This Little Light of Mine

Today's passage: Luke 11:33-36

It starts off fairly simply: when you have a light in a dark room, you display it so everyone can see; you don't cover it up and hide the light. If the light is on a stand and not hidden, the room is filled with light.

Then Jesus compares our bodies with the room, and our eye as the lamp. If our eyes are good, our bodies will be like the room filled with light. If they are bad -- or dark -- then our bodies are in darkness.

So the eyes determine the state the rest of our body is in. Why is the eye so important?

What is the eye used for? Hmm, practically every part of my day. Out of all the five senses I have, it's probably used the most. It's the one I use to help me do almost every task in my day.

"See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness."

What do I do that hides my light or fills my body with darkness? Do I shut my eyes and ignore those that God has placed in my life that need help? Do I spend time looking at darkness? Where is my focus?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this... why do you think Jesus called our eyes lamps that can either shine light on us or cast us into darkness?

I'll Believe It When I See It

Luke 11:29-32

Anyone out there ever been skeptical? Not believed because something wasn't what you thought it would be, or was too inconvenient or uncomfortable to consider?

This generation wasn't willing to humble themselves in order to believe. Do you see how belief requires humility? It requires submitting yourself to whatever it takes to know the Truth. Wanting it so badly, you'd risk anything and everything. The Ninevites' reaction to Jonah's preaching amazes me every time... "The Ninevites believed God." And they literally dropped everything, even their very bodies dropped to the ground, and they sought God.

What kind of attitude must one have that at the moment she hears a warning from God, she immediately believes? No skepticism, no thought of what one may look like to the rest of the world. Just that full realization that if I'm not right with God, the other concerns of my mind and myself won't matter one bit.

Spiritual Protection

In today's passage Jesus drives out another demon, then gives us a lesson on how this spiritual realm works. First of all, it sounds like casting out demons wasn't that uncommon, as Jesus speaks of their followers doing so. Even in our age of medical knowledge and technology, we need to know that there are still other evil spirit beings at work. For example, one may not physically stop you from being able to speak, but may use other ways to keep you from talking (fear, self-doubt, anxiety).

Next he speaks of a strong man, fully armed, guarding his own house. He's done all he can to protect himself, and it seems to work. He looks very healthy, seemingly no weaknesses, and the things he cares for are safe. Problem is, there's always someone stronger. Jesus tells us that when the attack comes (not if, but when), he is overpowered, his armor is stripped away, and he loses everything.

We are not safe, even when all appearances seem fine and good. There is always someone stronger than us. We need more protection than we can find in ourselves, but Jesus goes one step further. If we are not with him, that not only means we leave ourselves vulnerable to attack, but that means we are working against him! If we are not working with him, we are scattering and making things more difficult! Picture a toddler working against you as you try to clean up a mess... We not only hurt ourselves, but we hinder what God wants to do. Seek and find your protection in Jesus, allow him to work through you, and great things will happen!

Finally, Jesus speaks of a constant need for protection. We are not safe once we have been set free. Our condition can get much, much worse. Constantly recognize your need for Jesus, especially when things seem "swept clean and put in order." See 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 4:27 and 6:11.

More Than a Good Gift, part 2

After Jesus gives us a prayer to pray, he further explains what prayer is.

First, let's look at Jesus' parable. What is the man's situation who is doing the asking? What is he asking for? There are reasons Jesus uses this specific illustration, and not any other. None of his words are ever wasted.

The man is making a request on behalf of a friend. He wants his friend's needs to be met and to generously show him hospitality and favor (Why three loaves? It seems that's two more than what he would need... maybe he includes one for himself to share and then an extra one, just for good measure?). ASK BIG! What would you want for your friends who are in need? You know they need something that you can't give them, so ASK! Be persistent! And don't ask for just enough... ask for three loaves!

Then Jesus tells us that familiar promise: "Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Then he repeats the promise... why? Why does he say it twice? Does he not want us to miss it? For emphasis? Picture him talking to his disciples; picture him repeating his promise... He didn't misspeak; he really meant it! And be confident that God won't give you something harmful. His gifts don't hurt. Only good can come from Him.

Now here's the kicker... what is the best gift God can give us?

I've been reading a little book called Quiet Talks on Power, by SD Gordon. It was written over 100 years ago, but it's message is transcendent and powerful. Let me share a bit of it here:

"How is it possible, you will be ready to ask, for me to lead the life the Master's ambition has planned for me, with such mixed motives, selfish ambitions, sinfulness and weakness as I am beginning to get a glimpse of -- how is it possible?

There is one answer to that intense heart-question, and only one. We must have power, some supernatural power, something outside of us, and above us, and far greater than we, to come in and win the victory within us and for us."

He goes on to describe all the needs for God's power for different kinds of people. "If society young people are to remain in the world, and yet not be swayed by its spirit", "to keep sweet in the home, where if anywhere, the seamy side is apt to stick out... to be gracious and strong, and patient and tender, and cheery, in the commonplace things, and the commonplace places."

"... Now, I have something to tell you tonight that to me is very wonderful, and constantly growing in wonder. It is this -- the Master has thought of all that! He has thought into your life. Yes, I mean your particular life, and made an arrangement to fully cover all your need of power. He stands anew in our midst today, and putting His pierced hand gently upon your arm, His low, loving, clear voice says quietly, but very distinctly, "You -- you shall have power." For every subtle, strong temptation, for every cry of need, for every low moan of disappointment, for every locking of the jaws in the resolution of despair, for every disheartened look out into the morrow, for every yearningly amibitious heart there comes tonight that unmistakable ringing promise of His -- ye shall have power."

Tell me... do you know of a greater gift? His power comes through the Holy Spirit, and good fruit comes from the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. We can ask for these things, and God will give them! So start knocking!

More Than a Good Gift, part 1

Oh, I am bursting with words to tell you. Will you sit with me awhile on today's passage? I'll try not to make it too long...

