Monday Thought -- August 1, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it “a den of robbers.”’ Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.” (Luke 19:45-48)

In Jesus’ day, the Jewish leaders had allowed the temple to become a place of business – even corrupt business. They profited from the extortion they allowed with vendors charging unfair prices for the sacrificial animals and huge exchange rates for changing the common coins into coins acceptable to pay the temple tax. The temple was no longer focused on the worship of God; greed had infiltrated and corrupted it.

Not much is sold in places of worship today and very little of what is sold is done so at corrupted prices. Generally, what is sold in places of worship is focused on providing ministry and help to people at reduced cost, not at extortionary rates. It doesn’t seem like such things as that would have upset Jesus so.

But I wonder are there ways in which we use our places of worship today for things which are not right? Would that be true if we were using our places of worship as venues to say what people want to hear instead of preaching that is faithful to the message of God? Would that be true if our worship assemblies were more about their entertainment value than about an honest focus on the Lord? Perhaps another way we could misuse our places of worship is to focus them on own needs instead of a focus on God? And perhaps you can think of other ways it is possible to misuse our places of worship today.

The point is that when we gather our focus should be on the Lord – on what He says – on what He desires – on His honor and glory.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 29, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace -- but now it is hidden from your eyes.'" (Luke 19:41-42)

Jesus expressed a similar sentiment about the people of Jerusalem a little earlier in His life, recorded in Matthew's Gospel, "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." (Matthew 23:37)

The Jews, His own people, largely rejected Jesus.  That's especially true of the people of Jerusalem, the educated, religious leaders of His day.  They saw what He did and could not explain it.  They heard what He taught and could not refute it.  But they could not believe because to believe would be to leave behind all that they had given their lives to.  That would have cost too much, they enjoyed their lives too much to see them so radically changed.

It is so easy to get caught up in doing life the way we've always done life and miss what God is saying and doing around us and wants to do in us.  Life gets comfortable, and even if it isn't so comfortable, it's still easier to keep walking the same familiar road than to make a u-turn and take a new path.

I don't ever want to become so deaf that I fail to hear God's voice, so blind that I fail to see the new places He wants to take me.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 28, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.  Untie it and bring it here.  If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.''  Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?'  They replied, 'The Lord needs it.'  They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it."  (Luke 19:29-35)

I marvel at the folks who owned the colt.  They had something that Jesus needed and so Jesus sent His disciples to get it.  The disciples didn't ask before they began to take it.  They just started to untie the colt so they could bring it to Jesus as He told them to.  When the owners questioned what the disciples were doing they simply said, "the Lord needs it."  And that was enough for the owners.  They let the colt be taken without further question.  There was no promise that the colt would be returned.  There was no explanation of why the colt was needed.  There was simply the statement that it was needed by the Lord and that was enough for those owners.

I don't own any colts, but I do have a lot of other stuff that I consider mine.  I have a house and cars and clothes and money and time and talents.  All of those things belong to me.  I own them.  I determine how they will be used and what will be done with them.  I wonder how I would respond if the Lord sent someone to say He had need of them.  I wonder how I do respond to that kind of statement, because I'm convinced that there are times when the Lord does call for me to relinquish what is mine and use it for Him.  Am I like the owners of the colt, gladly willing to let go of what it mine, without questions, when the Lord lets me know He needs it?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 27, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus said: ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.' But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'” (Luke 19:12-17)

It’s not hard to figure out the point of this story of Jesus.

Jesus is the man of noble birth who went away to be declared king.

Not everyone was happy that Jesus was to be declared king. Some tried to do everything they could to keep that from happening. They rejected Him on earth and took His earthly life. But despite their strong efforts to disrupt the plan to make Jesus king, He was still made king. God declared Him so in the resurrection and there is promised a day when Jesus will return so that all will see Him as King.

When He does return it will be for judgment. Those who have rejected Him as king, He will reject and punish. But even those who avow their allegiance to Jesus will be judged. What Jesus will be looking for then is whether their allegiance is genuine or not. The mark of genuine allegiance will not be how much work a person has done for Him. Each person will accomplish different things and different amounts. What they accomplish will be determined, in part, by the measure of giftedness with which God has blessed them. People won’t be judged by how much they have accomplished, but by their faithfulness, their willingness to follow Jesus as His servants.

