Friday Thought -- July 1, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, “Give this man your seat.” Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, “Friend, move up to a better place.” Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’” (Luke 14:7-11)

There is strong temptation to make sure that we get what we think we deserve.

I think my position entitles me to the best parking place. I deserve the best seat at the game. No one should dare to sit in my chair in front of the TV. I want to be at the table at the front of the room. Let someone else sit by the restaurant kitchen – I should be in a quieter and better place.

It’s what I deserve. It’s what I’ve earned. It’s about respect. It’s about honor. It’s about my place in life.

Really, it’s about pride!

Consider this: what place on earth did Jesus deserve? Was coming into the world in the womb of a woman the kind of entrance He deserved? Was a stable the appropriate place for Him to be born? Was Nazareth a fitting place for Him to be raised? Should He have slept outside much of His life—or would a palace have provided accommodations more befitting who He is? Did He deserve the mocking – the spitting – the beatings – the execution? Was a cross the fit way for Him to die?

Of course none of what Jesus got on earth was fitting for Him and who He is. What He deserved was the place He left in heaven – the glory that He knew in eternity past. What He accepted was a place of humility. He did that for us.

Are you following His footsteps to humility or walking in the pride that comes so naturally?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 30, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Luke 13:34-35)

Can you sense Jesus’ heart in this passage?

He loved the people of Jerusalem. Now understand that these are the people who will kill Him. Jesus knew that. He knew what awaited Him in just a very short time. Yet knowing they would kill Him, Jesus still loved them.

That says a lot about the heart of Jesus for those who are lost. Jesus loves lost people. His heart breaks over their lost condition. He doesn’t look forward to the separation from Him that will result from their choice to reject Him. He weeps when He considers what fate awaits them in eternity.

Jesus considers lost people His children. He longs to sweep them under His protective wings like a hen does for her own chicks. That speaks of love and compassion. All people on earth are God’s children and He longs for all of them to be with Him in eternity.

The heart of Jesus is challenging to me because I have opened my own heart to Him with a desire for my heart to become like His heart. Yet I know that my heart often does not reflect the depth of love and concern for lost people that Jesus’ heart reflects.

Consider the way that many people responded when Bin Laden was killed – even many Christian people. There was rejoicing at his death. There was little weeping that he entered an eternity that broke God’s heart and should have broken ours. Was it justice? Yes – but justice doesn’t bring God joy – it brings weeping instead.

Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 29, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, “Sir, open the door for us.” But he will answer, “I don't know you or where you come from.”’” (Luke 13:22-25)

There are some troubling phrases in this teaching of Jesus.

One is – “make effort to enter through the narrow door.” I thought it wasn’t by our efforts that we are saved? I thought we were saved only by the efforts of Jesus. The efforts Jesus is speaking about here are not the efforts to earn our way to salvation. Rather, He is speaking of the effort involved in seeking God – the effort involved in opening our heart to the Lord – the effort involved in responding to God’s call on our lives. The work is all Jesus’ – but accepting His work and responding to His invitation, that is ours.

A second troubling phrase is “many will try to enter and will not be able to.” Does that mean that there are some who want to be saved and won’t be accepted? That’s sort of what it means. There are some who aren’t willing to come in the only way Jesus offers salvation. They want to come in some other way, some way of their own making or their choosing. Some want to come on their merits – and even though they do want to be saved, they won’t be, not on that basis. Some want to come through a means other than Jesus – they want to choose their own god or change the nature of Jesus. They won’t come to Jesus as He is; they want to redefine Him in a way that is more acceptable to them. Some only want heaven and want to exclude Jesus from their life on earth. That’s not a way Jesus will allow anyone to come, no matter how badly they want heaven. The salvation that Jesus offers isn’t just fire insurance – hell avoidance – it’s a life here of following Him that opens to an eternity with Him. Those who don’t want to be with Him here won’t enjoy being with Him there, either.