How thankful I am that Jesus shares with us what prayer looks like, and how it works. I am only beginning to know the power and wonder that prayer holds. Any time spent in prayer, whether 5 minutes or an hour, or two!, yields great and wonderful things we will never quite understand this side of heaven. Because we ask, seek, and knock at God's door, what awesome things does he have in his house that could be ours? Have confidence in his love for us and ask!

Now go with me through Jesus' prayer...

Praise and glorify God, our father.
Pray that his will and influence and reality be at work and visible here on earth, where we sometimes don't have eyes to see it.
Pray for our (not my, but our) needs to be met, and provision to make it through the day.
We recognize our need to be forgiven and ask for it, and promise to give it to others.
We pray for spiritual safety, for protection from the thing that will break our precious relationship with him.

Pray this prayer with me now...

Then come back tomorrow for the rest of the lesson!

Only One Thing

Martha, Martha...

"Simplify" is a hot buzz word lately in our culture. How easy it is to get caught up and tied down by so much... stuff. But we're not necessarily meant to live a monk's life (who can also fall in the same trap as Martha).

Look at the words used to describe Martha: distracted, worried, and upset. Martha didn't necessarily have too much stuff in her life, but she certainly had too much stuff on her mind. Her thoughts were consumed by so much junk, she didn't fully appreciate that JESUS was sitting there in her living room, speaking words of life.

Now look at the words that describe her sister, Mary: sat, listened... and most importantly... chosen. "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Are you feeling distracted, worried, or upset, or all three?

Remember, only one thing is needed... and we can choose to do that one thing, too.

Someone to Love

Luke 10:25-37. It's a familiar story; one most of us know and can even repeat. God, give us a new perspective; teach us something new in this simple story.

What a good story... do you see the patience of Jesus? He was being confronted by a prideful intellectual who wanted to test Jesus and justify himself. (Once again I see myself.) Jesus even gives him the opportunity to answer his own question and tells him: Good job, you've got it! No sparring of words or chastising from Jesus. Oh how Jesus loves us... to graciously overlook our wrong attitudes and pride and give us more knowledge of Him and His truth. His is a love and patience we don't deserve.

Two things jumped out at me while reading this story. One was the command that comes from the Law: LOVE. Love God, love your neighbor. Love, love, love. If you don't have love, it doesn't matter whether or not you know who your neighbor is.

The second was what that love looks like... My old pastor in Tucson said something during a sermon that has stuck with me ever since. He was hesitant to say it, knowing it was a radical statement, but felt compelled by the Holy Spirit: "Faith in action is loving others by exhausting all your resources to meet their needs."

That's a big love... a God-sized love. A love I know I don't have on my own. A love I want to pray for every day. I want to love like that.

A Wolf or a Lamb?

Today's reading is Luke 10:1-24.

It's a good thing this place forces me to comment and ask questions about each passage we encounter through our reading because, frankly, there are many that I'd just assume to skip over. Yet those are probably the ones I need to wrestle with the most... like today's passage.

Is anyone else bothered by the disconnect between our modern Christian lives and the commands and promises Jesus gives his disciples?

Let me interrupt this thought with another: Whenever there is scripture that confuses, bothers, or seems contrary to what I originally thought or believed about God, or any other spiritual aspect of life, the first examination that follows must be of my own perspective, not the character of God or his word. Even though the temptation is strong to put my own understanding of things at the center of each confusing experience I encounter, God is more Truth than I will ever be able to grasp. He must be at the center, not me. Hopefully that makes sense to you...

So... Jesus sends out 72 disciples to go ahead of him, to all the places and towns he will soon visit. He calls them lambs among wolves, and gives them strict instructions. And whether or not they are welcomed by the people they encounter, the message is to be the same: "The kingdom of God is near."

I don't know why I hadn't had this thought before (probably because I've been avoiding it), but Jesus is sending his disciples to prepare everyone for his own arrival into town. I had always seen it as their own little mission trips, not realizing they were just the opening act, in a way. Jesus was coming, and they just needed to prepare the people for the Main Act. And yet, the town's acceptance or rejection of this opening act determined whether or not they would experience God's healing and deliverance, and oh, please hear this... determined their ultimate acceptance or rejection of God himself. "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

God has done this before, with his old testament prophets, and, most recently, with John the Baptist. There is such a strong parallel just a few chapters back: Luke 7:29-30. The lambs that God sends us must be listened to. We can't wait until God shows up to accept Him.

So I've changed my course a bit in this post, but obviously this is the message God wanted me to hear. There is more to learn, I'm sure, of how to be a lamb, if that is what I am called to. But today I must take the perspective of the wolf: Am I a person of peace? Then I will receive peace. Will I welcome God's messenger? Only then will I experience God's miracles and enter his kingdom.

At All Costs

Today's reading is Luke 9:57-62. Jesus confronts three men who are faced with the opportunity to follow Jesus. My question for you is, what does it mean to follow Jesus? What did it mean to these men? And what does it mean to us? Is it any different? Please honestly answer this question for yourself, whether or not you share it here...

Meanwhile, I'll share with you my own version of this story...

Before we moved back here, I had decided that one of my main goals would be to get involved in a community volunteer program, something that wasn't just through my church. I was pretty excited about all the possibilities and the opportunity to once again get out of my comfort zone. I even did some searches online and picked several options and discussed them with family and friends. I did a lot of talking... but have yet to act on any of them, simply because my list of excuses has been long and too important. And all of them could basically be summed up as "But first, let me get things settled, and then I'll be able to focus/have time to do it."

Beware of the necessity of "getting things settled." Of thinking you have all the time in the world to act, to obey. Thinking we have the time, and thus, the option of shuffling God's things to number 2 or 10 on our list should cause us to reconsider how obedient our hearts really are.

This isn't meant to be a guilt-trip. I'm honestly broken in this area, yet it can be an opportunity for me to confess to God how hopeless I am and how much I need him. That's all...

