Go Get ‘em God?

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.”

Romans 12:19 (Amplified)

 

 

Supernatural love rejects all motives of revenge.

Read the verse above again.

Do you find yourself cheering on the judgment of God, or as this translation puts it, His wrath, vengeance and repayment?

If you do (and I confess that same sentiment in my heart too many times),

 then ask yourself this question:

Why the delay?

Why does it seem like so long before God’s wrath is poured out on those who deserve it?

Is God gathering all the evidence?

Is He allowing them ‘enough rope to hang themselves’?

No, I don’t think so because if that were the case, none would escape.

You see we must remember the simple truth of Romans 3:23

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

It is the longsuffering patient love of God that holds back His wrath and judgment.

As it did for you and me, it does so for our enemies.

God paid a heavy price to set men free from their sins and He gives all of us the opportunity to, like the Prodigal Son, come to our senses, and return to the Father.   

I have a feeling God is not sitting in heaven thinking to Himself:

“Just a little while longer and I get to pay all of them back.”

Instead, He longs for each and every one to accept the gift of His Son.

He waits patiently giving them all the opportunities to turn to Him.

“God is not willing that any should perish…”

He does not delight in pouring out His wrath.

He delights in pouring out His mercy.

May today’s verse not drive us to some celestial cheering section for divine payback but may it drive us to our knees in prayer for those who have not yet received His grace.

Escalate or Diffuse?

“If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Romans 12:18 (Amplified)

 

 

Supernatural love responds with peace.

We all face injustices in our lives.

It would be naïve of you and me to believe we could walk through life free of

conflict and offense.

But when those conflicts arise and those offenses come, how do you respond?  

Notice, the question is not how do the offending parties respond; rather how do you respond?

We are very good at ignoring or even justifying our hurt and anger.

We have good reason to be upset!

Maybe so.

But that does not change the biblical admonition.

We are to respond in a way that promotes peace and not conflict.

We are to work to diffuse and not escalate.  

The events of the past few nights in Baltimore, Maryland were ripe with examples of ‘diffusers’ and "escalators’.

But in our own personal lives we too face those same choices.

Do you make every attempt to live at peace with everyone?

Certainly there are times when that is not possible, as the scripture recognizes, but more often than not, we do have the choice.

We you escalate or will you diffuse?

A “No Return” Policy

“Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper

and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone.”

Romans 12:17 (Amplified)

 

 

Did you read the fine print?

That purchase you made last week has a “No Return” policy attached to it by the store.

As believers, we too, have a “No Return” policy in scripture.

It is found in today’s verse.

And like so many other commands of scripture it is hard to be obedient to its’ intent apart from the Spirit of God working in us.

We want a return policy on evil dished out to us.

 We say revenge is sweet.

But God inspired Paul to write these words as the correct alternate action –

“…take thought for what is honest and proper and noble…”

How interesting to me that the ‘corrective action’ prescribed points us to our thought life.

So often we ascribe evil intentions to someone’s innocent or accidental actions toward us.

Our thoughts go into overdrive about how

 “…they never liked me…”

or

“…they couldn’t wait to get even…”

and while that may be true sometimes, more often than not,

our thoughts have turned that tiny little mole hill into a mountain.  

But the advice still applies even if it was an intentional, malicious act.

We do not repay evil for evil.

Jesus gave us the ultimate example as He was dying on the cross.

“Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

So the next time you are tempted to ‘get even’ remember this:

God has given us a ‘No Return’ policy on evil.

He has commanded us to stop and think and take the honest, proper and noble response.

 No fine print there!

 

Being Christ to Others

“Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep

with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].”

Romans 12:15 (Amplified)

 

How well does today’s verse describe you?

Can you share in someone else’s’ blessings or is it a struggle?

Does it make you green with envy or does it thrill you?

I know people who can’t handle Facebook because it becomes, to them, a daily reminder of what they do not have.