There is no one who truly wants to know Jesus and who is willing to allow Jesus to be Lord, who will be turned away from Him. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 28, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"Then Jesus asked, 'What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.' Again he asked, 'What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.'" (Luke 13:18-21)

What is the characteristic of a mustard seed? It starts small and then grows into a large plant, like a tree. God's kingdom is like that. Consider how the kingdom of God started. It started with a handful of men and women and during Jesus' life it did not grow large. The biggest group that saw Jesus resurrected was only 500 people. After His ascension, there were only 120 gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem. That's not a large group, the kingdom started small. Not only did it start small in number, but it started small in its geographical location. The area in which Jesus lived and preached is a small area, not much bigger than the Willamette Valley of Oregon -- 90 miles or so north to south and 40 miles or so east to west. And it is an obscure area, tucked into a small corner of the world. The kingdom didn't start in Rome or Egypt or some other powerful and visible place, it started in a corner. Yet, today, the kingdom spreads all across the world. There is no place in the world that has not been touched with the Gospel. And the kingdom numbers into hundreds of millions. What started small has grown huge. What started tucked into a corner has spread around the world.

The kingdom of God is like yeast. Yeast makes up a very small part of the ingredients that are mixed together to make bread. Yet, a small amount of yeast affects the whole batch of dough and causes it to change. So, too, does the kingdom. It started a small amount, but it has impacted the whole world.

There are times when people think the church is so small and weak compared to the powerful forces of the secular world. Those people don't understand!

The church is everywhere and its influence is huge. It started very small, but now the world can't even contain it!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 27, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’ The Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’ When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” (Luke 13:14-17)

Which do you think is more characteristic of God – loving action or strict legalism? If you said “strict legalism” then you would fit in well with the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ day and be far removed from the heart of God.

It’s not that God is unconcerned about His Law. God does want us to embrace His standard of right and wrong. But love trumps legalism. In fact, in the Old Testament, through the prophet Hosea, God said, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” (Hosea 6:6)

The Pharisees and scribes understood that principle when it came to the care of their animals. They would not deprive their ox or donkey of the water that it needed on the Sabbath simply because for them to get water would require that they untie the rope that bound them. They cared about their ox and their donkey. But when it came to the needs of people – the strict Sabbath prohibitions took precedence.

In this story, Jesus healed a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years and the synagogue ruler chastised Jesus for His act of love. Jesus was expressing the heart of God for the woman – the ruler was far from God’s heart.

Sabbath prohibitions don’t bind many people anymore, but I wonder if there are other ways that we allow some aspect of strict legalism to get in the way of demonstrating love to those around us. Years ago one of the elders at the church I served was on his way to church one Sunday morning and didn’t get there. Instead, he saw a family with a broken down car of the road and he stopped and helped them deal with the problem. Strict legalism might have said he was wrong for missing church. Love said that he made the right choice.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 24, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.”'"  (Luke 13:6-9)

There are two men in this parable – the owner of the vineyard and the caretaker. Which of the two displays more of the character of God? The answer is obvious – it is the caretaker.

The owner is impatient. He has waited an appropriate length of time – three years – and has not received any return on his investment. For him, patience ran out and it was time to do away with the unfruitful plant.

The caretaker demonstrates an abundance of patience. He, too, had waited three years to see the vine produce fruit and his efforts had been wasted. In fact, he is the one who had put in the work on the plant. He had the most invested. Still, he was patient. He didn’t want to give an appropriate amount of time – not just what was expected. He wanted to go above and beyond with patience. He was willing to put in more than the expected labor in order to see the plant flourish.

God demonstrates patience like that of the caretaker. He is the one who puts in the work to produce fruit in our lives. He has the most invested. Still, he is patient. He doesn’t want to just be satisfied to put in the appropriate amount of effort to see our lives change. He goes above and beyond with patience.

But note, too, that even the caretaker’s patience had a limit. He was willing to invest one more year of work and waiting. But the end of the next year and he, too, would be done. His patience would run out.

So, too, God’s patience has a limit. He’ll put in far more than is expected in an effort to see change in our lives. But a time comes when His patience will finally run out.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 23, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.’” (Luke 13:1-5)

There have always been those who believe that people get what they deserve in life. If life brings a person health, prosperity and happiness, then that has to mean the person is doing something right. They are being rewarded for their good character and behavior. On the other hand, if life brings a person sickness, poverty and trouble, then that has to mean the person has done something terribly wrong. They are being punished for their sin.