Opposition

Luke 9:51-56

There's a part of the passage that is in the footnotes of my Bible, since it only occurs in "some manuscripts." Some parts of the Bible have this kind of asterisk. One large one is the story of the woman about to be stoned for adultery, and Jesus makes the "He who is without sin, cast the first stone" statement. It's interesting that today's asterisked passage also has to do with certain people feeling more righteous than others and are ready to punish (kill!) the ones they see as unrighteous. Actually, the whole passage isn't asterisked, just the extension of Jesus' statement as he rebukes his disciples.

Here is his rebuke, as it reads in the NIV:

"And He said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.'"

I was convicted as I read His words, because there is someone in my life whose behavior I seem to so readily judge. Too often my mind entertains all the chastisement I can give from my "righteous" perspective... in effect, my words would be like "calling down fire" on them. Why is it so easy to sit in judgment on our fellow believers in Christ?

When I behave that way, I don't know what kind of spirit I am of. God, help us to know and act in your spirit -- a spirit of Love, Power, and Self Discipline.

Humbleness

Luke 9:46-50

"An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts..."

Obviously we're seeing a lack of humility in the disciples here. Nothing new, really. It's a common thread that runs through humanity, and God has had to deal with us thinking too much of ourselves too many times. But instead of a typical "Don't be proud, be humble" chastisement from Jesus, he gives a tangible, attainable example for them to follow.

Do you see the ones among you whom you think aren't able or worth introducing to Jesus? (For the disciples, it was a child. Who would it be for us?)

Serve them. Welcome them in Jesus' name (which means treat them as Jesus would), and you are welcoming Jesus, and through him, welcoming God. I've heard it said that when you love someone unconditionally (by the power of the Holy Spirit), you are inviting God to come in... into your life, their life, your relationship with them, and everything that touches it. You are opening the door and welcoming God in... something is bound to happen if we welcome God into a place. He can't help but BE GOD, and we've seen what's possible with Him: everything and anything.

Please Help

I'm going to deviate slightly from the typical format here today...

Today's story has significant meaning for me because I know a child who is in similar circumstances, not always physically, but emotionally and mentally. Her parents have literally been at their wits end, and have gotten desperate many times over. This child needs Jesus' healing, and so many people have prayed for it to come. I can't stress her situation enough for you to understand.

We must believe Jesus can and will heal her. Spend time in God's Word. Read today's story in Luke, Matthew, and Mark and ask for guidance and wisdom as you pray. Believe with me and pray with me for her now. God is great, and He has the power to raise the dead to life and set the captive free! NOTHING is impossible with God.

Listen

I wasn't sure what to say about our passage today, Luke 9:28-36.

Then I realized it was right there in black and white: "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."

I almost did what Peter did... I felt like I had to say or do something to add to the experience, when really, all we need to do is Listen to Jesus.

Try keeping that command at the front of your mind today... then tell us what He says. I promise to share as well.

Shame On You

The other day, Ryan and I decided our marriage needed a mission statement. This may sound weird and nerdy, but actually, it can been a very good thing. Whenever we have big (or small) decisions to make, we can look at them in light of our mission statement, and it will help us to see the bigger picture and remind us of our goals in this life.

Anyway, as we discussed what our goals in this life were, I recalled something God had taught me after we first moved to Texas...

Our story about how we got to Texas was a great testimony of God's work, but I had two different versions I would tell: one was told to people I knew were believers, the other to those that weren't, or that I wasn't sure about. This way, I figured, I wouldn't "offend" people or make them uncomfortable talking about God's miracles and His provision in impossible situations. Basically, I filtered my speech when I wasn't around people that I knew loved God.

After realizing that I was filtering out the best parts of our story, the parts that would glorify God, I was convicted that I needed to tell just one version of the story: the whole story. So I told God, "Okay, next opportunity, I won't filter it." Soon, I was telling the story to someone I had only known for 5 minutes, and this time I left in the parts about God's work in us. Amazingly, she didn't react negatively, and I developed an awesome friendship that God used to grow both of us spiritually. It still remains as one of my strongest, most cherished friendships.

So as Ryan and I discussed what we wanted our focus and goals to be, I knew that part of our mission statement should be that we make the most of every opportunity to share God's love with anyone we meet, and not let any fear filter God out of our speech. After reading Jesus' mission statement for His followers, I am again reminded of this goal...

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels."

How to Follow Jesus

Imagine hearing these words the first time Jesus spoke them: "If anyone would come after me, he must..."

Oh! Good! He's giving us directions on how to be a Christian! He's going to spell it out! How many times have I wanted clear-cut instructions on how to live...

"...deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Oh. Wow. That's not quite what I expected... So you are saying each day I need to walk like I'm willing to suffer and die?

"For whoever wants to save his life will loose it..."

So no more self-preservation? No more saving face? No more walls of protection, safety-at-a-distance, "I don't want to get hurt"?

"...but whoever looses his life for me will save it."

That sounds extreme... but enticing, somehow... Complete abandon, complete surrender, and a willingness to loose everything. Ouch. Can I really live like that? (God, give me the strength!)

The other option is to loose my life in the end, despite all my efforts to preserve it. Futile living. So the self-preservation route doesn't end with all my dreams coming true, happiness and security, no bumps in the road, and everything like I want it to be? Wait a sec... who on this earth has ever had that kind of life? Seriously... a pain free life? Is that what I think I can achieve? Is that really an option here on this earth? What a lie!

The moment we opened the door for sin to enter, pain entered. So I need to face the fact that "In this world, you will have trouble." (But take heart! Jesus has overcome the world!) I need to stop thinking that I can safely stay in my little bubble of protection and comfort and everything will be alright. I must deny myself (fast, pray, serve, love), take up my cross daily (even when it hurts), and follow Jesus.

