Break Up Some Roof Shingles Today

“Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 11:4-5

We read the two verses above as part of the story of the four men who brought their friend to Jesus.

We know the miraculous ending but what if we stopped for a moment and put ourselves in the shoes of those four men.

Desperation for their friend drove them to do what they did but at the time they had no way of knowing the final outcome.

Yet they did what few others would consider doing.

They dug through the roof above Jesus!

They didn’t, perhaps couldn’t, push through the crowd with the cot their friend was lying on poking people out of the way with one of its’ corners.

Maybe they understood there were other desperate people in that crowd who were not about to give up their spot to anyone.

Think about the debris that may have fallen on Jesus and the others as they worked to dig that hole in the rough.

Talk about distractions during a sermon!

Maybe, just maybe, one or more of them wondered out loud...

“Do you think Jesus will be mad at us for making such a scene!”

It is probably safe to say that some in that room and overflow crowd would be.

Yet they had to get their friend to Jesus.

How hard do you push to come into His presence?

I am not talking about any barriers God might put up.

He actually removed the barriers when His Son died on the cross.

I am speaking of how easily we are often dissuaded.

“I’m busy right now!”

“I don’t think He like me!”

“I know others have more pressing needs!”

The list goes on and on...

Let’s break up some roof shingles today to come into His presence, shall we?

Will you?

Out on a Limb

You’ve heard a lot about Him.

What an opportunity, He is coming to your town.

But you are so short and the crowds are enormous how can you possibly even get a glimpse of this one they are calling the Messiah?

Are you desperate enough to climb that tree over there?

Sure, why not!

Your wealth certainly won’t get you a better view and you know better than to throw your weight around, after all chief tax collectors are despised.

So up the tree I go....

 “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him,

“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 

So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Luke 19: 5-6

His desire to see Jesus was satisfied.

And in a far greater way than he could have imagined!

Desperation opens doors shut to those who tepidly follow.

Zacchaeus was so desperate it mattered little what others thought of Him.

He wanted to see Jesus.

That same tree was available to others but scripture doesn’t record that he had any company that day when he went out on a limb to see Jesus.  

Are you willing to go out on a limb to see Jesus today?

Desperate for God

“Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;

    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,

    for we are in desperate need.”

Psalm 79:8

How desperate are you for the presence of God?

Is it healing that draws you?

Are you filled with guilt or shame -

Is that what beckons you to draw near?

Sometimes desperation overrides pride.

The Bible is filled with stories of desperate people and the measures they took for an ‘audience’ with the King.

They were so desperate that they cared little what others said about them.

Their reputation was of less value than standing before Him!

Have you ever been in that place?

Has His presence mattered more than how people think of you?

Maybe your ‘entrance’ has left others angry, confused or jealous.

But not God!

His love for us is not diminished by our desperate methods.

As we’ve already noted, He has even recorded a few of them in His Word.

May they be a lesson for us as we look together this week at some examples.

So I ask again, how desperate are you for His presence?

Free Indeed

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

This past weekend, myself and some other members of my church went to a local correctional facility to share about the love and the life changing power of Jesus.

As I think about all the inmates in prison, I can’t help but think about the many Christ followers who still remain in a spiritual prison.  Spiritual prison cells can come in many different shapes and sizes.

There are prison cells of guilt.

There are prison cells of shame.

There are prison cells of fear.

Did you surrender your life to Jesus?  Are you a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven?  If yes, then no prison cell can hold you. The Ruler of the kingdom has declared you “free.”  And not just free, but “free indeed.”

The word “indeed” is used to underscore that something is true and it’s no accident Jesus chose to use it.

He wanted us to know loud and clear that the freedom He offers is complete and total.

He swung the prison doors wide open permanently.  If anything holds us prisoner today, it is by our choice.  The prison door is open.  We only need to walk out.

We are free, indeed!

Our very best Thanksgiving Wishes to Each and Everyone of You!

Rejected by the World

“...I have sent them into the world."

John 17:18

No one likes rejection.

We like acceptance and will do many (sometimes crazy) things to be accepted.

