Monthly Archives: November 2016

November 16, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Going Fishing


For three years the dis piles followed Jesus. They witnessed people receive their sight having been born blind. They watched leprous skin clear up right before them. They were standing there when Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb four days after he died. They handed out the five loaves and two fish to the 5,000. They not only saw Jesus walk on water, they saw Him calm the wind and waves. They had countless fireside discussions that you and I will never know about. That’s why I’ve always been baffled by this one thing that happened after the resurrection.

John 21:3 says, “Simon Peter said to the others, ‘I am going fishing.’ ‘We will come with you,’ they told him” (GNT). After all they had seen and done, they went back to their old life. It’s hard for me to comprehend how they could experience everything they did, and then just simply go back to their old life. Had they forgotten that Jesus had told them that from now on they would be fishers of men? How could they go back to being regular fishermen? No matter how perplexing it is, I have to wonder if we are any different.

We may not have seen those miracles as they did, but if we accepted Jesus as our savior, we experienced the power of God in our own life. We felt that initially cleansing feeling and the peace that passes understanding. Yet somehow, many times we go right back to our old way of living. We know we are supposed to be a new creation, but that old life that’s supposed to be dead and buried, calls out to us and tempts us to go back. Even though we experienced the power of the resurrection, we sometimes live as though it had no affect on our life.

That life is as fruitless as that night of fishing for the disciples. The great news for us is that Jesus is on the shore calling out to us, “Have you caught anything?” Then He reminds us to cast our nets on the other side. He reminds us to return to Him and to live our life in the power of the resurrection. When we live that way, our nets will be full. Jesus’ words to them that morning were simple: Follow me. That call goes out to us too. You can’t follow Him and go back to your old life at the same time. Each of us have to make that choice. 

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November 15, 2016 · 5:00 AM

The Bus Station


What I love about having been to Israel is that when I read the Bible, I can picture each place in my mind. There are two sites celebrated as the place where Jesus was crucified. One of them is in a magnificent church and the other out in the open. I got to visit both places on this last trip, and both were incredible in their own way. Personally, I enjoyed the one outside better for a number of reasons, but I was a little offended at first by what I saw.

We were sitting on the property of the Garden Tomb, and they read Matthew 27:33. It says, “And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means ‘Place of the Skull’)” (NLT). They pointed to a hill just about 50 yards away, and asked if we could see it. They showed us pictures of about 50 years ago and another from over 100 years ago. You can see how it looked like the Place of the Skull. But when I looked at the base of what could be Golgotha, there was a busy bus station. I couldn’t believe such a holy place was being disrespected.

That’s when it hit me that a bus station at the foot of the cross was the most appropriate way to honor it. One of Jesus’ final instructions before His ascension was from Mark 16:15. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” The buses that I saw there were a representation of the Great Commission. Those busses carry people all over the place the same way we are to carry the Gospel. Our message is summed up by what happened at the Place of the Skull.

Where Jesus’ mission was fulfilled, ours began. Where He said, “It is finished,” He was handing the baton to us. That place of death became the birthplace of eternal life. We are the bus drivers of His message. We carry His spirit within us to be witnesses in all the world. Wherever we go, whomever we meet, we are to transport His message of hope and love. We can turn this world upside down at He disciples did, but we have to be willing to get on the bus and go.

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November 14, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Under The Press


As many of you know, I went back to Israel this past summer. One of the most visited places in Jerusalem has to be the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s filled with Olive trees as pictured here. On this trip, I discovered that the name Gethsemane means the olive press. We got to see an olive press to understand how it crushes the olives to make oil. That first pressing of the Olive is holy and belongs to God. I think that’s important to know when considering what happened there the night before Jesus was crucified. 

Matthew 26 tells us that Jesus went there with the disciples and that grief and anguish came over Him. In verse 38, Jesus said, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me” (GNT). He was being pressed like an olive in that moment. His prayer in the next verse is what I want to focus on today. He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me! Yet not what I want, but what you want.” 

Each of us have times in our lives when we are being crushed by problems and things going on. Just like Jesus, our first instinct is to pray, “Father, if it’s possible, get me out of this!” We cry and we pray for God to help us. But what if God wants to use that time to create a holy offering in your life? What if He is allowing you to be crushed so what’s inside comes out? I’m sure the olives in the press don’t appreciate the stone mill rolling over them, but what comes out is more useful than just the olive by itself.

Jesus understood this. That’s why His next breath was, “Yet not what I want, but what you want.” Instead of praying for God to get us out of the press, ask God that His will be done instead of ours. James 1:12 says, “Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.” Remaining under the press, like Jesus did, is the way to receive the life God promises us. 

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November 11, 2016 · 6:27 AM

Love One Another


One of Jesus’ most consistent messages was that we love each other. He once said it was the second greatest commandment. The word He used for love that He used so often was “agapao” or agape love. That type of love is unconditional. He wasn’t telling us to love the people who agree with us or the people we like. He was telling us to love everyone unconditionally. God is no respect or of persons, and Jesus was telling us to be the same way.