The Son of Man Must Suffer

Something I've always puzzled about is when Jesus warns people not to talk or tell others about things that He's done or who He is. Why? Don't we need to share Him with others? So I think I got the answer in today's reading...

"Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.' "

There needed to be an atmosphere of rejection and suffering in that area because Jesus' main purpose in His life on earth was to suffer and die! Obviously He didn't try to hide Himself, or His power (feeding over 5,000 people with one lunch is a pretty news-worthy item). But for some reason, certain things and certain times, Jesus wanted people to stay quiet. If too many people believed He was the Messiah before He suffered and died, maybe those people would have tried to stop Him from fulfilling His most important goal... and so doing what they thought was good at the time -- saving Him from the present suffering -- would have caused them to loose out on the tremendous, powerful, awesome gift that came through the suffering.

So that's why Jesus then tells them: " 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will loose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.' " and oh, please keep reading!!

Who Is This God?

If anyone's been keeping up with reading through Luke, you may be further than this, but I'm now in chapter 9... sorry about not posting anything -- no internet access for over a week now.

Here's some of the highlights for me from the last few chapters:

Blessings and Woes
It is comforting to know that having needs (being poor, hungry, sad -- not necessarily because of physical needs) is a good thing... only because we know we can and will have something greater that will satisfy those needs. And can you fully appreciate being satisfied if you haven't really experienced hunger? So woe to those that don't "need" anything...
This passage also helps me see the wider view and not get so wrapped up in the present.

Judging Others
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged."
"Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned."
Enough said. But He says even more wonderful truths... read more.

Wise Builder
He practiced what he heard...

Soil
Pray for good soil!

This Little Light
Not really clear on all of it, but this part jumped out at me: "Therefore consider carefully how you listen."

And then there's all the wonderful stories of Jesus' miracles... I found myself repeating the disciple's reaction to Jesus calming the storm: "Who is this?"

There was nothing He couldn't do... the limitations of the natural world, and our thinking, were blown to bits...

"For nothing" -- NOTHING -- "is impossible with God." Praise Him!!!

Hungry

Luke 6:17-26

All these people -- I'm picturing thousands -- crowding around Jesus, hungry to hear him, and just to touch him. What happened to them when Jesus became the prey of the Pharisees? Why did they stop being hungry for him? What changed?

Then we have Jesus' first recorded sermon in Luke. He talks about perspective. The Now versus the Later. About experiencing need, but still being blessed because there is hope and assurance that the need will be satisfied. And woe to those that don't need anything...

Love to hear your thoughts on this!

Lord of the Sabbath

Today's passage is Luke 6:1-16.

Jesus has now healed many, and is known throughout the region for his healing. The most recent was in front of a delegation of Pharisees and Law teachers. As He is teaching these devout followers of Moses' law, a sick man is forced into the room, and Jesus tells the sick man his sins are forgiven. In front of all these spiritual leaders. Blasphemy! No one can forgive sins but God! (True.)

But Jesus tells them: I can forgive sins. God has given me that authority. And to prove that He has given me authority and power, I'll heal this man. And He did.

You know what? Those teachers of the law praised God when they saw that. They were amazed.

But then, perhaps those very same teachers get a little flustered with Jesus when they see him eating with sinners and tax collectors, and see that His disciples don't fast and pray like other disciples do. He's not fitting the image they have in their minds of who He should be and how He should act. Then He allows his disciples to sneak a few nibbles of unharvested grain on the Sabbath, breaking the strictest understanding of a well-known law. How could this man be from God? He's not doing things exactly the way we understand that he should do them.

Jesus' response? He tells them there are times when the letter of the Law needs to be broken. One cannot do evil and justify it by saying they were following the Law. The Law was meant to show us how to be good. They were looking at Jesus through the Law, but Jesus was showing them a new perspective of the Law, particularly the Sabbath.

Unfortunately now, at this point in time, the Pharisees and teachers have changed their attitude concerning Jesus. They are no longer able to accept His new way of doing things and are now "looking for a reason to accuse Jesus." (God protect us from this attitude!)

It was no longer enough that Jesus was healing people miraculously. They were concerned with his methods. Did it fit their understanding of the Law?

Now I understand what Jesus was talking about with the old and new garments and the old and new wine in the previous verses. Do you? Read Luke 5:36-39 again, in the light of how we see the Pharisees reacting to how Jesus did things. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees in this parable... what is He trying to tell them?

Also, what does it mean when Jesus says He is "Lord of the Sabbath?"

Returning

I'm sorry that all this moving has kept me from posting anything. Hopefully some of you are still out there! We've got one or two more passages left in chapter 5, so let's read those for today's (or this weekend's) reading. We have the calling of Levi, verses 27-32, and some questions from the Pharisees, verses 33-39.

I still haven't answered the last question for myself, and may spend some time working with God on that one... if God has taught you anything about Jesus' healing ministry, please share with us (thanks, Khara, for your input!).

Jesus' Ministry

Today let's read Luke 5:12-26.

I've got a question for you to ponder, and ask God about... Why did Jesus heal and cast out demons? It was obviously a major part of His ministry, and we've now read about 5 different stories of healing and spiritual freedom. Look closely at each one and pray that God will show you why He performed those miracles.

Left Everything...

Today we'll read chapter 5:1-11. You'll discover how Jesus called his first disciples. I love this story. I actually did a post on it a few months ago, but God's Word is deep. Please share with us the other things God reveals to you.

Jesus Heals

Today's passage is Luke 4:38-44.

Please forgive me for not keeping up with the posting... I'm just struggling a little bit lately. I promise to do better from now on, with your help and prayers! Thanks for staying loyal, even when I haven't set a good example.

Pray for God to teach us more about how Jesus can and does minister to our needs...

Authority

Today's reading is Luke 4:31-37. What does the Holy Spirit want to teach you? Ask Him.