What Jesus has entrusted to us here are such little things. He has entrusted us with talents of one kind or another. He has entrusted us with time – although a minute amount compared to eternity. He has entrusted us with material resources, but again a very small amount of those when compared to the vast resources of heaven.

How we handle these few resources with which He has entrusted us here – whether or not we are faithful in following Him with these few things – that’s what He’ll be looking at when we stand before Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 26, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a “sinner.”’ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’” (Luke 19:1-10)

Why did Jesus come to the earth?

That is an easy question to answer because Jesus provided the clear answer Himself. He came to seek and save the lost. That was the purpose of Jesus’ coming. It was the goal of God’s decision to send Him. Zacchaeus provides a great example of Jesus fulfilling His purpose.

Zacchaeus was lost. His sinful ways were obvious. The people knew Zacchaeus was a sinner. He had cheated people in his role as a tax collector. He had become a puppet of the Roman government that was oppressing the people of Israel. But the truth is, though the sins of some are less obvious, all of us are sinners just like Zacchaeus. We are all lost.

Jesus sought Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus didn’t ask Jesus how to be saved. He didn’t invite Jesus to come to his home and speak with him. Jesus did the inviting – He told Zacchaeus He was coming to his home. Jesus did the seeking. Zacchaeus was thrilled to be able to speak with Jesus and have Him in his home. He made an effort just to see Jesus. But Zacchaeus probably felt too unworthy to invite Jesus to his home, too unworthy to be saved. The truth is that none of us comes to Jesus at our own initiation either. Jesus seeks us – He seeks us all.

When Zacchaeus was found – when he was saved – his life changed. Jesus didn’t have to require it – it was the natural response to what Jesus was doing in Zacchaeus’s life. He became generous – giving half of his wealth to the poor. He repented of his cheating – giving back four times anything he had taken wrongfully. Zacchaeus changed because of Jesus. The same thing happens to every person that comes to Jesus – our lives change. Change is the natural response to what Jesus does for us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 25, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Lord, I want to see,’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” (Luke 18:35-43)

This man’s need was obvious – he was blind. His blindness put him in a position of great distress, so much so that he was reduced to begging in order to sustain his life. Anyone who walked by could easily discern what the man’s need was – his sight needed to be restored so he could provide for himself.

So, why did Jesus ask, “What do you want me to for you?” Jesus was brilliant and He operated with supernatural discernment. There are stories from Jesus’ life in which he knew what was happening in people’s lives even when they were not near Him. There are stories in which He revealed that He knew what people were thinking. Yet in this story it seems that He couldn’t ever figure out a need so obvious that everyone could tell what it was.

Perhaps there are other reasons Jesus asked His question. Not very beggar really wants to be healed. They have become accustomed to begging. It’s what they know and are comfortable with, perhaps even the only way they’ve ever made a living. Perhaps Jesus was asking the man to be sure he knew what he really wanted.

Perhaps Jesus wanted to draw attention to what He was about to do – heal the man’s blindness. Stopping and taking the time to ask the question would have gathered the crowd around the blind man. More people would see the miracle and praise God because Jesus paused to question the man.

Perhaps Jesus wanted to man to ask specifically for what he wanted. No general request would be sufficient. Jesus wanted the man to spell it out – not for Jesus’ sake – but to focus the man’s mind and heart on what he really needed.

Are you sure you really want what you are asking God to do? Are you asking for your own benefit, or are you truly interested in bringing praise to God? Have you taken the time to focus your mind and heart so that you can ask God specifically?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Ftiday Thought -- July 22, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.’ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.” (Luke 18:31-34)

There is one phrase in this passage that stands out for me: “The disciples did not understand any of this.”

That is a comforting phrase for me because there are many things that happen in my life and in the lives of people around me that I do not understand. I don’t understand them from the perspective of what God is trying to accomplish through His people. I don’t understand them from the perspective of God’s love and compassion for His children. I don’t understand them from the perspective of God’s desire to build His children into the image of Jesus. I just plain don’t understand a lot of things that happen.