The vacation, the dinner out, the well behaved child are now posted for everyone to see.

But while those kinds of things can, and do, offer the opportunity for growth I want us to think about the spiritual blessing and trials we all face.

When another persons’ ministry seems to know nothing but the blessings of God while your has been in what seems an interminable drought will you still be able to thank God for what He has poured out on them?

If you could have been a peer to Hannah in the book of Samuel how would you have responded to her in her moments of deep sadness over her barrenness?

Would you stand ready with a glib or trite comment or would you be able to come alongside with genuine support and love through her difficult season?

We all know someone like Hannah.

We have all met the blessed Elijah on the top of Mount Carmel after the spectacular victory over the prophets of Baal and then we meet him again but this time he is hiding from Jezebel in the wilderness.

Our human nature does not want to support and encourage others through the circumstances of life.  

We often feel better lecturing them.

Christ in us demands a different response.

I don’t often do this in my posts but I am going to assign some homework.

Ask God this week to lead you to at least one person you can rejoice with in a blessing and one person you can come alongside and ‘weep with’ through their season of hurt.

In both cases ask the Lord to give you words of encouragement and love that will strengthen them where they are.

I won’t collect the homework but feel free to comment back as God grows you in this area.

Practice Hospitality

Today's blog is contributed by David Trotta:

“Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.” (Romans 12:13 Amplified)

The definition for hospitality is “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.”

We often practice hospitality by opening our home to our friends, family, coworkers, and even acquaintances, but how often do we practice hospitality with strangers?

Did you know the Greek word translated “hospitality” in the New Testament literally means “love of strangers?”  In other words, God wants us to “pursue the practice of loving strangers.”

Hospitality doesn’t have to be limited to our home either.  We can demonstrate hospitality at work, at the mall or on a street corner.  You can receive and entertain a stranger in the supermarket aisle, doctor’s office or auto repair shop.  Hospitably can be shown anytime, anywhere.

God is the greatest example of hospitality in action.  He is the most hospital person that ever existed.  Through Jesus, God swung the door wide open and said “come on in.”  He is always inviting us into His presence and His door never closes.  It’s wedged open all the time.

And the more time we spend in God’s presence enjoying His hospitality, the more we will desire to give hospitality away to others.

How hospitable are you?  Will you join me in making hospitality a lifestyle?  Very few actions will proclaim more loudly “I love you,” or more importantly “God loves you.”

Hope to Harp On!

“Rejoice and exult in hope;

be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation;

 be constant in prayer.”

Romans 12:12 (Amplified)

 

 

So often scripture requires of you and me some very hard things.

Certainly, it makes you wonder where the accusation that

 “Christianity is for the weak” ever came from.

Of course it came from the accuser of the brethren, the devil.

It is perpetuated by those who have never walked as a believer.

All of today’s culture speaks the polar opposite of what we read today.

We are not told to be steadfast and patient at all.

Let alone in suffering and tribulation.

We are told to create our own destiny,

to find the path of least resistance and certainly not to rely on a ‘higher power’ in prayer.

Yet the Word of Truth, which will last for eternity (which is a lot longer than its’ naysayers) offers us a prescription for life.

As a matter of fact the first few words of todays’ verse “rejoice and exult in hope” become a sort of fortifying element to us so that we are better able to be steadfast when (not if) suffering and tribulation come to ‘visit’.

It is by no means a visit we welcome yet we can be ready.

Do you fortify yourself by rejoicing and exulting in hope?

Do you rely on the promises of Gods’ Word?

Do you remind yourself of what He has brought you through?

Do you rehearse in your mind the victories He has given you?

It is easy to contemplate the negatives we encounter.

Far, far too easy!

But that does not fortify our lives.

Hope does.

Let me offer you some ‘hope to harp on’:

Psalm 25:3

Proverbs 23:18

Isaiah 40:31

Lamentations 3:25

Romans 5:2

Romans 15:13

Galatians 5:5

 

…go ahead, I dare you!

https://youtu.be/tH6sNNJ4u8o

To That We Can All Say “Amen”!

“Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor;

be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.”

Romans 12:11 (Amplified)

 

 

Back in my scouting days one of my favorite things to do was hike.

As I grew older and moved from a scout attending camp to scout staff at the camp my days off were often spent on a hike.

I learned early, and it was often repeated, that safety considerations required that you never hike alone.

The Adirondack Mountains of Northern New York, home of the scout camp, are not the Rockies, the Alps or the Himalayas but they still demand a healthy respect for safety’s sake.

Whenever we hiked we were always reminded:

“Do not lag behind”.

Lagging behind meant separation and separation meant you did not have others to help if you were lost, hurt or in danger in some other way.

Lagging behind in zeal and earnest endeavor in our walk with the Lord also comes with real hazards.

Paul rightly cautions against it in today’s verse.

Isolation, apathy and idleness do not set our feet on a course whose destination is good.

It seems we can always find excuses (though we want to label them as legitimate and valid reasons, not excuses) why we need to separate from others, why we need to take some time to do nothing or why we just are not interested in doing what is right and good.

But, like the hiker left alone in the woods, we can become untethered from the faithful, and disoriented in our solitude.

Before you know it the zeal and passion we had for reaching our destination is lost.

When the way gets hard it is no time to lag behind.

Stir up that passion and zeal for the Lord.

Set your hands and feet in service to others.

We really cannot say it any better than Paul…

“…be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.”

To that we can all say “Amen!”

Family Squabbles

“Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family],

giving precedence and showing honor to one another.”

Romans 12:10 (Amplified)

 

The best of families have squabbles every now and then.

The family of God is no different.

What should mark us as a family of God is that we forgive and move on.

“Should” is the operative word because we don’t always do as we should, do we?

It is infinitely easier to say we will do as scripture commands than it is to do it.

As a matter of fact, as we have talked about previously, we cannot love as we are told to apart from His supernatural love in us.

Natural love has borders, demarcations and turf to protect.

Supernatural love only, always does what is right regardless of

 the feelings, emotions and natural logic.

That is why we often find it so hard to move on after a squabble.

We are trying to live supernaturally, naturally.

We are trying to do naturally what can only be done supernaturally.

As God’s love grows in us our response should be different than it used to be.

It should be a response that brings the glory to God and not to ourselves.

We don’t forgive so that we can be the ‘H-E-R-O’.

We forgive because He forgave us.

That directs our focus on Him and not on me.

We might also note that it does not say in the passage above:

‘It would be good if you…love one another with…’

Paul states it as a command and not a suggestion.

We should pursue love so that that love is evidence of our relationship with Him who is love.

Only God can work that kind of love in us.

Do you want it?

Kissy Kissy

“[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.”

Romans 12:9 (Amplified)

 

 

Fake love.

Like the pretentious air kiss that two celebrity ladies plant on

each others cheek we can be very insincere in our love.

We talk a good talk but we don’t always walk the walk.

Sincere love isn’t always convenient.

Sometimes, it’s downright inconvenient!

Sometimes, it even hurts…a lot.

But we aren’t called to a convenient or comfortable walk.

I am certainly not advocating that we have to go looking for pain or misery.

But we do have to count the cost of what it means to have sincere love, what it means to hate what is evil and what it means to hold fast to what is good.

When we do that we may find we do not enter into that relationship that would draw us away from Christ or take the job, regardless of the generous salary offered.

Sincere love seeks the interests of the other above self.

Listen to how Paul expressed it in Philippians 2:3-5

 

“Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].

Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.

Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]”

Speaking only for myself – those verses are enough to send me back

to my prayer closet for a very long time.

But sincere love isn’t ‘grown’ just in the confines of the prayer closet.

It is grown, inch-by-painful-inch, in the trenches of life.

Have you come face to face with sincere love today?

Did it cost you something?