Keep adding your comments to past posts... don't feel the need to skip any. What's great about this format is you can go at your own pace, if needed. But hopefully the more you read, the more you'll be hungry for His word every day!

The Truth Hurts

Love hearing your thoughts! Hope you all are finding great power in your heart-felt searches of the scripture...

Today's reading is Luke 4:14-30. Pray for wisdom.

I apologize for not posting this yesterday. But maybe you didn't wait for me and have already read through it. And now is your chance to leave your comments!

Jesus Gets Tempted

I'm going to try something different this week... I'd like us to read a passage each day, and then post ANY thoughts or questions you have regarding that particular reading. If you don't get to it today, that's fine, but just post comments when you do read it.

I guess I'm just hungry to hear what God is telling all of you through these scriptures. Don't worry, I'll be posting my own comments too.

So today, read Luke 4:1-13. But first pray that God will reveal His wisdom to you, and then meditate on what you've read. I'm looking forward to what He will show us!

More About the Fruit

I thought of another question yesterday that I thought would be good to discuss...

John specifically described an important quality of the fruit: the fruit was "in keeping with repentance."

What does that mean to you?


ps. In the last post, Tracy asked about the verse where he talks about cutting down the trees that don't produce fruit. Do you think it is similar to this passage in Matthew?

I think it all ties into a faith that is living and producing fruit... but I suppose the question is, who are the trees being cut down, or the goats? Are they believers that aren't producing fruit? Is there even such a thing? Can there be a faith without works? Is that an important question?

Phew, lots of question marks there...

Fruit Trees

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a few days... I got kind of stuck on the last part of chapter 2. If any of you have any thoughts on that passage, please leave some comments. Maybe that's what I should do when I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. Next time I get stuck, I'll see if God is revealing something to you guys instead!

But moving on to chapter 3, we see the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry: a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. I think we might all be familiar with the repentance preaching, but then Luke tells us a bit more of what John preached.

"Produce fruit," he says, "in keeping with repentance." So after you come up from the water, it's not over.

"But I've got my ticket -- I'm in the family."

But faith without works is dead. There's no fruit on the tree.

Notice the contrast in the analogies John uses. Children of Abraham can come from the rocks, but God wants fruit-producing trees, not dead rocks. John is telling us there is a responsibility that comes with repentance and forgiveness. He even gets specific about it when talking to various groups: the average person should share their resources, the tax collectors should be honest, and the soldiers shouldn't use their strength for dishonest gain and should be content with their financial situation.

If he were talking to you, what kind of fruit would he suggest you show?

Following Tradition

What an emotional day for Joseph and Mary. What hope they must have had in imagining how Jesus would fulfill his destiny. I'm not a parent, but I've heard and can easily imagine how parents dream for their children, and how much greater Mary and Joseph's dreams must have been for Jesus!

They probably didn't have a clue that the tradition they were following: an atonement sacrifice, consecrating the firstborn, and even the event that brought these laws, Passover, were all pointing to the "dream" Jesus was to fulfill.

And who could have imagined Simeon's words: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Here's a deep question: How has Jesus fulfilled this destiny in you?

Gotta Tell Somebody

If angels are anything like humans, I imagine they were bursting with excitement over what God had just done. In just one moment, the earthlings were now hosting Heaven's Greatest! In the flesh! They would get to have Him and have access to God the Father through Him! What a gift! What a treasure! We've got to tell everyone!

So God told them they could give the news to one small group of guys: shepherds, living out in the fields with a bunch of sheep.

Shepherds. Why do you suppose God picked shepherds?

Springtime Christmas

I think I've heard before that historians say Jesus' birth probably took place in the spring. We only celebrate it in December because of other holiday traditions. So I think it's kind of cool to be reading about the Christmas story at the time of year that it may have occurred.

Anyway, God choose probably the most stressful time of Joseph and Mary's life for Jesus to be born: away from home, in a crowded city, dealing with government bureaucracy, not to mention the stress of gossip, rejection and negative opinions because Mary was pregnant before they were married.

Definitely not how I would have planned Jesus' entrance into the world. Yet how accessible it makes Him.

Accessible.

God.

Okay, I guess it was way better than I would have planned.

Take a moment to pray for a new realization of what God did for us...

Zechariah

He kind of gets a bum rap. After all, he was the one that didn't believe Gabriel at first. But I was reading Abraham's reaction when God told him that he would possess all the land in Canaan, and Abraham asked the same thing: "How can I be sure?"

So because of Zechariah's unbelief, he can't talk for about a year. I'm sure it was a constant struggle. He had to learn new ways of communicating and normal every-day stuff became frustrating. Then his deliverance didn't even come the day the baby was born. Those eight days must have felt like an eternity...

But once he obeyed that one little thing God required of him, then he was set free! And because of this hardship and then his deliverance from it after he obeyed, people everywhere were talking about it. God got even more glory! And people knew this child was special...

What Has He Done For Me Lately?

Lately I've heard more comments about that big gap between the last Old Testament book (Malachi, written by a prophet after Israel returned home from exile) and the arrival of John the Baptist on the scene, FOUR HUNDRED YEARS LATER. "What was God doing during all that time?" "Was He speaking to His people?" "Why did He wait so long?"

I've also heard that Israel was constantly keeping their eyes open for their Messiah, the one that would overthrow any oppressive government and lead them to a lasting victory over all their enemies. After all, that's how the prophets had described it.

But after 400 years of looking for their deliverer, had some given up hope?

I don't know why God waited for 400 years... Israel experienced some pretty difficult times during those years. They must have prayed each year, "Lord, please let this year be the one!" After even 100 years of that prayer and not seeing an answer, some may have given up hope and questioned God's character and/or motives.

Something I've learned over the past year or two is that it is dangerous to judge God according to your circumstances. I've wanted to. I've demanded explanations from God, and searched for answers when He seems to have turned a deaf ear to our prayers. Why won't He heal? What is He waiting for? I've seen a lot of heartache over the past few years, not just in my immediate circle of friends, but almost anywhere you look. (Watching the news at night is enough to depress anyone.) You can't fault people for wondering "What is God doing up there?"