That seems fair and most people want life to be fair, or at least some express some semblance of fairness. They want to believe that if they work hard and strive to be good that it will pay off for them and their family.

Jesus reminds us that life isn’t about fairness. The Galileans He mentioned weren’t more wicked than others around them. Their wickedness did not result in the tragedy they experienced. They were not being punished. The same was true of those who suffered in the fall of the tower in Siloam. They weren’t more sinful than the rest of the population that lived in Jerusalem.

Life isn’t about fairness. Bad things happen to good people. Good things come on those filled with sin.

But there are lessons to be learned by all of us who see tragedy strike those around us. The primary lesson is about the need repentance. The truth is all of us deserve punishment. If life was about fairness we would all suffer tragedy. So let the tragedy we see move us to turn toward the Lord and seek His grace and mercy for our own sin. Let it be a reminder that punishment for evil will come and the only way to avoid it is through the protection that Jesus offers.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 22, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Luke 12:35-40)

I’ve heard that Jesus is supposed to come on May 21, 2011 – O wait, that day is already passed and He didn’t come. I’ve heard that Jesus is supposed to come on October 21, 2011. I’ve heard that the world is supposed to end on December 21, 2012. Of course, I also heard that someone set the date in the early 20^th century and someone said 1994 and others have been sure of other dates. So far no one has correctly predicted when Jesus will come again. And here’s what Jesus says – no one ever will correctly predict the date of His coming. Jesus said, “The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” That seems pretty clear to me.

The exact date of His coming is not the critical issue. If it was the critical issue then I’m confident that God would let us in on the secret. God always gives us what we need to please Him. If we needed the date of Jesus’ coming, we’d have it from Him.

The critical issue is not the date of His coming – but being ready on any day. Jesus challenges us to be dressed ready for service and with our lamps burning. That means we should live our lives – every moment of every day – in at attitude of surrender to Jesus and a willingness to respond immediately to whatever He asks.

If Jesus whispers in my ear tonight while I sleep, “Come with Me to heaven” – I need to be ready to respond – “Yes, Lord, I’m ready.” If angel shouts and the trumpet blasts to bring this age to its end, I need to be ready.

Are you ready? Do you live in an attitude of surrender to Jesus? Are you ready to listen to whatever He asks and respond in obedience? Are your eyes open to see Him and your ears open to hear Him?

It could happen tonight. Are you ready?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 21, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?’ … ‘For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.’” (Luke 12:22-26; 30-31)

These admonitions from Jesus are difficult to understand and from a human perspective they will never make sense.

Do not worry about your life. We are not to even worry about the things that sustain our earthly life, like food. None of us can live without food and sometimes there are people – even people of great faith – who don’t have enough to eat. What does Jesus mean not to worry when we don’t have enough to eat? That makes no sense.

Do not worry about your body. We are not to even worry about the things that are necessary to take care of our bodies – like clothes. But none of us wants to live without clothes, and for many of us clothes are essential for the climates in which we live. There are people – even people of great faith – who don’t have adequate coverings and shelter for their bodies. What does Jesus mean not to worry when we don’t have enough cover or shelter? That makes no sense.

Even birds starve to death sometimes. Birds freeze to death in climates where there isn’t enough protection for them. Flowers are cut off before their prime, eaten by animals, or destroyed in a late freeze. If you look at the examples Jesus points to they don’t offer an ironclad guarantee that there won’t be any problems.

What does Jesus mean? He means that there are things more important than earthly life. There are things more important than taking care of our bodies. Life on earth is not the goal. To live here is not the purpose for which we draw breath. We live to serve God. Our goal is His glory, His will and the advancement of His kingdom.

Life will never make sense if all we look at are the years we spend here on earth. Life only makes sense when you look at it from an eternal perspective.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought

Good Morning Friends,

"And he told them this parable:  'The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, 'What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.'  Then he said, 'This is what I'll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'  This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.'" (Luke 12:16-21)

This story is about priorities and ignoring what is important.  The rich man thought he was being wise and taking care of the future.  There are many people like him in our day.  People store up resources for retirement.  We plan and save so that we can be sure we will be comfortable in our older years.