I have a friend – a teenage boy – who has leukemia. I don’t understand the why of that.

I have another friend who has breast cancer. I don’t understand the why of that.

I have a friend who has ongoing health problems that defy explanation and treatment. I don’t understand the why of that.

I have friends who have lost spouses and children and parents to death. I don’t understand the whys of those things.

I horrendous tornado hit the city in which I went to college – Joplin. It killed hundreds and did unimaginable damage. I don’t understand the why of that.

And I could go on and on with my list. There are many things that I don’t understand. Yet, they seem to be a part of God’s plan. At least God hasn’t prevented any of them.

The story from Jesus’ life comforts me because it shows that the earliest and closest followers of Jesus didn’t understand, either. But here’s something else that becomes evident as the rest of their lives unfolded – though there were many things they didn’t understand, they trusted Jesus and kept following Him.

That’s my decision, too. There are many things I do not understand, but I choose to trust Jesus and keep following Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 21, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good — except God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”’ ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’” (Luke 18:18-27)

Here is a young man who had several important problems –

First, he thought there was something he could do to earn eternal life. That was the question that he came to Jesus to ask. Jesus’ answer was aimed at helping the young man come to understand that he couldn’t do anything to earn eternal life. On the other hand, if he would just have acknowledged that he was lost and unable to do anything about it, then Jesus would have freely offered His grace.

Second, he thought he was righteous. When Jesus asked him about the Old Testament commandments, the young man declared that he had kept them all since he was a boy. That’s self-delusion. No one has kept those commandments – except Jesus. The young man was guilty, but he didn’t realize it. He thought he was gaining points with Jesus by declaring his righteousness, but the opposite was true. Jesus was looking for an honest admission of guilt – but it never came. An honest admission of guilt is the first step toward salvation. The realization of our need comes before the acceptance of God’s great solution.

Third, he loved his money and possessions more than he love God and what God was offering him. It’s not the money and possessions are bad – they are often a gift from God. However, nothing can be more important to us than God. God won’t take second place to anything in our lives.

It’s not that Jesus wasn’t willing to save this young man – He was! It’s just that He wasn’t willing to save the young man on his own terms. He could only come to God on God’s terms.

That’s true for us, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 20, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’" (Luke 18:15-17)

We sang a song at church when I was young: “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” It’s true. Jesus does love children – all children.

He loves them because they are so honest. When a child doesn’t like something it is fed there is no pretending that they like it. When a child is unhappy, it doesn’t fake happiness in order to keep the mood light. A child will honestly express what it is feeling.

Jesus loves honesty. You can see that is the Psalms. David expressed anger, frustration, disappointment, joy, passion, and every other imaginable emotion. He didn’t hold back. He honestly expressed what he was feeling. And God called David a man after His own heart.

He loves children because they trust. A child will allow his father to toss him into the air and he will laugh with delight. He isn’t afraid because he knows his father won’t hurt him.  He trusts his father.

Jesus loves trust – He calls it faith. He says that without faith a person can’t please God. With faith a man is acceptable to God in spite of his sins.

God loves children – and He longs for children to be brought to Him. So, we should love children too – protect them, teach them, be role models for them, love them – and bring as many of them to Jesus as we can.

And God loves it when we develop the positive characteristics of a child in our own lives – honesty and trust are two of those characteristics.

His, By Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 19, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself:  'God, I thank you that I am not like other men -- robbers, evildoers, adulterers -- or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'  But the tax collector stood at a distance.  He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'  I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.'" (Luke 18:9-14)

The principle is:  those who are proud of their own righteousness are far from God and those who acknowledge their own sinfulness are closer to Him.

There isn't a man or woman who has ever lived (except Jesus) who could come to God on the basis of his or her own righteousness.  Those who have tried are always turned away.  It isn't until a person understands the depth of his own sin that he is ready to come to God.  The truth is that the way to God is not to seek reward for righteousness, but to seek grace and mercy from Him.