Yet what I've realized is that judgments based on circumstances can be faulty because your judgment depends on your perspective. And because of levels of knowledge and time, there can be countless perspectives for one circumstance. For example, a child getting an immunization shot has a much different perspective than his parent.

I can say that easily, but to know and to feel it is all together a different story.

So yesterday I tried to take Mary's perspective. In her song, she took a perspective that was bigger than 400 years. And when she did that, she found a lot of things to praise God for. If you can today, try to take the time to write down all the things Mary said God had done. Then go ahead and take a bigger perspective of your own life and write down all the things you've seen God do... take as big a perspective as you want. I'm sure you'll find some good stuff. And feel free to share any or all of it here. Let's be encouraged by God's true character, and let's try not judge Him from our limited perspective.

"Nothing is Impossible With God"

Can we just sit on this truth for a moment? A lifetime?

Do you believe this?

Do you act like you do?

What has God said to you that sounded impossible? Believe it now...

Believe

Zechariah: "How can I be sure of this?"

Mary: "How will this be?"

I can't even imagine what it was like, standing in front of Gabriel, hearing the awesome news he had brought from God. Hind sight ruins the drama for us... we've read the end of the story, so -- lets be honest here -- the weirdness of these messages from God doesn't shock us. NO ONE imagined it happening this way... an old and childless couple getting pregnant? A young kid pregnant? It was crazy! Miraculous! Of course there would be questions...

However, there is a subtle difference between Zechariah's question and Mary's question. We can't know exactly what they were thinking, but based on how they worded their responses, what was the difference between them? Read verse 45 for some help...

"Chosen By Lot"

I was struck by this phrase as I read about Zechariah. Earlier we saw how his life was all about following God. Then, one day, God orchestrated all the details so He could get Zechariah alone to talk to him, and set some major parts of his plan in motion.

Sometimes I'm afraid I'm going to miss God's plan...

When you are waiting for God to do something in your life, do you anxiously check under every stone, afraid you might miss a key piece of the puzzle? Waiting does some crazy things to us. We have all this time to look around us, scrutinizing our circumstances, trying to figure out how He will move, what our responsibility might be. But you know what? We don't have to go searching for Him. When it's time to talk about His next move, He'll find us. He'll put things in order and get us where he wants us so we can listen, when the time is right.

So what do we do until then?

Don't worry, about how or when or what the next move will be. God's got that taken care of.

Do seek Him and His kingdom. Follow the path He's laid out for all of us. Get to know Him for the one single purpose of just knowing Christ. I couldn't think of time spent any better. Then, if our eyes are on Him, He'll make the next step impossible to miss, and we'll be in the perfect position to follow Him -- wherever that might be.

So, what are you waiting for?

Luke Chapter 1

Whoa, I didn't realize the first chapter was 80 verses long! We may take two weeks on this one, since we got a late start anyway.

I love that in this book, we have the story of Jesus' life that was investigated fully and compiled in an orderly and complete fashion. And as Luke put it, his investigations were so that we could be certain of the things we have been taught about Jesus. Luke is saying, "I've checked out his story, and I'm convinced of it's truth." I'm excited to get into it.

What first interested me as I started reading about Zechariah and Elizabeth was the description of both of them. In one sentence, the author summed up their character. You also see this in the books of Kings: each king is described as either "doing good", or "doing evil in the eyes of God." It reminds me that people are watching our lives... if a biographer had to sum you up in one sentence, what would he say?

But here's the other thing I noticed: even though this couple was blameless (and who can make that claim easily?), their one big prayer request hadn't been answered. The thing that would bring them joy, recognition and security was withheld from them. How many years did they have to say "Even though God hasn't given us this one thing we ask of Him, we still believe He is good and loves us tremendously"? How many people scoffed at this ("You wholeheartedly serve this God, and He doesn't even give you a child, the one thing you ask Him for? Fools.")? How many people thought that it was because of some hidden sin that they didn't have children? Did they think they weren't quite good enough, or didn't deserve a child?

When you have years and years of asking God and not receiving, your mind can go a little crazy with trying to understand why. Can you relate? What lessons can you take from Zechariah and Elizabeth's example? How should we wait for God, and what should we believe about Him?

A New Book

Good morning, friends!

Thank you so much for reading through 1 Peter with me. It proved to be more inspiring, challenging, and humbling than I first thought, which is good. I don't know why I am surprised by all the ways God meets us through his word, but it always comes new and fresh and holds great promises and guidance for us, even when we don't expect it.

So now we must start a new book, and I've been thinking about reading through Luke, and then possibly on to Acts, since it is kind of a sequel to Luke. I loved reading through another gospel (John) last year, and since Luke is said to be the most beautiful book ever written (which sounds like a good endorsement to me), I think it would be a good way to spend our mornings. So how about it? Will you pray with me that God will guide us through this, and give us the strength and wisdom to grow in the knowledge of Him?

Humility

1 Peter 5

If some of you know me well, you'll know that one of my all-time life-changing verses speaks about being humble, and how that has rocked my world many times over. I'm telling you (and myself) right now that if you want God to move in you and in your life, seek humility... get down on the floor, flat on your face, and humble yourself before God.

"God opposes the proud..." Ever thought about what a life would look like if The Almighty God is in opposition to it? Could anything really succeed? Would there be any fruit in one's labor, or in one's life in general? I have a picture in my mind of a child pushing with all his might to get somewhere and God's parent-like hand on his forehead, stopping the child from moving even an inch. The actions of the child might be for very noble purposes, but God is in opposition to him and his desires simply because of the pride in the child's heart. How can we expect to succeed in anything, either getting what we want or finding satisfaction in what we get, if God opposes us? We will meet frustration after frustration until, hopefully, we get to the point where we fall to the floor in exhaustion and give in. That kind of humility comes the hard way, so wouldn't it be best to fall to the floor first?