People insure themselves to protect their lives against harmful incidents.  We insure our houses so they can be replaced in case of fire.  We insure our cars so we can buy another if it is wrecked.  We insure our health so that a medical problem will not wipe out all of our savings.  We insure our life so our families are provided for in case of our death.  People look ahead and prepare for the future and do all we can to make provision for what might happen.

Yet, many of those who prepare so wisely for the future ignore God and ignore what happens after death.  This rich man did.  He did a good job of planning for life, but he forgot to plan for death!

This parable is not trying to teach us to make no provision for our future.  Rather, it's pointing out that provision for the rest of our lives on earth is still just short-term planning.  Don't forget to do your long-term planning, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 17, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:4-7)

Life is dangerous! There are evil people in our world who take pleasure in hurting others or who hurt others in order to get something they want. There are natural disasters that do great damage to property and people – hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes, and many others. There are diseases that wreak havoc on human bodies and do so all too frequently in our lives and the lives of those around us. There are accidents that injure and kill – car accidents, plane crashes, falls, and many other kinds of accidents. Life is dangerous! We should all be afraid.

Or should we? Jesus reminds us that although each of those dangers can damage our bodies and end our lives on earth, none of them have the power to do ultimate damage to us – eternal damage. They may take our lives, but they cannot touch the real us – our souls.

But there is One who can touch our souls – can destroy our souls. God created us – body, mind and soul and God can end us – body, mind and soul. We should all fear Him.

Or should we? Reverence Him – absolutely – but fright – no. Jesus reminds us that God knows us intimately – down to the number of hairs on our heads. And not only does God know us – God loves us. God’s basic character trait is love. You can see it in His care and concern for the creation – birds and animals. But no bird or animal can compare in worth to God to humans.

God loves us. God loves you. Don’t be afraid of the dangerous things of this world – nothing happens to us that catches God off guard and thwarts His will and plan. And don’t be afraid of God – sense His love and rest in His care.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 16, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.’” (Luke 12:1-3)

What is the feeling that springs up in your heart after reading that teaching of Jesus?

If you said fear, then you are pretty normal. There isn’t a one of us whose life could stand the scrutiny that Jesus speaks of. Every one of us has things from our past – and perhaps some from our present – that we desperately want to keep secret. There are definitely words that we have spoken in whispers and quiet places that we want to see left there for no one else to hear.

But the reality is that nothing we have ever done and nothing that we have ever said will be kept secret and hidden. Our secret acts will be exposed for all to see. Our private words will be broadcast for all to hear.

For those whose sins have not been forgiven because they have not embraced faith in Jesus Christ, the prospect of a devastating exposure and judgment awaits. That should cause fear and should lead to repentance and a plea to God for mercy and grace. That’s what judgment is designed to do – move people towards God’s grace.

But Jesus doesn’t limit the exposure He speaks of just to those whose sins have not been forgiven. He doesn’t say that those who follow Him will be exempt from having our sins exposed for all to see. Should that frighten us or cause to tremble in embarrassment? I don’t think so. When our sins are revealed, they will be revealed in context of God’s grace and mercy. Every sin we’ve ever committed is covered by Jesus’ sacrifice and forgiven through His blood so that they don’t remain a fear for us or a cause of embarrassment. Instead, they are a badge of grace, an evident of God’s love. God loved us – and loves us – so much that despite the enormous pile of our sins, He has forgiven us.

Praise God that we don’t have fear our sins. Praise God that we don’t have to tremble in embarrassment at their exposure.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 15, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.’” (Luke 11:39-42)

Which are you more concerned about – the image you present or the state of your heart?

For the Pharisees, their image was of foremost importance. They believed that they would be judged by God by what they were on the outside, without regard to what was in their hearts. Boy, did they get that wrong.

Jesus looked into the hearts of the Pharisees and came down with greater criticism and judgment on them than He did on anyone else. Apparently, from God’s perspective, the heart is pretty important. In fact, God judges by what is in our hearts, not what our image looks like.