If not, it may have been fake love masquerading as sincere.

Thank God He equips us with His Holy Spirit that we might grow in love for Him and for others.

Not the air-kiss kind.

The lay-down-your-life kind!

 

Unstoppable

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2-3)

That’s one pretty impressive life, don’t you think?  Know all mysteries, have all knowledge, ability to move mountains, give away all possessions, even surrender your life as a martyr, but in God’s eyes, if it’s not rooted in love, one big yawn.

We put a premium on the manifestation of gifts and spend a lot of time pursuing them, but to God they are of no value and profit us nothing if they aren’t motivated by love.

As a matter of fact, we can spend our lives pursuing and operating in the gifts of God, only to hear Him say “I never knew you, depart from me” because our actions weren’t motivated by love for God (see Matthew 7:22-23).

May operation of gifts alone never be the thermometer to gauge our spiritual temperature, but instead, may it be how much we demonstrate love for God and others.

For example, do you love others instead of judging them?  Do you give people what they need, not what they deserve?  Do you befriend people that others dislike?

If you find your heart lacking in love, ask God to fill you with His love.  We cannot love others unless we first love God.  We can’t give what we don’t have.

This week our pastor made the statement “You are an unstoppable force on the earth when you let the Father’s love live through your life!”  After hearing that, I was reminded of a movie based on a true story about a runaway train that careened around the state of Pennsylvania destroying everything in its path.  It started out as slow moving train, but as time went on, it gained speed until it was travelling down the tracks at 60 miles per hour and no way to stop it.

 

If you let God’s love gets a hold of you, you will become unstoppable, wreaking havoc on the kingdom of darkness and turning lives upside down with the love of God.  Now, imagine thousands of runaway trains called the body of Christ, fueled with the love of God…

Measuring Greatness

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

I Corinthians 13:13

 

 

 

Would you agree with me that your faith matters to God?

So much so that we are told in Hebrews 11:6 that

“…without faith it is impossible to please God…”

So, yes, our faith does matter to God very much.

What about hope?

Is it important?

As we walk with God we wait in hope.

Listen to how Hebrews 6:19 states it:

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,”

Hope gives us access, entry into the presence of God.

The Holy of Holies is opened to us.

I would have to conclude, through these particular scriptures as well as a host of others which bear witness of the same, that faith and hope are indeed important to our walk with God.

Then, when I read the verse today I must conclude that, as important as faith and hope are in my life, they are even exceeded by the greatness of love.

That is speaking of His love expressed to me and His love demonstrated by me.

In other words, a love which is working in me and motivates my actions, attitudes and behaviors toward others.

We can and should love others because He first loved us!

It is not that it is a competition between faith, hope and love.

They function interdependently in our lives…

…but the greatest…is love!

 

 

 

The Most Excellent Way

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

I Corinthians 13:13

 

There is nothing more powerful than God’s love living through you.

Unfortunately, we often re-phrase that statement a bit to read as follows:

There is nothing more lovely than God’s power working in you.

As believers, we are not to be powerless; that is certain.

But I assure you of one thing more certain.

As believers, we are not to be loveless.

We can be you know.

We can be so adamant about all that is wrong (and making sure people know it) that we fail to reflect God’s love to people.

Power attracts crowds.

His supernatural love transforms lives.

Crowds disappear but transformed lives bring Him glory.

You can be part of the crowd, you can even be the ‘attraction’ that brings the crowd but how much better to be that one who reflects His love in such a way that others are drawn to Jesus Christ because of it.

Paul was certainly inspired by the Holy Spirit when he concluded the 12^th chapter of

 I Corinthians, the ‘gifts’ chapter and transitioned into the ‘love’ chapter with these words:

“And yet I will show you the most excellent way.”

Will you follow that excellent way?

 

Faith and Hope

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

1 Cor 13:13

 

Today's blog post is contributed by Denise Friedman:

Let’s examine Faith and Hope, shall we?

