like the Boy Scouts, want to be prepared before we act. It just seems sensible. 

Our Lord, however, often does not give us all the details or share the final outcomes or destinations when he bids us to do his will. Do you recall what he said to Abraham when he called him out of Ur?  "Go from your country, your people and your father's land to a land I will show you" (Gen 12:1).  And when Jesus disciples asked what they were to do about the Passover preparations, he replied, "“Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him..." (Mark 14:13).  He didn't give them an address or reveal what would be available when they got there specifically. 

When I felt called into ministry. I knew I had to leave the military and believed I should go to Harding University for preparation, but I didn't know how I would be able to provide for my family while there or where I might go afterwards, only that I was to go. I had no idea, only that God said "go."

Following God is not about having it all detailed, financed and exit plan in place. Following God is about having an ear to hear the Lord and a heart to obey. You may not be sure why you feel so strongly about talking to a street person, but if God is laying it on your heart, just say hello and see what comes next. Leaving your career to start a mission in a third-world country and not knowing how you will live sounds crazy, but many crazy missionaries are out there 

Walking by faith is precisely that - faith in what God will do rather than by seeing what we can manage. Scary good stuff. Jus' Sayn. 

No Fear

In chapter 8, verses 23 - 27, Matthew tells about a time when Jesus and his disciples were in a boat when a storm came up.   Jesus went to sleep and then a violent storm came up. The disciples feared they would all be drowned and cried out to Awaken Jesus, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (v. 25).

Jesus, awoken by their cries, replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm …" (v. 26). 

It is interesting to note that the disciples thought Jesus could somehow save them but were more moved by their fear of the storm than their faith in the Savior. Knowing that Jesus was with them in the storm ought to have provided them peace. Did they really think the one who could save them was oblivious to their plight?

Did they really think that the one they were crying out to was going to be swallowed up by the storm they were expecting him to somehow manage?  Why would they fear so when the Messiah was in their midst?

The same reason we panic when the storms of our lives start to swirl around us. When we don't have the mortgage money, don't have a job, have just heard the "c" word, our cad is broke down, etc.  Jesus promises never to leave us as orphans (cf. John 14:18) and yet, we panic, thinking He is sleeping on thee job. 

We will have storms. It is reasonable to concern ourselves with. It is a lack of faith that causes us to fear.  Talk to The Lord about what you are experiencing and ask what you desire from Him, but do not panic. God is in the storm with you and He will not sleep through your crisis. He may not appear to jump right to it in the manner we expect, but He will act on your behalf.  Jus' Sayn. 

Giving

While many, even some very close to me, would disagree, I don't believe that God requires a tithe from his children in the Christian Era. My belief is based both on the negative that neither Jesus nor his apostles ever directed anyone to tithe and the positive in which the Spirit gave specific directions on how we are to give. 

In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the Spirit says, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  Notice He says to give as we decide not a pre-determined 10% and not under compulsion, while the tithe was compulsory. 

I do think 10% is a good bench mark but it does not necessarily match the prosperity level of the giver, which is a qualifier of an acceptable gift according to the Spirit: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income" (1 Cor 16:2).

Is the prosperity level or ability to give the same in two people making the same dollar amount but one having six children and the other single?  10% for one may be a real challenge but for the other hardly noticed.  And, where is the room for one to cheerfully decide how much he can and wants to give in tithing? 

A couple of reasons, by the way, for purposeful and generous giving based on your desire and personal prosperity level are: 1) "whoever sows generously will also reap generously" (2 Cor 9:6) and 2) "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Cor 9:8).

Purposeful and generous giving not only showers you with Gid's blessings but it causes that blessing to overflow upon others, for "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7b).   It is the giving out of a thankful, appreciative heart that moves God, not the dollar amount. Jus' Sayn. 

The Day of Trouble

If there is one thing in this life you can be certain of it's that change happens - things do not stay the same forever. And often, the day of change is a day of trouble. Even for the Christian, the day of trouble is on the horizon. 

God never promised us a life of ease, what he promised was, "I will never leave you as orphans" (John 14:18).  The promise is not that we will be problem free but that he would not abandon us in times of trouble. 

Conversely He says, "...call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me (Psa 50:15).  In this passage, we discover that we can expect the day of trouble, that we need to call on God and that He will provide reason for us to praise Hm. 