That doesn’t mean that our actions aren’t important. Our actions are important, but only if they come from hearts that are right before God. Our good actions can’t ever make up for our bad hearts. But pure hearts do make up for our failures of action.

So, here’s the point: open your heart to the Lord and allow Him to change you – from the inside out. That’s the only way real and lasting change happens – from the inside out. Real and lasting change doesn’t happen from the outside in.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 14, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“As the crowds increased, Jesus said, ‘This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.’” (Luke 11:29-32)

Sometimes God seems so absent and invisible to me. I know I’m supposed to believe in Him and His love for me, but it would be a whole lot easier if I could see Him work miracles and act in ways that left no room for doubt.

That was the attitude of the people of Jesus’ day. They wanted to be convinced. They wanted all doubt to be erased. The problem was that even when Jesus did perform miracles it wasn’t enough. They always wanted more proof – another miracle – an additional sign of God’s presence and work.

But there comes a point at which a person has to just step over the line and trust what cannot be seen and what will not be proven beyond all doubt. That is what faith is – to trust when you can’t see everything.

That doesn’t mean no proof exists – there is proof of God’s existence and proof of God’s care – just never enough to satisfy all doubts. To remove all doubts would be to eliminate the need for faith. But faith is what God is looking for – it is what He wants to find on the earth – it is what pleases Him.

Solomon demonstrated God’s wisdom – he was a living example of God’s gift of direction and guidance. Jonah demonstrated God’s compassion – he was a living example of God’s desire to see people change and willingness to give them a chance to do so. And people were impressed with Solomon and people repented at Jonah’s preaching.

For all of us, who live in the days after Jesus – Someone far greater is here for us. The teaching of Jesus shows wisdom that exceeds Solomon. The compassion of Jesus shows love that exceeds that seen in Jonah. The sacrifice of Jesus shows grace and mercy unlike any that has been demonstrated before.

Look at Jesus. Examine His life. Listen to His teaching. Gaze into His love. There is the basis you need for faith.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 13, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"So I say to you:  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:9-13)

Jesus promises that God will not give His children something worthless or harmful when they ask for something good.  God is like a good parent in that way.  No parent, at least no loving parent, will deliberately disappoint or hurt his child.

But, what if a child asks for something worthless (a stone) or something harmful (a snake)?  It's not beyond children to do that.  Many a young boy has asked for a gun before he was ready to handle it.  Many a child has asked for a car before they were mature enough to use it wisely.  And the worthless gifts that children ask for are very common.  So, how does a loving parent respond when a child asks for something harmful?  He refuses to give it!  And if it is something worthless, he'll often say "no" to that, too.

I think those principles give us great insight into why God says "no" to so many of our prayers.  Like a small child, I often don't know that I'm asking for something harmful.  But as a wise parent, God knows and refuses to give me what will hurt me.  Like an unknowing child, I ask for many things that are worthless, and God often says "no" to those trinkets.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 10, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-41)

Are you more like Martha or like Mary?

Martha was the doer. She was concerned about making sure everyone was taken care of. She wanted the meal she fed Jesus and His apostles to be just right. She is the kind of person who would have wanted the house spotless when they arrived and everything picked up again at the end of each day. She was busy – always busy. She was busy with good things – taking care of her guests – but still, she was busy.

Mary, on the other hand, found time for contemplation. She would have been fine with sandwiches that her guests would have made for themselves from the fixing she quickly set on the table. She would have done some straightening before Jesus arrived, but would not have been concerned if the house wasn’t spotless. She wouldn’t have noticed about any clutter that accumulated while her guests were there and wouldn’t have done anything about it even if she had noticed. She was content to sit and listen to Jesus.

Being a Martha isn’t wrong – as long as the busyness doesn't keeps you from focusing on the Lord and listening to Him.

Being a Mary isn’t wrong, either – as long as your contemplation doesn’t cause you to ignore things that really do need to be done – that God wants you to do.

There is a time to be a doer. There is a time to be listener. The hard part is in knowing which takes priority at any given time.