Loving God comes easy for many of us. Jesus told us that whoever was forgiven most, loves Him most. The hard part is to love those who don’t forgive you and those who hate you. Right now, people are so divided because we haven’t practiced love first. If we are truly going to love the way God wants us to, we are going to have to find a way to love people we fundamentally disagree with. Don’t wait for others to start doing it. Make a commitment to God to let it start with you.

Here are some verses on loving others.

1. But remember the root command: Love one another.
John 15:17 MSG

2. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:8 NLT

3. Let everything you do be done in love (true love to God and man as inspired by God’s love for us).
1 Corinthians 16:14 AMPC

4. Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Matthew 22:37-39 NLT

5. Above everything, love one another earnestly, because love covers over many sins.
1 Peter 4:8 GNT

6. Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that!
Matthew 5:46 GNT

7. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
Romans 12:9 NLT

8. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:44 AMPC

9. My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
1 John 3:18 GNT

10. Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.
John 13:34-35 MSG

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November 10, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Effective Replication 


Have you ever wished you could be at two places at one time? It’s a struggle all too real in today’s world. Living in the digital world has made us busier than ever and away from our homes more. It’s become difficult to meet all our obligations that we have for our families who are spread out and have spread us thin. We are coaches, chauffeurs, tutors, chefs, counselors, encouragers, and guardians for our kids. It’s exhausting. If only we could replicate ourselves, we could be more effective. 

We like to think we are the only generation who has wanted or needed to replicate ourselves, but it’s an age old problem. In fact, Jesus experienced it. Think about all the walking around Israel He did. Everywhere He went, there were people who needed His healing touch, His compassion, and His wisdom. Huge crowds followed Him and people were constantly asking Him to go to their town to heal their loved one. 

Sometimes He walked there, and other times He spoke the word and they were Healed from afar. After three years of ministry, Jesus realized what needed to happen. He couldn’t be as effective as He wanted to be in physical form. Since people needed help everywhere, He needed up be everywhere. So in John 14:16 He said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever” (AMP).

Just like our kids need us to be many things for them, we need Him to be many things for us. He’s not just our savior. He’s our comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, and strengthener on standby for us. Jesus went to the Father so He could send the Spirit in order to meet the needs of everyone, not just a few. Whatever you need God to be for you today, He’ll be it. You simply need to ask Him. He’s more than our savior. He’s our everything. 

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November 9, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Deadlines


When it comes to taking a test, there are two main methods: taking your time and cramming. I usually found myself on the cramming side. I remember staying up all night trying to get as much information in my head in as little time as possible. When you’re up against a deadline, an all nighter is common. Deadlines make force us to focus and put our energy into what’s critical to us at that moment. Remember the last time you were up against a deadline? You got rid of all distractions and did what was necessary. 

Jesus faced a literal deadline. He knew that He would be sacrificed as a Passover lamb. The night before His crucifixion, He pulled an all nighter with His disciples. He spent all night helping them to cram as much information as they could before He died. He focused on the critical things with them. He showed them servant leadership, had supper with them, then gave them final instructions. In John 14:1, I believe He said one of the most important things to them, and it applies to us today.

He said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (NLT). That word “let” means to allow. He told us not to allow our hearts to be troubled, anxious, or worried. We have control of that by choosing what we think about and who we trust in. Jesus was telling them, and us, “Don’t panic. I got this. Trust me.” He knew that the disciples were about to feel like sheep without a shepherd. He was reminding them that when life gets chaotic, He may not be visible, but He’s there with us. We can trust Him to work His plan.

If you believe in Jesus, then you have to know that our God is not a hands off God. He is one who is intimately involved in our day to day lives. We can put our trust in Him instead of in the uncertainty and chaos of our life. Don’t let your heart be troubled. God is in control. He sees the whole picture of your life, and is working things for your good. You may to see it now, but that’s where faith and trust comes in. If you trust Him and have faith in Him, you don’t have to let worry rule your heart.

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November 8, 2016 · 6:29 AM

Election Day Prayer

Father,

We come to you today to lift up our nation. We pray that your will be done here as it is in Heaven. Our nation is not where you desire it to be. We have slowly walked out from under your protective hand. What we need today is not a political leader, but a spiritual leader who can call your Church to be unified. We need your help in putting aside our differences so we can focus on what unites us. Help us to be One Body with One Purpose. Help us to heal this divided nation so it can continue to stand.

I pray for the hearts of voters today. Since we have a government of the people, for the people, and by the people, I pray that the people will vote in a way that brings about your will for us. None of us can see what the future would be with any of these candidates. Only you can. So I’m asking that you help us to elect people that will allow us to not only to continue to serve you freely, but to be able to preach your Word freely. 

Stir our hearts, Lord. Begin a revival in your Church. We recognize that to change the nation’s culture, we must first allow you to change ours. Set a fire in each of us that burns away the things that are not of you. Let that fire spread throughout this country and the world. We know that to change the world, we must live changed lives. May our lives lift you up so that you can draw all men unto yourself.