God does not expect or even want us to go it alone or pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.  He wants us to call on Him, He wants us to be God-dependent not self-reliant.  God does not give us more than we can handle as long as we lean on or, as Jesus put it, "be yoked with" (Matt 11:28-30) Him.  

The day of trouble has likely already visited you and it is invariably coming again. Times and circumstances are always changing and often not for the better. But God does not change and He will not leave us. We can calmly face the day of trouble knowing God will deliver us when we call upon Him and we will praise Him for His deliverance. 

Jus' Sayn. 

360 Forgiveness

When Jesus gave thee model prayer to his disciples, it included "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt 6:12).  After the conclusion of the prayer,  he added, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (vv. 14-15).

What becomes clear is that forgiveness of others is an extremely important component in communication between man and God - that God's willingness to hear our pleas is mirrored with our willingness to hear the pleas of others. 

What is not always so clear is the direct connection of our unwillingness to forgive and Satan's hold on our lives. In-between verses 12 and 14, lies verse 13, which is normally seen as a separate item: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

However, did you notice the "For" in verse 14?  Let me connect a few dots for you. "....forgive us...as we have forgiven...deliver us from the evil one...For if you forgive...your Heavenly Father will forgive..."

God's forgiveness is 360 degrees, Satan tempts us to rely on 180 degrees of forgiveness. The evil one wants us to expect God's unconditional forgiveness of all our sins while we conditionally forgive only some sins. God's forgiveness goes full circle as it produces a gratitude of grace. Satan's pseudo forgiveness only goes one way - it is, like he is, self-centered and selfish. 

He tempts us to expect forgiveness while not extending it to others, which can only happen when we don't really believe in or accept the premise of grace-filled forgiveness. How could we truly accept His forgiveness if we don't really believe in it?  Jus' Askn. 

The Watchman

The prophet Habakkuk wrote, "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give" (Hab 2:1).  

Habakkuk was using the analogy of an ancient sentry, standing on the city wall, looking about, listening in the night, waiting and watching for a warning or a word of good news to deliver to the people. What was most important for the watchman was that he stay alert and pay attention to what was being communicated by the sights and sounds of the watch. 

Should we continue as usual or take special precautions today?  Should we go to the fields or stay under cover?  Should we take up tools of our trade or implements of war? What answer shall the watchman give?  Hopefully the watchman was not sleeping or distracted during his watch. 

Habakkuk's point is that we are all watchmen, responsible for warning or informing others of God's Word for them. To whom you are responsible for communicating ths Word depends on your sphere of influence. It may be just your family. It may be that you are a teacher with students you are responsible for or a church leader with members to give an answer. It may be the many friends you have or perhaps it is just you. 

Regardless of to whom you are personally responsible for, you are tasked with listening to the Lord speak and warning those in your sphere of influence. To do this, you must be faithful to your watch. You must be spending time in prayer, giving yourself to the study of God's Word, listening to the Spirit within, paying attention to the words of faithful Christians and even the circumstances around you. 

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful...so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Col 2:2-6).  Jus' Watchn. 

Killing Moses

One of the most revered figures in Israel's antiquity and the Lawgiver and first leader of the nation. Set aside from birth as God's chosen one to deliver Israel from Egyptian oppression and one of only two to appear with Christ in a glorified state on the Mt of Transfiguration. Moses was God's number one man in his day and God was about to kill him: "the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him" (Exodus 4:24).

OK Moses, what horrible thing did you do to motivate God to kill his chosen one?  What on earth could you have done that was so terrible that the appropriate response from God was your death?  The answer - Nothing.  Moses did nothing when he was supposed to do something as the leader of God's people, in particular: he did not circumcise his own son. 

Circumcision was the covenant sign given of God to Abraham, the Father of the Faithful: "You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised" (Gen 17:11).

Moses, for whatever reason, chose not to initiate that covenant between God and his own son. God chose to remove Moses from leadership and life. But not for his wife, Zipporah, Moses would have been stricken: "But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. So the Lord let him alone" (Exodus 4:25-26).

Moses was guilty of what s called the sin of omission: "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them" (James 4:17).  Moses, the leader of God's people, was choosing not to lead then in the Covenant Path. What was he thinking?  Are you a leader in your church or community or home? What are you thinking or doing or not doing?  Jus' Askn. 