The Pharisees thought they were okay with God, they considered themselves to be doing all they needed to do to please God.  How wrong they were!  No one can make that kind of claim.  All of us fall far short of the standards required to reach God on the basis of what we do.

The tax collector knew very well that he wasn't living up to God's standards.  He knew his own sinfulness.  The only hope he had was in God's forgiveness.  That's the only hope any of us has!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 18, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

What does God want from you more than anything else? According to Jesus’ statement above, He wants faith. Faith is what He will look for when Jesus comes again. Faith is what He will examine in your own life when you stand before Him in judgment. Faith matters to God.

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) You can have a life filled with religious ritual and that won’t be enough to please God. You can have perfect purity and that won’t be enough. You can work hard in your church, attend every service, give generously, and none of those things will be enough. Without faith, nothing is enough to please God.

“That which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” (Philippians 3:9) A right standing before God comes by faith.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8) Salvation comes by faith.

Faith seems pretty important – vitally important – so it would be good to know what faith is.

Faith is not a knowledge of a set of facts. Faith is not just believing the right things, the true things about Jesus. Faith is more than those things.

To have faith is to trust in God. Trust has to be based on knowledge – so there are things that we are required to know in order to have faith – like that God exists, that God wants to have a relationship with us, that God did what was required for us to have a relationship with Him. Trust is also based on believing certain things – that Jesus really lived, that He gave His life for our sins, that He came back to live again in the resurrection by which God established that He has accepted His sacrifice.

But to trust also means that on basis of that knowledge and that belief we believe what God has said and follow Him. We surrender to Him because He has proven Himself trustworthy. We respond to Him.

When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth? When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith in you?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 15, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

Have you ever wondered what the Second Coming of Jesus will be like? You aren’t the first one who wondered. Jesus dealt with that question in His day, too, and He provided some hints about what it will be like and some advice about how to approach it.

“The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.’” (Luke 17:22-35)

Here are the hints Jesus gave about it …

·         It will be visible; you won’t have wonder whether or not it has happened. It won’t be a secret coming. “Like the lightning, which flashes from one end to the other.”

·         People will be taken by surprise when He comes. “Just as in the days of Noah.”

·         Some will be ready and some will be left behind. “One will be taken and the other left.”

And here is the advice of Jesus about how to approach His coming …

Give your life away to Him – don’t try to hold on to it. “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” If you try to keep your life for yourself – doing what you want to do, living for yourself, seeking pleasure, following your will – when Jesus comes again you won’t be ready. If, on the other hand, you give your life to Him, serve Him and His will, follow His instructions – then when He comes you will be ready.

The point is you don’t have to know when He is coming. You don’t have to make any special preparations as the day gets nearer. It’s all about having a right relationship with Him every day. Do that, and you are ready – whatever day He comes.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 14, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him.  They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!'  When he saw them, he said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.'  And as they went, they were cleansed.  One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him -- and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?'" (Luke 17:12-18)

Sometimes saying "thank you" is hard to remember.  I'm sure all ten lepers were thankful.  But they had so much that they needed to do.  They needed to get to the priest and be declared clean by him.  That was required before they could reenter public life.  Once the priest declared them clean there were so many things they had not done for so long and so many people they had not seen or touched for so long.  They probably had wives and children, mothers and fathers, they wanted to see them.  The things that occupied the attention of the nine lepers were not trivial things, they were important things, really important.  It's not that they weren't thankful, they were just preoccupied with important things.

And did the one who came back to say thank you have important things to do, too?  Of course he did.  He needed to get to the priest, too.  He probably had a wife and children, a mother and father that he wanted and needed to see.  It wasn't that he didn't have anything better to do than go back to Jesus and say thank you -- it was that he considered saying thank you important enough to interrupt the other important things.

Most all of us know how important saying thank you is.  Our mothers and fathers taught us that -- and most of us did it easily as children.  But we're not children anymore.  We don't have mothers and fathers to remind us.  We don't have to follow their rules any longer.  And saying thank you is easy to forget and easy to put off till a more convenient time.  One considered it important enough to do right away -- and Jesus was pleased!