 In Matthew 17:20, Jesus is answering a question of the disciples, “Because you have so little faith.  Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Faith is the key that makes the impossible possible.  What gives faith its power?  This power can come only from your belief in the Word of God.  This sounds very similar to another scripture verse Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17.  How can we prove we have faith?  Our reaction to the Word of God is what proves our faith.

 

 

In Romans 8:28 we are told “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Hope is the confidence God will work it out.  What gives hope its power? This power comes from your acceptance that God is for you and not against you.  How can we prove we have hope? Our declarations of God’s goodness to us! 

As you move through your day – consider the key that makes the impossible possible – faith! Then consider your attitude – do you portray hope, confident that God will work everything out?

“Hey, What About Me?”

“Then he said to them all:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves

and take up their cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it,

but whoever loses their life for me will save it.

Luke 9:23-24

 

 

“Deny themselves…” is a universal call to any who would be Christ’s disciples.

It is something we all are called to.

You will not reach the end of this life and be able to look back and say:

“I have fought the good fight, I have been a good soldier of Jesus Christ but I was able to accomplish it without denying myself anything.”

Most people would not argue that point.

We understand that universal call.

Where we often stumble is on the next part that Jesus spoke:

“and take up their cross daily…”

It is at this point that we want to look at others and judge them as unfit for the Kingdom because “their” cross does not match my cross!”

What do I mean by that?

Even when Jesus struggled in the Garden with what He was about to face,

He never said to the Father:

“How come Elijah, Moses or David didn’t have to do this?”

Why must my cross be so much more difficult to bear than theirs?”

But we often question the ‘fairness’ of God.

“How come my life is so difficult?”

“Why do they ‘get away’ with what I cannot?”

At its’ core, these kinds of questions accuse God of favoritism and reveal our envy.

If you and I are to be about our Father’s business we need to

learn to leave everyone else’s business alone!

Ultimately, it comes down to trust.

Trust God with your life and all that it includes.

If you do, when you reach the end of this life, you will find the reward was well worth it!

“Uncle!”

Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways. (Proverbs 23:26)

 

 

Todays' blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

 





Uncle!  You’ve might have used that term as a child.  Like me, you may have been in a wrestling match with a friend or older sibling, only to realize you were overmatched and the only way to get out of your predicament was to say “uncle,” which meant - I give up. I’ve had enough. You win!

Are you wrestling with God today?  Are you resisting His prompting to give up control of an area of your life to Him?  His goal is to capture all our heart and He will not stop until you say “uncle.”  In His pursuit of you, and because of His great love, He will allow you to wrestle until you grow weary and say “I give up.”  He wants every area of your life, because He knows that a fully surrendered heart is a truly free heart.

I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but true freedom only comes through true surrender.  We will all surrender to something, so the key is what or who we surrender to.  Our hearts were designed to be a dwelling place for God, and in His absence, something lesser and unworthy will hold our hearts captive.

During those wrestling matches when I was young, there were times when I became very stubborn.  I wouldn’t say “uncle” even if I was in pain.  I was too proud.  Even today, I sometimes allow myself to go through unnecessary difficulties because I won’t surrender to His purpose and plan for my life.

Those areas of your life that you are refusing to surrender may be causing you pain and the only pathway to peace and rest is complete surrender.

Don’t wait any longer!  Say “uncle.”  True freedom is waiting.

I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

Don’t Be a “They all” Person

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

Matthew 27:21-22

 

Are you a “They all” person?

Are you easily swept up with the crowd echoing the popular sentiments of the day?

It is speculated that some of the same people who were shouting “Crucify Him!” had also joined a crowd earlier in the week shouting “Hosanna!”

How easily we can be persuaded to change our tune.

Take a look at your life.

What do you hold dear that you will not compromise?

Some shouted Hosanna, not through any revelation, but only because others were doing it.

It is easy to see, then, how just a short few days later their shouts of

“Hosanna” had morphed into “Crucify Him!”