Net Gain

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 5, verses 1-11, we read about a divine intervention, where Peter and his partners, James and John, had fished in a spot all night but came up with empty nets.  But then, after teaching the gathered crowd, Jesus instructed Peter to let out his nets again. 

Peter, an experienced fisherman, was certain that there were no fish to be found, a certainty he expressed to Jesus saying, "we have fished here all night and have caught nothing," nonetheless, however doubtful he might have been, he was willing to obey, "yet, because you say so, I will let down the nets."

When he did, his nets caught so much fish, his boat nearly sank and he had to call for his partners to come help with the catch. They saw a net gain from zero to more than they could have imagined. 

What Peter learned that day was that the power of God multiplies the efforts of man to the point of bringing abundance out of nothing. Staying in the same spot, doing the same thing, but now out of obedience to God, gaining a great reward where only emptiness existed before. 

Peter learned that day that it was not the what we do but the whom for which we do it that matters. He learned the power and the blessing of serving God not man,  listening to the voice of the Lord not self, obeying heavenly direction even when it made no earthly sense. 

Peter, along with James and John, all of whom left their nets and their boats to follow Jesus, learned the net gain of discipleship was truly out of this world. Obeying God, no matter what our natural inclinations or the collective wisdom of thers might be, always results in gain. To the point that Paul would later proclaim, "To live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21).  Jus' Sayn. 

Comfort Zone

They were preparing their nets, a job rhey been doing for as long as they could remember, fishing was their lives as it was their father before them and his father before that and so on. They were in their comfort zone, doing what had become second nature to them - they could do this job virtually in their sleep. 

That was about it change, the Rabbi came and called them, "Come follow me" (Mark 1:17).  To be called by a rabbi was to become his disciple, to become a teacher like him. They were fishermen - few occupations had more steps between them than what they were and what they were called to become. 

Talk about stepping outside your comfort zone!  A rabbi would hardly talk to a fisherman. A disciple of a rabbi was normally picked from the best of students and groomed for years before being invited to become his disciple. These men had no background, no pedigree, no training. 

They were called to do what they could not do except for God. They were called to step completely out of their comfort zone and begin to do what had to be mind-boggling to them. And yet, "Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him" (Mark 1:20).

No thinking it over, no testing the water, they were called by the Lord and they followed. So often I have heard Christians turn down ministry opportunities saying, "I'm just not comfortable doing that."  Or, "I've never done that before."  When did comfort or prior experience become a part of God's calling?

Moses said he couldn't speak well enough to be a law-giver. Gideon tried to beg off becoming a judge because he had no standing. Peter told Jesus to leave him alone because he was not righteous enough to be an apostle. God's call stood because he doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called.  Are you beginning to feel uncomfortable?  Come on then, step into it!  Jus' Sayn.  

Right Thinking

When I took algebra in high school, I didn't like it, I didn't really understand it, I didn't see a need for it and it made my head hurt. When I got to college, as a religion major, I didn't like it much better and I still didn't see why I needed to endure it as I was not in the sciences. 

A little later on, when I took formal logic, I understood its application, saw a need for it and began to appreciate it as well. What changed about algebra?  Nothing - I changed as I began to see and appreciate what was beyond me and seemed unnecessary - even unreasonable for me to endure.  

God's ways, how he answers prayer and what he has or allows us to endure, are often like that - beyond us. It is even said sometimes, "Why God would allow such and such is beyond me!"  What we mean is that we don't agree, that we would have done things differently and even expected God to respond or act in a way that made more sense to us or had our stamp of approval. 

So, why doesn't God act more reasonable?  Why does he do or allow things that tend to confound us?  The same reason he shared with Isaiah millennia ago: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways....As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa 55:8-9). 

God doesn't reason like us anymore than we reason like a three year-old. Parents often confuse and confound their children with their logic and their choices. Later on, looking back, the child become adult understands why - but rarely in the moment. 

We can't always understand God's answers to prayer or his reasons to allow events and circumstances. But we can always trust that God is good, that God is right and that God is able. Jus' Sayn. 

The Wheelbarrow

The story is told of a tight rope artist who, at the turn of the 20th century, stretched a cable across Niagra Falls. He wowed the crowd with his courage and his agility. After proving himself to them, he asked if they believed he could take someone across in a wheelbarrow, to which they all said yes. Then he asked for a volunteer - silence.

They believed he could do what he said but weren't willing to risk getting in the wheelbarrow. They were sure he could do it, just not with any of them. Somehow, that didn't seem very certain. 