If we had our own way we would never go where we know we will be rejected.

And yet, Jesus sends us into the world!

Just take a look at our verse for today.

But we find just a few verses earlier in that same chapter and in the same prayer Jesus is praying that He makes this declaration –

“I have given them your word and the world has hated them...”

Talk about a set-up!

Jesus sent His disciples into the world knowing that the world would hate them.

He sends us into that same world.

But He has given us His Holy Spirit.

We are to be of a Kingdom not of this world.

His Kingdom!

As He was rejected, we too will be.

We don’t look for it, we simply live for Him.

That is enough because the kingdoms of this world are opposed to His Kingdom.

Some have even try to make His word more palatable in order that they might not face that rejection.

They may claim they are doing so to make it more relevant but Gods’ Word is always relevant.

Stand firm on His Word and in your testimony even when the rejection comes.

Know that your King faced the same rejection when He walked in this world!

Created with Purpose

“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."

John 17:4

How do we best glorify God with our lives?

Jesus answered that question, not only for Himself but for every one of us as He prayed the words captured in today’s verse above.

Since He had not yet gone to the cross, perhaps these words were even spoken prophetically by Him until that time He declared: “It is finished.”

We can do nothing greater with our lives than to complete the work God has created each of us to do.

In a very real sense, everything else is just noise!

No matter how great the supernatural signs and wonders if we are not living in our purpose we are, to one degree or another, missing the mark.

Is that harsh?

It is not meant to be.

What it serves to help us realize is how valuable we are to God.

He has a unique and special purpose for each one of us.

Yes, that’s right all 5 billion plus people.

But today I encourage you not to think of the rest of the planet – but to consider it personally.

Am I fulfilling the purpose for which God created me?

Rehearse the Good Work

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

Are you confident of God’s continued good work in you?

Are there days when that trust wanes just a bit?

Let me offer you a confidence building exercise for those times.

Rehearse what God has brought you through.

Rehearse the blessings – as the old hymn says – name then one by one!

Rehearse the protection of God over your life through the years.

Ever faced an illness or sickness He has healed and brought you through – remember it.

How about struggles in relationships or in finances?

The Bible tells us that it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord.

Maybe you find yourself in a season where that is not as easy to do.

Then recall His good work in you throughout your walk with Him.

We are much better at rehearsing the scenarios of trouble, pain and hurt.

Let’s turn that around and instead rehearse the victories, triumphs and blessings of the Lord.

We can be confident that God will finish His GOOD work in each of us!

Look, no hands!

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

At work the other day, I had a significant task that needed to be completed and I was worried it wouldn’t get done on time.  After expressing concern to my co-worker, she turned to me and said “Trust me.  I will make sure it gets done.”

It was a big relief to hear those words, but I still couldn’t stop worrying about the work actually being completed.

We do the same thing with God.  He asks us to trust Him, but we struggle to release the reins.  We say we trust him, but our restless heart and constant worrying say otherwise.

Trust and a peaceful heart go hand in hand.  If we say we trust God, but continue to worry about something going wrong or not turning out as we think it should, then we are not truly releasing the situation into God hands.

This is especially true when we are going through a difficult time. We worry and fret.  We work frantically to try and control the outcome, but all along God is whispering “trust me.”

As long as we keep our hands on the wheel of our lives, we limit what God can do.

Are you going through a tough time at the moment?  Do you sense God challenging you to trust Him?

Stop trying to steer your situation. Take both hands off the wheel.

I promise, you will be glad you did.

Tree of Life Tongues

“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,

but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."

Proverbs 15:4

If only we believed how powerful our words really are – the power to bring life or crush the spirit.

Suppose you forgot to water your plant for one day.

You would probably not see noticeable difference in the plant.

Now suppose that day after day you neglect to water it.

On day one of the ‘drought’ the plant does not readily appear to suffer for its lack, but the repeated neglect slowly begins to take a toll.

Maybe you have been the victim of a daily tongue lashing from someone – or worst yet – you have lashed out repeatedly at someone else with your words.