"... but gives grace to the humble." The humble don't necessarily have an easy way of it either, but at least God is not opposing them. And they have this one all-powerful factor in their life: GRACE. What's so special about grace? It is all the goodness we can receive, all the provision, all the gifts, culminating in the most awesome display of grace this world has ever seen: Jesus dying for us. It is God FOR us. It is rest, peace and joy in the midst of any circumstance. Who wouldn't want that?

The price? Your pride.

So my question today is, what does your pride look like? If you want to make some sort of progress in your life, first look to see if your pride is causing God to place roadblocks in front of you. Pride is one of Satan's favorite tools, and he loves to hide it from us, masking it or justifying it with some dignifying term, so it won't be an easy search. But if that first step in removing your pride is a humble one, God will help you through it. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."

For added help, there is another passage that goes so well with today's reading (and uses the same quote from Proverbs!): James 4:1-10.

Join with me in this act of surrendering pride and seeking humility. Trust me, it will rock our world.

Christian Suffering

I apologize for not writing anything here during the last week. I admit, I've been sort of avoiding it. The passage that was up next didn't feel like it spoke to me and I wasn't sure what to write or say or ask you. Of course, I knew that God's Word can always speak to us, no matter what our circumstances may be. But I just felt a little removed from once again reading about suffering for being a Christian. Not that I didn't stop thinking about it, though. Part of me wanted to thank God for the religious freedom we experience here in the US. Part of me imagined that freedom slowly disappearing, and wondered about the strength of my faith (of course, and unfortunately, I didn't dwell long on that. Much more pleasant to just remain in my comfort and pretend that it's normal). Part of me thought of all the Christians, past and present, that have suffered simply because they loved Jesus and wouldn't deny him... even if it meant a life of suffering. Dying for Christ is the ultimate sacrifice, but living for him, and daily or hourly suffering because of him, is truly the greatest sacrifice.

Peter said "don't be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering." The fact is, Christians will suffer. We will go through trials and will be insulted because of the name of Christ.

Did any of you see Evan Almighty? The scene that still stands out in my mind is the one of Evan standing among all the government officials and in front of TV cameras, looking like a fool with his clothes and crazy hair and having to stand up for what he absolutely knew was true, knowing the mocking and humiliation he would face. NO ONE believed him. He was a fool in their eyes, and they had no compassion for him. Did you see the humility it took for him to take all of that? I think the actor portrayed it perfectly, because he wasn't proud and defiant. He humbly held to the truth and took the emotional berating with no defense of his own character.

Maybe I'm starting to see how this whole book fits together. Peter talks about suffering and trials in length at least three times. He tells us to "prepare our minds for action" and "arm ourselves with this attitude [of Christ]" because living for God is a battle and includes trials. He talks about being humble and being submissive because this is the best attitude to have when going through difficulties. And he lists so many reasons, purposes and beneficial outcomes of suffering (but makes it clear that he is referring to the suffering from doing good, not the suffering that results from our sin or misbehavior). But to top it all off, he reminds us that "Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in his footsteps." When all the words and theology of suffering rings hollow in the midst of pain, we have someone who can say "I know what you are going through. Put your feet in my footsteps and I will lead you through this."

Showing Love

1 Peter 4:8-11

"Love each other deeply..."

Jesus said loving -- loving God and others -- is the greatest command God gives us. But He wouldn't have to command it if love came naturally to us. So there must be things that keep us from loving.

Sometimes there's a struggle to show love when we don't want to...

"... love covers a multitude of sins." Even if someone has hurt you or done something foolish and you can't seem to focus on the person, but keep seeing the sin they've done, Love casts a blanket over their sin.

And sometimes we just have to be reminded to wake up from our self-centered lives and show love...

"... serve others." When we look up from our own needs and see the needs of others, we can practice loving each other deeply. But it's easy for showing love by serving others to become just about serving, just another job or obligation to fulfill (Peter told me I should serve, so I'd better serve), and not about love.

Read verses 9 through 11 again, and look at what else is involved when we show "God's grace in it's various forms." (There's one of your answers right there!)

How to Pray

You may have heard that prayer is our lifeline to God. Or that it's the most important thing we can do as believers. You've probably felt or seen it's real-life affects. We are driven to it in desperate moments, even those who don't fully believe. And yet, I don't depend on it enough. Sometimes I just take for granted that God knows what I need (even before I ask, right?). But there is something that happens when I ask. The simple act of verbally talking (or writing) to God changes things, makes things happen... in me, and in the world. But prayer is not a magical act that will enforce my will on my circumstances, because -- above all -- one should try to fully comprehend WHO we are praying to, and who we are in relationship to Him.

That said, I think Peter... let me stop right here for a side bar... I was just reading an article that reminded me that when we read the Bible, we should remind ourselves that all of it is God's words to us. Even though there are many authors over thousands of years, their words were inspired by God. So when we read, remember God is talking to us. And when I say that Peter wrote or said something, his words are something that God is telling us. Okay, back to my original thought...

That said, I think Peter is telling us in 4:7 what we should keep in mind so that we can pray. What are these things (there are 3) and how do we apply them to our lives?

For more on how to pray, see Jesus' instructions here.

Living for God

I'm struggling with how to understand this passage for a couple of reasons...

The first is that I fear when one reads "he who has suffered in his body is done with sin," one might picture the albino monk from the Davinci Code, or performing some kind of painful penance. But this whole passage is about suffering for doing good. And that's what Jesus did. It was by doing the ultimate good that caused his suffering in the body. So that's the attitude we must arm ourselves with. By the way, have you ever thought of arming yourself with an attitude? Preparing for war with an attitude as your weapon? And with this weapon of attitude (the attitude of Christ), you won't live for evil human desires, but you'll live for the will of God. This sounds a lot like Romans chapter 6.