God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah saying, "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jer 32:27).  The answer, of course, is no. But what if He asked you to "get in the wheelbarrow"?  

What if God asked you to give up your career, sell your house and take your family to a third-world country?  What if He asked you to  open a shelter for the homeless?  What if He asked you launch a street ministry?  You believe God can and does call people and sustain them in such ministries, but do you believe He could use you?

Can God use people to publicly proclaim Hus Word, witness to their neighbors, open their homes to strangers, teach a Bible class, share lunch with homeless people, love their worst enemy, do what they could not do?  Can He do all those things and more through you?  Are you willing to get in the wheelbarrow?  Jus' Askn

Forgetting God

It is so much easier to remember God when in the middle of a firestorm. You've just lost your job, your house is about to be foreclosed on, you're facing heart surgery, your doctor just used the "C" word, your spouse just walked out on you...  In those moments, the words "Dear God" roll off the tongue so easily. 

But later, after He has blessed you with another job or a better opportunity, when somehow He's provided you with a way to keep your home, after you've recovered from surgery, incredibly you've survived cancer or you've found new life without your old spouse, somehow now you begin to think how resourceful you were or how much stronger you were than you thought. 

When the storm is over and the sailing is smooth again, how easy it becomes to rely on your own nautical skills, as if you were the one that came to your own rescue or that you were the one that calmed the storm. Your cry to The Lord becomes faint and the memory of His hand in the storm fades. God provides and we forget. 

The words Moses originally spoke to the ancient Israelites, are just as applicable today, "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God" (Deut 8:10-11).

One of two things is likely to follow our memory loss: 1) Thinking we were able to control our circumstances, we face the next storm alone and fail; or 2) Forgetting God brought through the last catastrophe, we tremble in fear as the next storm cloud looms on the horizon.  

We forget that we are not in control of life and fail to remember that we don't need to be because God is in control and that He wants to bless us if we will only turn to Him. Jus' Sayn. 

Together

It is early Sunday morning. I've bee awake for a while, worshipping God in prayer and study of His Word. After I finish this writing, I will head to the shower and start getting ready to go an early prayer time with my son-in-law to be followed by worship at the church where he preaches here in Texas. 

But why?  Why am I going to worship as I have already been worshipping this morning - why do I have to go again?  Was my private worship not real worship?  Will the corporate worship be more pleasing to God?

To begin with, it has nothing to do with having to go, it is a choice I make because I have the freedom to go. And, worship is not the primary reason for gatherng with other Christians. It is something we will do but as I've said, I've already been worshipping God, alone, just as Jesus often did, setting an example for us. So, why the collective worship time?

Let me share a passage that adds light to the subject: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb 10:24-25).

Did you see the reason for the corporate gathering?  It was not primarily for worship, it was encouragement - to spur one another on.  While we can, and I believe should, worship God privately, we need to come together in worship so that we can encourage each other in word and song and fellowship. I can worship God alone but I cannot encourage or be encouraged when I keep to myself.

Jus' Sayn. 

God Sight

In Philippians 4:6, the apostle Paul wrote, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  Thirteen verses later in his epistle,  he boldly proclaims the outcome of such trust: "...my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." (V. 19).

And yet, in-between those verses, Paul said that he had "learned the secret of being content in any circumstance," including being hungry or in want.  So what gives?  Is he saying God will meet all our needs or not?  He is indeed.

However, he is not saying that God will meet all our wants or keep us in comfort and safety every moment of our lives. In fact, difficulties or trials can sometimes be exactly what we need.  As James, the brother of Jesus, wrote, "Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds as they work to bring about perseverance that you may be complete,not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4). 

We tend to see things in the here and now, with the most painful or urgent as having the most value. However, urgent does not equate with important and pain does not equal loss.  A telephone ring is urgent but so often not important at all. A workout in a gym may be very painful but ends in gain not loss. 

We tend to see things from the very limited perspective of time, while God's vantage point is eternity. Let me give you an example of this difference. Suppose you were on your way to an important meeting and a tire blows out. Is that a gain or a loss?  From the perspective of the here and now, it is a loss. However, what if, after you changed the tire and continued down the road, you came upon a multi-car pile up in which several people were killed?  Was your flat really a minus or a plus?

We can't know the final reality of a circumstance but God does.  Question is, "Do we trust him?"  Jus' Askn. 