When we have no firm convictions, when we have no foundation or roots we will follow whatever moves us at the moment.

This is a dangerous place to live because Jesus said in Matthew 12:37

“For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Are the words I am speaking spoken out of conviction or out of convenience?

Are they uttered wisely, issuing out of deep roots of faith or spoken glibly to satisfy the hearer and puff up the speaker?

These are excellent questions to consider before we open our mouths.

Remember, it is not what goes in but what comes out of the mouth that can defile.

Don’t be a “they all” person who parrots the popular sentiments of the day.

Let Gods’ Spirit bring a firm conviction to you to be that person who declares the Truth and is not tossed about by every wind and wave of doctrine or even tossed about by the use of an uncontrolled tongue.

Your words have such an ability to identify who you are.

What picture are those words painting of you?

Do they reveal a ‘they all’ person or a true disciple of Jesus Christ?

Do Your Part!

“After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

“Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him.

“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line.

Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin.

Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Matthew 17:24-27

 

This miraculous provision was certainly going to leave an impression with Peter that God was more than able to meet his material needs.

But just a thought – I wonder if Peter were a modern day car mechanic might Jesus have sent him to a garage and had him look inside the tailpipe of an automobile in that business for the money?

I find it curious that Jesus sent Peter back to his work-a-day-world as a fisherman to find the coin.

Could Jesus be showing Peter that when he, Peter, partnered with Jesus even the mundane can become miraculous.

Even our occupation, trade or profession can be a place that God uses to supernaturally provide for our needs.

Peter certainly never opened the mouths of fish he caught with the expectation that in every one of them he would find a coin.

And we certainly cannot assume that this supernatural tax payment was ever met again in quite the same way.

That is part of the wonder of our God.  

He will turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The mundane into the miraculous.

The simple into the supernatural.

But He chooses to do these things partnering with us.

Peter could easily have walked out of the house, said to himself

“That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” and never gone fishing that day.

But if he had, he would have missed the exhilarating joy of partnering with God in what seemed the most unusual of ways and seeing God meet his need.

You and I are called to partner with God.

Will you do that?

Will you follow His instructions in this partnership even when they seem a little ‘out there’?

He is waiting for you to do your part!

 

A Lesson From the Upper Room

“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ”

John 13:12

 

 

What an unusual choice of the last two words Jesus used.

He had just finished washing their feet and He asked His disciples if they understood what He had done ‘for’ them, not ‘to’ them.

The actual act of washing their feet was not the lesson.

It was who was washing their feet.

Jesus was Messiah, they were his disciples.

What He had done for them was to be an example of service.

It was customary that the washing of one’s feet fell to the servant in the house.

Certainly we could argue that Jesus was the greatest in that room that night.

The disciples understood that.

Yet, it was Jesus who took off His robe, grabbed a towel and washed His disciples’ feet.

He humbled Himself.

The Greater served the lesser.

Perhaps God is promoting you or is about to bring promotion into your life.

Here is a lesson from the Upper Room to all of us.

He will never promote you beyond serving others.

If you minister, in His Name, to Kings, Presidents and world leaders that still never changes.

He has called each one of us to serve Him.

We serve Him, in part, by serving others.

May our head never get so big that it forgets this lesson from the Upper Room.

May our feet never carry us to a place of privilege where we feel we are to be served rather than to serve others.

May our hands never be engaged in work that benefits us alone and forgets the service of others.

May we understand the lessons of the Upper Room.

 

Three Wishes?

“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and,

kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit

 at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

 

Moms can be pushy.

Especially when it comes to what they perceive as the ‘well-being’ of their children.

But if this mom really knew the ‘cup’ Jesus spoke of would she have been quite so pushy?

She had come begging a favor of Jesus.

She said and did the right things.

Calling Him Lord and kneeling before Him.

But her worship was intended to get something from Jesus.

Have you ever done that?