That’s what Martha missed. When Jesus was in her home it was time to simplify the doing and focus on the listening. She missed that opportunity and tried to get Jesus to make Mary miss it, too.

When Jesus wants you to be listening, are you? Or are you too busy doing?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 9, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

A religious lawyer came to Jesus with a question: "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25)

It is a very good question. What do you think the lawyer expected Jesus to say? Jesus didn’t answer directly, but instead He turned the question back to the lawyer and asked him what he thought the Law said was necessary for eternal life.

The lawyer gave the right answer and it was summed up two fundamental laws:

Love God completely -- “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.”

Love your neighbor wholeheartedly -- “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

Of course, Jesus didn’t allow the lawyer to get all smug because he had answered correctly and He didn’t allow the lawyer to think that he could actually keep those laws well enough to satisfy God. Jesus followed up with one of the most famous of His stories … the Good Samaritan.

The bottom-line of what Jesus was trying to teach the lawyer is the same lesson that He has tried over and over to teach to every audience who heard Him. The lesson is – none of us can keep the law well enough to gain eternal life by it.

We aren’t capable of loving God completely. There is always some aspect of our heart, mind or life that we hold back from God. We may not want to hold back – but we all do. Our self-centeredness gets in the way.

We aren’t capable of loving our neighbors as ourselves. Our love of self is inborn and try as hard as we can, we can’t stop loving ourselves. Love for others is not inborn and every bit of loving others requires intentionality and self-discipline. We all can manage that for a time – in spurts – but not all the time. That’s just beyond our capability.

Where does that leave us? Exactly where Jesus wants us to be – pleading with God for His grace and mercy. Grace and mercy – those are the only real path to eternal life.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 8, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.’” (Luke 10:23-24)

I was thinking about the kings that Jesus mentions in these verses. Their lives were not as luxurious as the lives of kings today, but they were as luxurious when compared to the lives of their subjects then as kings’ lives are today when compared to their subjects now. That brings a perspective to what Jesus is saying here.

Many of us watched a part of the royal wedding that took place in England a few months ago. It was more luxurious than any wedding we’ve ever attended. It was the thing of dreams. Little girls will put that wedding in their minds as the ultimate in wedding fantasies. Kings can do that; they can afford weddings that are luxurious beyond measure.

Kings can stay in the finest hotels. Eat in the most expensive restaurants. Play the most exclusive of golf courses. Live in palaces. Vacation in the most beautiful places. They can do the most amazing things.

The lives kings are the lives of dreams and fantasies. They are successful on an earthly level beyond what most of us can even imagine. That’s true today and that was true in Jesus’ day, too.

So listen to Jesus with that in mind: “For I tell you that many kings wanted to see what you see and did not, and to hear what you hear but did not.”

Jesus is talking about what the apostles saw and heard – and about what you and I have witnessed as followers of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we have what kings dream of!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 7, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’” (Luke 10:17-20)

Miraculous power is impressive. When the people of Jesus’ day saw the miracles He could do – healings, casting out demons, multiplying food, and raising the dead – they were VERY impressed. They flocked to Jesus to see more miracles. They flocked to Jesus so that He could meet their needs.

When Jesus sent out the 72, they were also impressed with the miraculous power that accompanied them. They even saw demonic powers submit to their commands. They enjoyed the power they had been given. They enjoyed the impact those powers could have on others. They probably enjoyed the notice those powers brought to them, too. We all like it when others think that what we can do is impressive.

When the 72 returned, they were excited to tell Jesus about what they had been able to do. And Jesus could tell them about even greater works of power. In what seemed like the ultimate work of power, Jesus told them of seeing Satan fall from heaven. The most powerful demonic force was subject to the power of God.

But Jesus went on to tell the 72 that there was something even more impressive than seeing Satan cast out of heaven. There was something more impressive than seeing spirits submit to the power that has been given you. The something more impressive is the eternal place that God has given to us through Jesus.