God's Gym

While it is said that God will not give more than we can bear, the theology of which is taken from an expanded and somewhat loose interpretation of 1 Cor 10:13, it is certainly true that there are times when we feel weighed down to the breaking point. In fact, there are absolutely times when it is necessary that we help "carry each other's burdens" (Gal 6:2). 

So why does God allow such heavy burdens in the first place?  Why not remove the burdens and take away those things which weigh us down?  

To begin with, much of the excess weight is not from God or our circumstances but from ourselves. Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow "for each day has enough trouble (weight) of its own" (Matt 6:34).  Yet, we tend to pile on the worries of tomorrow and the regrets of yesterday. 

The burden God does allow, however, is not too much or to be avoided necessarily: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).

What if you were to join a gym with all sorts of weights and resistance equipment but, instead of hiring a trainer to help you make the most of the painful and exhausting workout, you hired someone to do it for you.  It would be easier but what would be the benefit?  The pain if resistance is the key to growth and development.  In like manner, character, it has been said, is hammered out on the anvil of adversity.

Jesus offers "rest from our burdens" by inviting us to be "yoked" (Matt 11:28-30) with him, letting him "teach" us as he helps pull along side us, not pull for us. Jus' Sayn. 

Taking Notice

In Exodus chapter 3, a shepherd had taken his father-in-law's sheep to feed on the far side of the wilderness. He noticed a bush burning in the distance, which was not a particularly uncommon sight in that hot, arid part of the world. However, he paused to look at it and noticed it was burning but burning up. 

Taking note of the unusual circumstance, he went over to investigate further.  As he did, a voice spoke to him out of the bush. The voice in that encounter would forever change his life and the history of the world as God gave Moses his marching orders. 

In the middle of the mundane, something a little less mundane may catch your eye. Rather than take time to investigate, we often pass on by because we have so much to do, so many responsibilities or we simply are too tired to care. 

What if, however, that moment was an opportunity for a Divine Intersection?  What if, by passing up a closer look, you passed on hearing a word from The Lord?  I'm not suggesting that every slightly uncommon event is a call from God or even should be cause for pause but when you notice something and you think, "Hmmm, I wonder if I should look closer?" Perhaps you should. 

Maybe stopping to talk with a homeless person who catches your attention could lead to a word from God or an opportunity to exercise the Christian Grace of giving. Perhaps just stopping to smell a rose could remind you of God's presence in this world. Possibly, taking a different route to work because you saw something in the distance could open a whole vista for you. 

"When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am" (Ex 3:4).  Moses eye was caught by a slightly uncommon event, he paused to look long enough to note there was something more, which drew him closer. That's when God spoke to him.  Jus' Sayn. 

Harmony

As the tme for his death approached, Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples - that they might experience the kind of oneness found in the godhead itself. His prayer, however, was not limited to the small band who closely followed him or even the larger group in Jerusalem - it was universal in scope:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me …" (John 17:20-21).

Did you catch the width of the net cast - "all who believe in me"?  Notice he did not say "all who believe like you."  In fact, he chastised the early disciples for trying to exclude someone they did not recognize as part of their movement: “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me" (Mark 9:38-39).

Just because someone is different than you in religious practice doesn't mean they are not unified with you in faith. A quarterback directs more than just receivers and a conductor directs more than just wood winds. Have you considered how different the parts are in four-part harmony?  Unity is achieved in harmony that comes from following the same Director, not necessarily walking lockstep.

Do you remember the song "Ebony and Ivory?"  The polar different piano keys of black and white work together to create perfect harmony. In the Church Universal and between the churches local, we can live and work in harmony of faith without uniformity of religious practice. And when we do, the world around us will be drawn to that harmony which points to our Father above. Jus' Sayn. 

Focus

Jesus warned, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt 6:22-23).

It is clear that our inward health - whether we are positive and strong or negative and weak - is determined by what we allow ourselves to focus upon. If we focus on the dark and the ugly and the evil, our spirit will be darkened and depressed. If, instead, we focus on the bright and the lovely and the good, inwardly we are lifted up. 

In view of that truth, the apostle Paul instructs, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things" (Phil 4:8).

It is imperative  that we choose wisely that upon which we focus. We can't help see what we see but we can determine upon what we will focus. We can choose to look closely at the bad in others or search for the good that is there - we can find both. We can listen to all the bad news about us or we can look for improvements. We can watch Fox or CNN all day or immerse ourselves in the Word or Kingdom activity. 