Ask me the same question and I would have to respond “Guilty as charged!”

I think we discount the guilt of our own manipulation because we do not see our request as great as hers.

“I would never…”, we say.

But that denial misses the more important point.

It is not whether it is a large or a small request – it is that instead we approach Jesus as some Genie who would grant our three wishes if only we kneel down and call Him Lord.

We can fool others.

We may even fool ourselves.

But we cannot fool Him.

He knows our heart.

Yes, He knows our heart but still He loves us.

That surely deserves our genuine worship!

Surely…

Surely…He did this for love.

Love for you and love for His Father

Surely…you were on His heart and mind.

Surely…you must stand in awe…

 

 

Mark 15:33-41

"At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.

 

“Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,

 he said,

 “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

 

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome.

In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there."

  

Surely we cannot go through our lives ignoring such love.

Surely…

 

Emotions and the Child Guide

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,”

Luke 4:1

 

Imagine you had scrimped, saved, sacrificed and planned for a long, long time in order to take a dream trip to one of the world’s great cities.

It might be London or Paris or New York or perhaps you have another location in mind.

You have waited for years and at long last the day finally arrives.

You had arranged to have the tour companies guide meet you at the airport.

After you disembark the plane there is a six year old holding a sign with your name.

Though it seems a bit odd you walk up and introduce yourself.

He wipes his nose on the back of his hand and offers it to shake yours announcing that he will be your guide.

You are too stunned to offer any objection initially so you simply follow.

He has a rental car for you to drive and the first stop is the greatest thing this city has to offer…a six year old – an ice cream shop followed by a pony ride.

Now, of course that is a silly scenario but it is also somewhat realistic when you find yourself allowing your emotions to guide you.

They can be immature, irrational and, well, uh, just plain emotional!

Your best planned trip suddenly took a nose dive.

When we are facing transition or change and we let our emotions guide us through that time it is like that six year old being allowed to set the agenda for your trip of a lifetime.  

Maybe, you will see something you had planned to – as you drive quickly past it on your way to the carnival.

As believers we are to be led by the Holy Spirit.

We don’t always like the ‘tours’ He takes us on.

After all, didn’t He lead Jesus into the wilderness?

Yes, yes He did.

But it was a necessary part of the trip just as He will lead you to the necessary destinations and appointments that the call of God on your life requires.

You can always change tour guides – back to your emotions – but will they fulfill the purposes of God?

Likely not!

They will probably take you down the broad path.

You may even find lots of companionship along the way but it is still not where Gods’ Spirit would take you.

Ultimately, His guidance leads you to the good plans God has for your life.

Isn’t that a far better ‘tour’ than where your emotions alone will take you?

Bondage or Freedom? Seems Like an Easy Choice...

“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah,

he sent his disciples to ask him,

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed,

the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Matthew 11:2-6

 

 

They were related.

They were cousins.

In many ways they were similar.

But in so many other ways they were quite different.

One was a messenger sent ahead to prepare the way for the Messiah.

The other one was the Messiah.

Perhaps the disciples of John the Baptist had become comfortable, or at least used to, the methods and the message of John.

But this Jesus, He was different.

He ate with sinners.

He moved in a power not evident in John’s ministry.

Maybe no others struggled with this transition as much as John’s disciples.

Their ‘leader’ was gone.

Could they now believe the words of Jesus?

Maybe you find yourself in a place of transition.

We at His Place church can certainly say that we are.

Are you/we willing to change?

No, I don’t mean the message or the ‘fundamentals’.

Are we willing to follow the Lord as He leads us in ways and to places we have not gone before?

 The simple answer is yes.

But it is also the hardest answer sometimes.

Who would choose bondage over freedom.

The simple answer is “No one!”

But some Israelites, when faced with change, longed for the ‘good old days’ of Egypt.

Lord:

Help us never to miss the Promised Land of your Kingdom because we choose the familiar over the changes needed to bring us into that Kingdom.