The impact – to the recipient is immediate – even if the ‘evidence’ is not.

Many people are walking around with smiles on their faces but crushed spirits on the inside.

Lord:

Help me to see the spirit of a man in order to speak healing words that are like a tree of life.

Let it not be ‘once and done’ but over and over that I build up and encourage.

May my words please you every time I open my mouth.

In Jesus name – Amen.

Truth From The Truth

“...Let God be true, and every human being a liar..."

Romans 3:4

What does a church look like when it gets its’ mission, purpose and revelation - not from the third heaven where the God’ throne and authority rule but – from the first heaven – the earthly realm?

That would be a church that adapts the culture; not merely adapting to the culture but actually adapting the culture (since there is a big difference).

Paul knew that the message of the Good News of the Gospel was relevant and he adapted his message accordingly.

“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”

I Corinthians 9:22

However, he never implied through this passage or anywhere else in his writing that he would compromise the truth to win people to Christ.

 The church is not a true reflection of Christ when she becomes a ‘little bit of leaven’ to win sinners.

Paul adapted his message but never watered down or compromised the truth.

He knew that the preaching of the cross was foolishness to some and that did not mean he would stop preaching the cross or the Kingdom of God.

We should always try to be relevant but never so relevant that the message of Christ is left in the dust behind us.

May our mission, our purpose and our revelation come from heaven where God is seated on the throne and not from the earth!

A Kingdom Revealed

“Jesus said,

"My kingdom is not of this world...my kingdom is from another place."

John 18:36

  

Those things that you can experience with your five natural senses will one day disappear.

There is a spiritual realm all around us, invisible to the natural eye, which is eternal.

But it is not enough to see into that realm and perceive what is taking place there if we want to see Gods’ Kingdom and His will come to pass on the earth.

We must pray, live and work to bring heaven to earth.

In part, that is what Jesus spoke of when He said we were to be in the world but not of the world and what He meant when He said:

 “My kingdom is not of this world.”

He revealed His Father and He revealed the Kingdom.

Every healing revealed a Kingdom where there is no sickness or disease.

Multiplied loaves and fishes?

That revealed a kingdom where there is no lack of provision.

The ultimate revelation came on the cross and through the resurrection by showing us a kingdom of love triumphing over evil and giving to each of us that same power.

Are you revealing that Kingdom today?

An Open Heaven

“Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;

you are the king of Israel.”

Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree.

You will see greater things than that.” He then added,

“Very truly I tell you, you will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

John 1:49-51

Have you ever peered into heaven?

Or

Have you seen heaven opened?

Does it matter?

Well, if Jesus taught His disciples to pray:

“...thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...”

I would have to say that it does matter what is happening in heaven!

So how would we know?

A fair question I can ask in response to that question is:

Where are you seated?

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him

in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,”

Ephesians 2:6

Are you seated in the heavenly realms?

God wants us to be His Ambassadors on the earth.

He wants us to bring heaven to earth.

We are seated in the heavenly realms.

Our affections are to be set on heaven and not on earth.

Our affections are set in heaven in order that we, as we live on this earth, can live out those affections here.

His Kingdom coming to the earth!

Have you peered into heaven today?

Where do you get your marching orders from?

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

God desires that earth looks, feels, and tastes like heaven.  But that being accomplished depends in large part on us (His church).

When Jesus gave us authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19), the responsibility to bring heaven to earth fell on us.

So how do we bring heaven to earth?  By allowing heaven to influence our lives, and not the earthly system around us.

With all the noise and distractions around us, it is increasingly harder to hear from heaven.  But if we are ever to help bring heaven to earth as Jesus prayed, we need to get our marching orders from heaven.

We need to silence the voice of the world in our lives and tune our ears to heaven.

How do we do that?  Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven.

When we hear from heaven and bring the truth and power of God’s kingdom to earth, we transform it.  Through us, the earth begins to operate under the authority of heaven and God’s will is done.

As an ambassador of Christ, are you getting your marching orders from heaven?

The Very Best Teacher

“If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,”

Galatians 6:3-4

If you think you are “all that” when you are not you really are not fooling anyone.