I think I'll try to remember to say thank you to the Lord more often!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 13, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'” (Luke 16:22-26)

Death marks the end of choice for humans. Until death, right until the very last moment of life, there is an opportunity to turn to the Lord is repentance and faith. Like the thief on the cross, God will accept anyone who turns to Him with an open and honest heart. The thief was dying, yet God was still ready to receive him.

But the moment after death all opportunity is passed and eternity is fixed.

The story of the rich and Lazarus is the story of two and two eternities.

For Lazarus, death marked union and comfort. Lazarus was taken to Abraham’s side, a union with those of faith and with the One in whom that faith is placed. Lazarus experienced pain and difficulty. Life was hard for him, as it is for many people. Life isn’t always fair and easy. But because Lazarus trusted God, eternity was comfort for him. God had prepared a place for Lazarus and death ushered him into that place forever.

For the rich man, death marked separation and torment. He was separated from Lazarus, separated from Abraham, and separated from God. Life had been easy for the rich man on earth. It wasn’t that life was fair to him, either, but that he came out of the good side of the equation, he received more than he earned and deserved. Though he was blessed, he did not use his blessings to provide for others, he spent them all on himself. There was no thought of God or God’s will while the rich man was on earth. His failure to take advantage of the opportunity to turn to the Lord in life left him separated from the Lord in eternity.

The eternity of each man was fixed. There was a chasm that kept Lazarus firmly and safely at Abraham’s side. There was a chasm that kept the rich man firmly and eternally separated.

“Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 12, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?  No servant can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money."  (Luke 16:10-13)

Money makes a good servant, but a bad master.  The trouble is that too many people allow money to be their master.  They make decisions based upon how it will affect their money.  Money becomes more important to some people than anything else -- more important than doing God's will, more important than people, even more important than God.

God calls us to have the right perspective on our money, to consider it a servant, a tool to be used to accomplish what God wants to accomplish with it.  Money is a "very little" thing, it has no importance in the eternal scheme of things.  It is given to us as a test of how we will manage the more important things that will come later, the "true riches" of eternity.

We are to consider the money we have as someone else's property.  It belongs to the Lord and He has only entrusted its care to us.  When we are caring for someone else's property we are to do with it what they want, not what we want.

So the questions are --

Is your money your master or your servant?

Are you passing the test with your money, showing yourself faithful in how you use it?

Are you using the money entrusted to you in the way its Owner desires, or do you consider it your own?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 11, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" (Luke 15:28-32)

The story of the prodigal son ends with the encounter of the father with the older son. When the prodigal turned toward home the father ran to meet him. The father sought the prodigal and brought him back into a loving relationship. The prodigal was lost in his sin and the father sought him and brought him back.

The older son was lost, too. He was not lost in the same kinds of sin his younger brother was, but he was lost in sin just the same. He was lost in the sin of pride and self-righteousness and duty. He wasn’t enjoying the loving relationship offered by his father. Instead, he was serving for what he hoped to get from it.

When the older son’s sins became evident in his response to his younger brother, then the father sought him out, too. “So his father went out and pleaded with him.” The father didn’t just want the prodigal to come back into a loving relationship with him, that’s what he wanted for the older son, too.

The father longed for both of his sons to be in a loving relationship with him and in a loving relationship with each other, too.

Apart from a relationship of love with our Father, we are all lost in sin. Some lost in sins similar to those of the prodigal and some lost in sins that look more like those of the older son. But without a loving relationship with the Father we are all lost in sin.

The father longs for all of His children to be in a loving relationship with Him and in a loving relationship with each other, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 8, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"Jesus continued:  'There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.'  So he divided his property between them.  Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.'" (Luke 15:11-16)

The first part of the parable of the prodigal son tells the story of what it's like to be lost.  It's a story most of us are familiar with because it is our story.  The world looks so inviting, especially when we are young.  We feel confined by the things we've been taught about God's standards and we want out.  We want to be free to have a good time and live like we want to live instead of being bound by things that seem only designed to take away our fun.  So, many of us left the Father's house and traveled down that road of what we thought was freedom.