The point is, the inward part of you, the light or the dark, that you feed the most, will grow the most. It your choice - focus wisely. Jus' Sayn. 

Voices

Perhaps you've seen the quip on Facebook that says something like, "I know the voices in my head aren't real but they come up with such good ideas."  Actually, not.  The voices, may not be real in an audible sense, but they have a real source.  The source may be evil or good, Satan or God.  And the ideas planted may be good or may be terribly bad - it depends on the source. 

We not only live in a spiritual war zone - a spiritual war zone exists within us. The apostle Paul is quite clear about this in Romans 7:22-23, "...in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind..."

Abraham was "...called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance...even though he did not know where he was going" (Heb 11:8).  Can you imagine the competing voices clamoring in his head, telling him how crazy this idea was, how foolish to head off into parts unknown, how much he was leaving behind...?

We have those voices saying, "I know I should but," "I know I shouldn't but," "It's time to act," "It's my fault," "I'm no good," "I am loved," etc.  Which ones should we listen to?  The obvious answer is the ones from the Spirit of God.  But how do we know which voice is His?

Testing - "...test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil" (1 Thess 5:21-22).  We must ask the Spirit to train our ears to distinguish His voice. We must be in prayer daily, communing with the Spirit of God. We must daily be reading the Words of God's Spirit (The Bible). We must be in regular communication with God's children (Christians). 

When we regularly pray, read the Bible and assemble with other Christians, we learn His language, His message, His voice. And knowing His voice, we know what is not His. Jus' Sayn. 

Timing

There is an often quoted but seldom understood passage in Matthew 8:21, 22: "Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."  On the surface, it seems rather harsh, that Jesus would turn someone away just because he wanted to do the honorable thing of overseeing his Dad's final arrangements. 

The problem with that observation is that it isn't very observant. To begin with, in the previous toe verses (19, 20), another individual says, "I will follow you whever you go," to which Jesus Responds, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  Then, in verse 21 (the first part that most seem to gloss over) says, "Another disciple said to him..."

Jesus was not turning away someone from salvation, he was telling his disciple that the opportunity to join him in his personal ministry was now. The work of God could not wait on the convenience of man's circumstances. The disciple was free to stay until his father passed, make and conclude the arrangements.  He was also invited to go with Jesus and his apostles - he could not do both. 

It is no different today when we feel the call of God to join him in a ministry or mission and we say, "I'll go, just let me get my kids through school first or get to retirement or retire my mortgage. God will allow you to do that but the ministry or mission to which he was calling you will be accomplished by someone else, someone ready to go when God calls.

Whenever God calls, there will be some circumstance that makes it inconvenient for you but God knows your circumstances and he knows the power he can bring to bear as well as the people he can send your way to help. When God calls,the timing is right, regardless of your circumstance. Jus' Sayn. 

Ears To Hear

In Matthew 13:1ff, Jesus tells the parable of the farmer who broadcasts seed into a field. Some of the seed falls on the hard path and was eaten by the birds. Some fell on rocky ground and lacked enough root to survive. Some fell on thorny ground and was choked out. But some fell on good soil and grew to produce an abundant harvest. 

The farmer is the Lord, the seed is the Word, the ground is us and the ground conditions are the various things in life which clamor so loudly that it becomes difficult if not impossible to hear the Word. The Word goes out to everyone but not everyone hears it because they are so engrossed in the world and the circumstances of life. 

Some hear but the desires of the heart or the opportunities of life begin to clamor louder and louder as to crowd out the Word of Life, embracing the shallow faux life offered by Satan. 

Some hear but then the circumstances of life and the worries for tomorrow begin to beat the drums of fear so loudly that personal concerns overshadow the message of the Kingdom. 

Then there are those so receptive to the Word that they hear it's life-giving message clearly, they hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him gladly. When problems arise, they listen for the Master's call instead of the Enemy's clamoring. They hear the promises of God over the propaganda of the Devil. 

To those who hear God's voice above the din of the world and see what is real, Jesus says, "blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear" (Matt 13:16).  Do you?  Do you have ears trained on the Word of God or on the world of goods?  You do have ears, but to what are you listening?  By the Spirit's power, you can develop ears to hear His voice. Jus' Sayn.