Forgive us for our past mistakes. Give us a unified vision of who you want us to be. Give us your compassion to heal the broken. Put in our hearts to pray for our leaders. It’s in our nature to tear them down, but it’s in yours to build them up. Help us to remember that whoever we elect will not change who you are or our role in society. Direct our paths. Guard our lives. Help us to show your love to everyone we meet regardless of whether we agree with them or not. Help us to see people the way you see them so we can create a culture that reflects your desires in the world.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen. 

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November 7, 2016 · 5:00 AM

The Raccoon Trap


I’ve always heard that the best way to catch a raccoon is to create a trap with a shiny coin dangling, and then put a small hole in her side. A raccoon will reach in, grab the coin, and not be able to get his hand out because it’s in a fist. The simple way to get out is to let go, but the raccoon won’t because he wants the coin to badly. I’ve laughed at how stupid a raccoon must be, but then had to stop when the mirror was turned to me. 

Each time I hear the story of the raccoon, I wonder what things I’m holding on to that I need to let go of. There was a young man who approached Jesus in Mark 10, and he asked Him what he needed to do to get eternal life. Jesus rattled off several commandments, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother” (MSG). This got the young man excited because he had kept all of those. Just then, Jesus added one more to the list.

Jesus said, “There’s just one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor.” The young man’s face dropped, and he went away with a heavy heart. Verse 22 says, “He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.” He got caught in the raccoon trap. He was holding on to things God was asking Him to let go of. In the end, he lost it all because he couldn’t let go. Corrie Ten Boom once said, “Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.”

What are you holding on to that God has asked you to let go of? It could be hurt, regret, pain, bitterness, or something physical that you own. Whatever it is, it’s best to let go of it before God pries it out. Don’t let those things trap you and keep you where you are. Release them, no matter how important they may seem. You’ll find that God’s freedom is greater than whatever you’re holding on to. I’ve also learned that I have to let go of things before God can give me new and better things. The choice is ours. What’s it going to be?

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November 4, 2016 · 6:04 AM

High Value


I was once told that rich people brag about how much something cost them, while poor people brag about how little they paid for something. It’s interesting how different each of us are in what and how we value things. Each of us place different values on things according to how we were raised or what we’ve been through. I once watched an older lady pour her morning’s bacon grease on her salad as a dressing while the grand kids complained about the off brand ranch dressing she had on the table.

Some of us place high values on things, others on relationships, others on knowledge, and so on. I’ve found that people are willing to spend money and time on what they value. The average ticket purchased to go to Game 7 of the 2016 World Series was Over $2,000 according to TicketIQ. There were many who paid over $10,000. Some of you are freaking out about how much that cost while others are thinking those were great prices. It’s based on what you value. Jesus told us that where our treasure is (what we value) is where our heart is. 

I don’t mean this message to be condemning, I’ve spent serious money to go to a game before. What I want today is to challenge us to think about what we value. Are we valuing the right things? Is our heart in the right place? If you look at where you spend large amounts of money, you’ll see what you value.

Here are some Bible verses on value and treasure. 

1. Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.
Psalms 119:111 NLT

2. However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:7 AMPC

3. Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 MSG

4. Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19-20 GNT

5. For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.

1 Timothy 4:8 AMPC

6. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
Philippians 3:8 NLT

7. This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe: “The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.”
1 Peter 2:7 GNT

8. Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.

Luke 6:38 AMPC

9. Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
Luke 12:33 NLT

10. Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bank robbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Luke 12:33-34 MSG

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November 3, 2016 · 5:42 AM

The First Step


One of things I like to tell people people is, “The best way to get finished, is to get started.” For whatever reason, getting started is always the hardest. We like to think of how long it will take, how much work it will take, or anything else that will keep us from starting whatever it is. The Chinese philosopher said, “The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.” That first step is always harder than making the decision to take it. But once you take that first step, you have momentum on your side.

The problem many of us face is that momentum goes both ways. Many times we drift away from God. We quit going to church, we stop reading the Bible, and then we stop praying. The next thing you know, our lives don’t reflect Christ anymore. We can begin to think we are unworthy of God’s grace, so we allow that momentum to continue our drift away. It usually takes a major event in our lives to rock our world enough to get us to take that first step back home. God is not afraid to cause you temporary discomfort if it will bring you home.

There are some of us though, who intentionally walk away from God. The Prodigal Son, in Luke 15, asked his father for his share of the inheritance, and walked away. It took a major event for him to decide he wanted to go back to the father. Just like the other situation, it takes making that first step. Luke 15:20 says, “So he got up and started back to his father” (GNT). It wasn’t enough to think about going back to his father. He had to get up, get on the road home, and start walking.

If you’re drifting away from God or have intentionally walked away, you can still make the journey home. You can’t go so far that God’s grace can’t reach you. The rest of that verse says that the Father saw his son a long way off and ran to Him. While you walk home, God runs to you. James 4:8 tells us if we will draw near to God, He will draw near to us. It just takes that first step to start heading home. What are you waiting for? The best way to get home, is to get started.

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