What is the source of your joy? Is it in what you can do for God? Is it in what God can do through you? Are you impressed with your gifts and your powers? Or are you impressed just that you’re saved?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 6, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"Woe to you, Korazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies?  No, you will go down to the depths.  He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."  (Luke 10:13-15)

The principle is that people will be judged, at least in part, according to the opportunities they received during their lives.  Korazin and Bethsaida received many opportunities, but they did not respond to them very well.  They will be judged more harshly because of that.  Places like Tyre and Sidon which did not receive as many opportunities will be judged less harshly.

It seems, then, that America will be judged very harshly because the opportunities we have received are more than any other nation in the world, at least in this era.  There are more churches and more ministries here, per capita, than in any other place in the world.  More money is available for preaching the Gospel here than can be imagined in other places. The Gospel has been broadcast many times on television and radio, preached in huge stadiums and other large venues, books have been distributed, videos given away.  Americans who have not responded to the Gospel have no excuse, they've had plenty of opportunities.

It is discouraging that so many Americans have heard the Gospel but have not responded to it by receiving Christ.  Even as we have shared our own faith with those around us we've seen that happen, people don't always respond to what we share.  Judgment awaits them -- harsh judgment.  That's a powerful motivation for us to keep sharing.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 3, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” (Luke 10:1-4)

I’ve been appointed to things before – committees, boards, jobs, etc. With each appointment came responsibility. But there was more than responsibility that came with the appointments – each appointment also came with trust. In fact, the very decision to appoint me to something was a statement of trust. Someone was saying that they were trusting me to do what needed to be done. That’s what Jesus was saying about the seventy-two He appointed to bear His message to the villages. He was trusting them with an important responsibility. He believed they could do what needed to be done. When He appoints you to some task – bearing His message, doing His work – He is saying the same about you – He trusts you. That’s a huge statement – the Lord of Lords trusts you!

I also note that this passage says that Jesus sent them out “ahead of Him.” They weren’t responsible for the whole thing. All of the work of God was not tied to what they were going to do. In fact, they couldn’t do all of the work. They were responsible for only a piece – but the Lord would bring the work to its completion. That’s still true today about the work we do for Him. We do what He assigns, but all the work is not tied to what we do. In fact, we can’t do all the work. There is a piece – an essential piece – the biggest piece – that is God’s to do. He’ll bring the work to completion.

What was lacking in the work that God longed to see done was not people ready to respond. There were many ready to respond in Jesus’ day. There are still many ready to respond in our day. There are places around the world where the response to the message of Jesus is huge. And even here, where the impact of the Gospel seems limited, there are still people who are responding and still lives that are being changed. What was lacking then – and what is lacking now – are not responders, but those willing to bear the message.

And one final point: remember whose harvest it is. The Lord sends workers. The Lord answers prayers. He is the Lord of the harvest. It is His harvest field.

The Lord is looking for workers for His harvest. Will you bear His message?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 2, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But the man replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:57-62)

Jesus presents some hard situations in this story. They strike at some of the most basic questions that are involved in following Jesus.

Will you follow Jesus even if it is not comfortable? Jesus wasn’t offering a comfortable place to stay and an easy path when He invited people to follow Him. Jesus’ own life was not comfortable and His own path was not easy. Why should we expect that what He calls us to will be different from what He Himself experienced? In fact, Jesus’ path led Him to a cross. Will you follow Jesus even if the path He calls you to leads to a cross, too?

Will you follow Jesus even if it is not convenient? The second man seemed to have a legitimate excuse for delaying a decision to follow Jesus – he wanted to bury his father. But most scholars believe the man’s father wasn’t even dead, yet. The man was just asking Jesus for a more convenient time to follow Him. There are many things that seem so important to us – too important to interrupt to follow Jesus – school, family, career, pleasures, etc. But should anything be more important to us than following Jesus?

Will you continue to follow Jesus no matter what, or will you turn aside for one reason or another? The decision to follow Jesus is to be a lifetime decision. It’s not a decision that is to be picked up and set aside whenever and for whatever reason we want to. Make the decision and it should dominate the rest of your life. Does your decision to follow Jesus still dominate your life?

The basic question Jesus was asking in this story is … Are you serious about following Jesus … or are you just playing at it?

His, by Grace,

Steve