Like the prodigal, we find out that what looked like freedom and fun from a distance wasn't so free and wasn't so fun.  In the end, we realized that life away from God was empty and miserable.  That's what the son realized after he had squandered his money.  He found himself in deep need and it was in that deep need that he turned back toward his father's house.

When you look at the lives of the people who live and work around you who do not know God their lives sometimes seem so good.  They are free, they are having fun -- or so it seems.  But remember your own story and remember the truth told by the prodigal -- the freedom and fun of the world are illusions that last only briefly and soon turn to the emptiness they really are.  True freedom and true satisfaction are found in one place and in one place only -- with the Father!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 7, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Jesus told them this parable: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.’” (Luke 15:3-7)

Using the criteria found in this parable of Jesus are you able to call yourself a friend of God?

Friends of God care more about lost sheep than they do about their own needs. They give up their time and resources to celebrate the finding of a lost sheep. It’s not even their sheep. The sheep belongs to someone else. But they care so much about lost sheep, and the One whose sheep it is, that they celebrate when it is found. Do you celebrate when lost sheep are found?

Friends of God care more about lost sheep than they do about the sheep that are secure in the sheepfold. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents more than over the ninety-nine who do not need to repent. Friends of God are willing to put the needs of the secure sheep unmet in order to look for the lost sheep. Even though there are far more secure sheep than there are lost sheep, finding the one lost sheep matters more than meeting the needs of the secure sheep. Do you care more about finding lost sheep or being sure the needs of the secure sheep are met?

Let’s bring that home even more. Do you care more about lost sheep being found than you do about your own needs being met? If you are a secure sheep, then are you willing to lay your needs aside in order for lost sheep to be sought after? Friends of God are willing to do that because they know how much lost sheep matter to God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 6, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.’” (Luke 14:25-27)

Jesus was not interested in attracting crowds. He was interested in attracting followers. That’s what a disciple is – a person who follows someone else. A disciple of Jesus follows Jesus. Literally, a disciple is a learner. So a disciple of Jesus listens carefully to Jesus in order to do what He says. A disciple of Jesus watches Jesus closely in order to do what He does.

A disciple of Jesus is someone who focuses more on Jesus than on anyone else. A disciple of Jesus focuses on Him more than he focuses on his family. A disciple of Jesus focuses on Him more than he focuses on his own life – what is best for him and what he wants. Instead, a disciple of Jesus focuses on what is best for Jesus and what Jesus wants.

A disciple of Jesus is willing to sacrifice anything for Jesus. A disciple will sacrifice his time for Jesus.  A disciple will sacrifice his energy for Jesus. A disciple will sacrifice his possessions and resources for Jesus. A disciple will sacrifice his talents for Jesus. A disciple will even sacrifice his life for Jesus if he is called upon to do so.

Jesus is looking for disciples. He longs for us to go into all the world to make disciples – not to gather crowds. He longs for each of us to be His disciples. He doesn’t just want us to be a part of His crowd – He wants us to be His followers – His students.

Are you just a part of Jesus’ crowd? Or – Are you His disciple?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 5, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"Jesus replied:  'A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.  At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'  But they all alike began to make excuses.  The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it.  Please excuse me.'  Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out.  Please excuse me.'  Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'  The servant came back and reported this to his master.  Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.''" (Luke 14:16-21)

There are many good things that keep people from following Christ.

Sometimes people get busy with their career or business and can't take time for the Lord.  Many of these people plan to make the Lord a part of their lives later in life, perhaps when they retire.

For others, family concerns and responsibilities keep them from following Christ.  There are so many responsibilities in raising a family.  The house takes a lot of time to care for.  It's important to have good and nutritious meals.  The kids have more and more activities as they get older and their involvement in things helps them develop.  None of these are bad things, they are all good things, but they keep many people from following the Lord.  They plan on having time later in their lives for spiritual things.  It's not that spiritual things are unimportant to them, it's just not a good time for them.

Good things, important things, but are they worth endangering your eternity and the eternity of your family?

His, by Grace,

Steve