The second struggle I have is that verse 6 flies way over my head. It's referencing verses 19 & 20 in chapter 3, which talks about Jesus preaching to spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago, before the flood. In 4:6, we read that he did that because they will have to give an account when they are judged -- but it's that last part, the division he makes in regard to the body being judged, but the spirit living according to God. Hmm. Not sure if I'm grasping this... any help?

Suffering for Doing Good

I don't know about you guys, but I don't think I can say I've suffered much for doing good. Life has been pretty easy for me, and I don't feel like I can relate to some of what Peter has been saying. But there are many, many Christians who can relate, and probably count these passages as precious promises that keep them going. If you want to read their stories, you can find some of them on The Voice of the Martyrs website, persecution.com. I need to be reminded more that Christ is worth suffering for, even dying for. I need that broader perspective of "suffering" in my life.

Please pray with me that God will help us understand how suffering works in His kingdom, because we've got a tough passage coming up: 1 Peter 4:1-6. We'll tackle that Monday, okay?

"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"

Ever heard that phrase before? Can you picture someone to whom it might apply? What is it that really makes someone attractive?

In verses 3-6, Peter isn't necessarily condemning dressing up or having nice hair. Instead, he's discussing where a person's beauty comes from. Beauty that only comes from the outside appearance is shallow. Beauty that comes from your spirit, your inner self, is true beauty. Look at verse 5 and 6 to see how to make your spirit, and thus your whole self, beautiful (there should be three parts to this beauty regimen).

Chapter 3

This week we read the third chapter in 1 Peter. He once again holds nothing back and starts us off with the sometimes sticky "husband and wife commandments." I know that a lot of my girlfriends out there have worked hard at the call to be submissive: struggling with it and defending God's purpose in it. The call to be submissive (to anyone, even our Heavenly Father) is never easily done, or easily understood by those outside of the relationship. So I was wondering if those that have some words of wisdom or advice about being submissive would share them here. At the same time, the husbands out there who are reading, maybe you could share what verse 7 means to you, and how you live it out. Thanks for your contributions, everyone. I'm really enjoying all that you have to say!

Doing Good

We saw last week that we are called to "be holy" (check out some of your definitions of what that means), and now this week we've read several instances where Peter talks about what we should do: "rid yourselves of...," "abstain from sinful desires," "Live such good lives," "doing good," and "if you suffer for doing good." Using specific verses from what we've read so far, can you sum up why we should do good, according to what Peter is saying?

Bonus Question: What's the difference between being holy and doing good? Is there one? (This is a good Friday post, since you can keep thinking about it over the weekend!)

What You Are Destined For

Since we're not afraid of tackling the hard stuff, why don't we just go ahead and tackle a theological argument that has divided many Christians throughout the centuries (since Peter has brought it up twice now): Predestination vs Free Will. Read again 1 Peter 1:1-2, and 2:7-8. What is he saying here? To stir the pot even more, read Paul's comment on this very issue in Romans 9:7-33 (notice he uses the same "stumbling stone" verse. Keep on reading, if you like).

Peter knew the concept of foreknowledge better than anyone. When he made what he thought was the most sacrificial statement of his faith, "I will lay down my life for you," Jesus told him that within 24 hours, Peter will disown him 3 times. But don't forget, eventually Peter did lay down his life (he died as a martyr). You see, Jesus never said he wouldn't. He did ask Peter if he really would lay down his life. The choice was up to Peter. The thing is, I believe Jesus wanted that kind of sacrificial faith from Peter. He just knew Peter's faith better than Peter did, and he knew that Peter wasn't quite at that level of sacrifice at that moment. And perhaps because God knew Peter's potential, He put events like this and others in Peter's life to build his faith until it became that sacrificial faith.

So this is how I try to understand it: "pre-destination" is God enabling those that He foresees will make the sacrifice and submit to Him. Our act of free will is key, but so is His enabling. We must believe. He enables us to believe. And He does because He knows our choice.

Simple, and yet, complex. That's God for you.

And feel free to disagree with me here, or add your own comments. Isn't it fun to dive deep into His Word?

A Precious Stone

Peter uses the metaphor of a stone to represent Jesus, which is a metaphor that God used way before Peter came around, and so Peter quotes for us the first instances of this "stone metaphor". In Isaiah 8:14, God says Jesus will be like a stone that causes men to stumble and fall. But later on, in Isaiah 28:16, God says Jesus will also be a precious stone that is completely trustworthy. And before God spoke to Isaiah, he spoke to the psalmist: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

I used to struggle with this idea that Jesus was destined to cause men to stumble. I'm sure some of you may have similar thoughts when thinking about friends and loved ones that do not believe, and therefore, cannot seen that Jesus is precious and trustworthy. It first sounds malicious and sneaky... why can't Jesus' preciousness be evident to all?

Your thoughts? (We're not holding anything back in this study, as you can see... when we hit the tough spots of scripture like this, we must pray for guidance and for God to reveal His wisdom to us... and He will.)

Spiritual Sacrifices

In verse 5 of chapter 2, Peter tells us that we are living stones (in reference to Christ, THE Living Stone) that are "being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." So my question is, what is a spiritual sacrifice? Have you made any lately?

A Resolute New Year

So I think I've figured out a system that will work here, and maybe it will fit in with your new year's resolutions (if one of them is to spend more dedicated time in the Bible, like one of mine is). We will continue reading about a chapter a week, but I will be posting (almost daily) a question from that chapter during the week, to get discussion and digestion going (we live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God, remember!). So, beginning this Monday, we'll start on the second chapter of 1 Peter. Until then, refresh your memory and read, or re-read, chapter one and take a look at the questions in the last post. I'd really like to hear your thoughts about the first chapter, particularly your "holy" definition and what Peter means by "prepare your minds for action."

I hope this fits into your life and schedule, because I am praying it will change all of us immensely!