The real deception is to you.

Others are often much more aware of your shortcomings than you are.

Sometimes because they have been at the receiving end of those shortcomings!

Maybe it was your temper, maybe your impatience; whatever they might be we often have a blind spot to all of them.

If you struggle with looking down on others smugly maybe it’s because you are comparing yourself and your state with them.

We ought to ‘test our own actions’.

How about comparing your walk today with your walk of a month or a year ago?

Are you growing in your walk with the Lord?

You know you can ask Him to guide your steps?

He has given us the Holy Spirit as one who comes alongside to lead us and to guide us into all truth.

Don’t be blind, deaf or dumb to opportunities to grow in your life.

Let the Holy Spirit set your course and curriculum!

He is Still an Awesome God!

“Let them praise your great and awesome name—

    he is holy.”

Psalm 99:3

It’s over

The proverbial “fat lady has sung”.

Votes were cast.

Many are elated and many are disappointed.

I have no idea of the results as I write this.

I am sure of one thing though.

Regardless of winners and losers, God is still on the throne.

Maybe that sounds cliché or trite to you but nonetheless it is truth.

God is not in heaven working a Plan B.

Nor is He wringing His hands wondering what to do next.

As the old chorus reminds us – Our God is an awesome God!

So maybe today you are one of the ‘happy ones’ or maybe you are one of the disappointed ones.

Either way if you are a child of God the mission has not changed:

Roll up your sleeves and continue to advance His Kingdom.

Let His love be shed abroad in your heart to others.

And here’s a not-so-novel idea – if your candidate didn’t win – pray for the one that did!

May I Take Your Burden, Please?

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2

Carry one another’s burdens in prayer!

Can you feel the weight of it?

If not, perhaps you are only pretending to carry their burden.

Pray earnestly for one another understanding that we are our brother’s keeper.

When others in the family of God are hurting it should have an impact on each of us.

“Well they are hurting because of their choices!”

Maybe that’s true but have you ever made a wrong choice?

We are too quick to judge and too slow to pray.

I am so grateful for those in the family of God who carry my burdens in prayer to the Lord.

Relationship allows for that.

Our relationship with one another and with the Lord makes it possible.

When we “roll up our sleeves”, enter our prayer closet and lift one another’s burdens to the Lord in prayer there is a compassion He gives us that we would not otherwise have!

There is just something about caring for one another as Christ cares for us.

Whose burden can you lighten today simply by taking it to the Lord in prayer?

Restored!

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin,

you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.

But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”

Galatians 6:1

Certainly we understand that Paul wrote this letter to believers.

Paul calls them brothers and sisters at the outset of this verse to remind them that they are family and family ought to behave in a certain way.

Jesus once had someone brought to Him who was “...caught in a sin...”

Paul admonishes his ‘family’ to respond as Jesus did.

He restored the woman caught in adultery gently.

The word ‘restore’ as used in the verse above means to bring them back to their place in Christ and in grace.

It is not our role to humiliate, shame or castigate the one who has sinned.

That might be a ‘cute’ social media post when your pet has had an accident but it certainly is no way to restore a brother or sister in Christ.

Remember the old adage: There but for the grace of God go I.

None of us are above falling into sin when we are tempted.

If you think otherwise you have already fallen to pride!

Stop for a moment and think about how you would want to be treated if it were you.

And then do likewise!

Will We Perceive It

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)

Have you ever tried to lift a poorly taped box only to have the box break and the contents to spill out on the floor?  Pretty annoying, uh?

That has happened to me on multiple occasions, so now when I pack a box I make sure the box is securely taped on the top, bottom and even the sides.  Sometimes I will even go overboard and mummify the box with tape to ensure nothing will fall out.

That may be a good rule of thumb when packing, but when it comes to our spiritual lives, our spiritual boxes should be very loosely taped.

Let’s face it, we all have spiritual boxes of some sort.  By a spiritual box, I mean a framework that holds what we believe to be true as Christ followers.

When properly aligned with God’s Word, spiritual boxes can be helpful to keep us from being led astray.  But, when they are not closely based on what the bible teaches, spiritual boxes can be dangerous because they put false limitations on how we believe God moves and who He chooses to move upon.

Spiritual boxes can keep us from recognizing a new move of God because it doesn’t fit our past experiences.

God will not violate His scripture, but He can and does move in many different ways.

For example, we may think God will not move upon a certain group of people because their lifestyle doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional Christ follower or we believe God can’t use certain individuals because they don’t hold to the same doctrines that we do.

But who are we to put limitations upon God?  In Numbers chapter 22, God spoke through a donkey.  Need I say more?

We need to be careful our spiritual box is not wound too tightly.  God is always on the move.  The question is will we perceive it?

The Impossible

The Impossible

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

A few months back, my soon-to-be-married daughter asked if I would build her a coffee table and two end tables, something I have never done before.  As I reviewed the plans she downloaded from the Internet, fear rose up in me.

In my daughter’s eyes, her daddy could do anything, but as I looked at what she was asking me to do, I had serious doubts about my ability to do it.

I had thoughts of starting the project only to get part way through and fail miserably.  I thought about how I would have to explain to my daughter that her father wasn’t all that and watch as I got knocked down a few pegs on her hero-meter.

But, in spite of my fears of failure, I decided to try.  So, I took one step at a time and little by little the first table began to take shape.  After getting part way through, my fears subsided and I began to think “I can do this.”

I eventually finished the coffee table and both end tables.  My daughter was thrilled with the results and today is even more convinced her daddy can do anything.

When I think back, I’m so grateful my daughter asked me, because if she hadn’t, I would have missed out on accomplishing something I didn’t think was possible.

If you walk with the Lord long enough, He will eventually ask you to do something that is way out of your comfort zone, something you have never attempted before.  It will most likely cause fear to rise up in your heart and thoughts like “I can’t do that” to go dancing through your mind.

But, do not be afraid.  Be determined to take that first step.  Before you know it, the task will be complete and a whole new realm of possibilities will be opened to you.

Then you will look back in wonder at the journey and give thanks to the One who asked you to take that first step.

And, a culture of confidence will be developed in you and the next time God asks you to do something, your heart will shout “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Follow Through and Finish Up!

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6

Suppose, like the servant of the Prophet in the Old Testament, we were given a momentary glimpse into the spiritual realm.

Suppose we had our eyes opened to be able to see what we cannot normally see.

I wonder what our eyes would spy?

What would your spiritual landscape look like?

Would it appear as many abandoned buildings that were half completed?

Would it be littered with the “I wishes” we so often start in the spirit but never finish?

Are we building a heritage of abandoned works or will we declare that, with God, we can do all things He has called us to do?

Don’t let your legacy be that of half-finished works, half-finished relationships and half-finished destinies.

Jesus last words on the cross were “It is finished”.

I wonder if I sometimes (too often) walk away prematurely from what God is doing in my life as if to cry out at that moment – “It is almost finished!”

Do we give up when we should be persevering?

Do we throw in the towel moments before the victory comes?

Take a lesson today from Philippians 1:6

God completes what He starts.

That includes the work He is doing in you!

Allow Him to work through you to complete what you have started for Him -

Follow through and finish up!

Hold Fast

“Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing,

but later you will understand.”

John 13:7

Distractions, impatience, discouragement, uninterested, immaturity, bad counsel.

This is just a short list of some of the reasons we may walk away from a work of God before it is completed.

I think we can probably all identify with at least one of those and likely add one or two more.

God does not move on our timetable but He is always right on time.

That calls for an adjustment on our part.

All of these drive through windows we have come accustomed to in our world just maybe are contributing to our impatience when it comes to what God is doing.

We do not want to wait beyond what we determine to be a reasonable time.

But what is reasonable?

Ask Abraham and Sarah what a reasonable wait for a child is.

Ask Joseph about his wait in the prison.

Or Hannah’s wait for a child...

The list could go on but I think you get the point.

Ae you willing to participate with God until He brings to pass the finished work He has purposed in His heart?

Hold fast!