Friday Thought -- October 31, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.’ His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’” (John 13:21-24)

Betrayal: Jesus knew what it felt like. He’d lived with the 12 apostles for three years. He’d taught them. They’d seen Him work miracles. They had the opportunity to look into His heart. They knew Jesus and He knew them. Yet, one of the 12 was a traitor. One of the 12 would betray Jesus into the hands of His enemies.

Scripture says that Satan entered Judas that night. Satan was involved in the betrayal, but Judas opened the door for Satan to enter. What would motivate someone to betray a friend, especially someone like Jesus? It could have been greed, there was money involved. But it’s hard to believe anyone would love money that much! Perhaps he was trying to do Jesus a favor, or so he thought. Trying to force Jesus to declare Himself to be King and take His throne. If that was in Judas’s mind, it backfired. Judas didn’t understand the kind of kingdom Jesus was establishing. There may have been other thoughts and motivations in Judas, but the bottom-line is that he betrayed the Lord, he betrayed his friend, his best friend.

Perhaps you’ve been betrayed by a friend, too. Most of us have at one time or another in our lives. You may even know what motivated the betrayal. I would remind you that there is Someone who knows what it feels like. He understands the hurt, the anger, the disappointment. He’s been there, too. In fact, His betrayal was far greater than yours!

Take your betrayal to the One who has already been through it. He’ll help you work through your betrayal, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- October 30, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” (John 13:1)

It was nearly time for Jesus to die. He knew it. How would He demonstrate how much He loved those who followed Him before He went to the cross?

“He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 13:4-5)

He served them. He stooped to do the dirtiest job that needed to be done for them. He washed their feet. It couldn’t have been fun to do, smelly and dirty feet. He was master, surely there was someone else more appropriate to do the dirty work of washing feet. Jesus loved them and He got up and did what needed to be done. When He was finished, He said:

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15)

He told His followers to wash one another’s feet. He told us to follow His example. He challenged us to serve one another, even in the dirtiest and lowest ways, whatever needs to be done. That’s how we show our love for others, by doing what they need to have done!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- October 29, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” (John 12:42-43)

None of us wants to stand out as different from the people around us. We long to be accepted and respected by others. We long to fit in with the crowd. That is so easy for us to see among teenagers. Peer pressure is one of the strongest pressures upon young people for either good or evil, depending upon the crowd among which they associate. The pressure is not just upon teenagers. Adults are as susceptible to peer pressure as teens are. We, too, want to be liked and accepted.

Jesus challenges us to put the praise and acceptance of God above the praise and acceptance of men. Some of the leaders who believed in Jesus were unwilling to do that. They wanted to be closet Christians, believing in Jesus, but unwilling to let anyone else know it for fear of rejection and ridicule.

There is a choice to make. Whose acceptance is going to be more important to us? God’s or men’s? Jesus taught that there is no such thing as a closet Christian.

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

If you haven’t “come out of the closet,” why not make that choice today. Look for an opportunity to let those around you know Who you follow!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- October 28, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“‘Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.’” (John 12:27-32)

A troubled heart can have many causes. What troubled Jesus’ heart was the prospect of what He was about to go through. The physical pain would be terrible. Even worse would be the spiritual pain of the sin He would carry and the separation from the Father that it would cause.

When I have a troubled heart, I want to do what I can to get rid of it. I want to avoid what causes it. But sometimes what causes a troubled heart is the very thing that will accomplish the most in our lives or through our lives.

The prospect of the cross troubled Jesus’ heart. But it was the cross through which men would be drawn to Him and given salvation. Should He avoid the cross to save Himself the pain? To do so would mean He would miss that which would accomplish the most through His life. The pain was worth it to Him because of what it would accomplish.

Sometimes the pain is worth it in our lives, too. Sometimes for what it accomplishes in us and sometimes for what it accomplishes through us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- October 27, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus said, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.’” (John 12:23-26)

To most, the crucifixion of Jesus seemed to be His ultimate defeat. He was not able to persuade the majority to follow Him. They thought His teachings, though good, would fade with time and He, too, would be forgotten. Even Satan must have thought Jesus was defeated at the cross. He’d won the battle, and the war. God’s own Son was defeated.

That’s what they thought.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. What seemed to be the defeat of Jesus was actually His ultimate victory! He had only a small group of followers in the world while He lived. After the cross, His followers would number in the hundreds of millions. His teachings, far from fading, would be spread throughout the world and throughout time. He would not be forgotten. Instead, He would be loved and followed and worshipped. Satan did not win at the cross. He didn’t win the battle and he didn’t win the war. In fact, the cross sealed Satan’s defeat!

What seemed to the world to say one thing, actually said something quite different.

I was thinking about that with respect to our own lives. To some, perhaps even to many, it seems that Christians give up much of what life is really about, give up much of what makes life fun. So it seems. Nothing could be further from the truth. In following Jesus, we give up nothing of value and gain what is eternally priceless!

What seems to the world to say one thing, actually says something quite different. You just can’t trust what the world says!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- October 24, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the King of Israel!’ Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, ‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’” (John 12:12-15)

It must have been an exciting day for the disciples of Jesus. This is what they wanted, what they had been dreaming of. The multitudes were praising Jesus, declaring Him to be their king.

Jesus wasn’t so excited! He could see beyond the shallow praise. He knew what was really in the hearts of the people. He knew how quickly their attitudes would change. He knew what would happen by the end of the week. Just a few more days and they wouldn’t be proclaiming Him king, they would be shouting for His execution.

At times there are exciting news stories that come out in the papers and magazines of America. They talk about the beliefs of the multitudes. The multitudes are willing to say that Jesus is the greatest teacher who ever lived. The multitudes say they believe He worked miracles. The multitudes even say they believe He is God. It is exciting for us. That is what we dream of. That is what we really want. We want the world to see Jesus for who He is and worship and follow Him.

Jesus doesn’t get so excited. He sees beyond the shallow praise. They proclaim Him to be the greatest teacher, but they don’t listen to or follow His teaching. They even say they believe He is God, but it makes no difference in how they live, they don’t worship Him or obey Him. He knows, too, that if the situation should change, the multitudes would quickly lay aside their praise and pick up the chant to kill Him once again!

Shallow praise means nothing to Jesus. Only praise that comes from deep within in the heart matters. Only praise that is evidence of a heart and life fully committed to Him counts.

What does Jesus think of your praise?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- October 23, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’” (John 12:1-8)

What extravagance! Mary took perfume worth a year’s wages -- tens of thousands of dollars in our day -- and wasted it, pouring it on Jesus’ feet. It upset Judas, at least in part because he was stealing from the disciples’ money bag and thought the money should have been put into it. I can see his point, can’t you? Why was such extravagance needed? Without a thought of stealing any of the money, I’d still question the stewardship of it. I have trouble doing anything with extravagance, no matter who it is for.

But, then, isn’t Jesus worth it? Isn’t He worth extravagance?

Of course He is! He’s worth everything we have. A year’s wages is a small price to pay to demonstrate love and commitment to Jesus.

Mary didn’t hold anything back from Him. She was willing to pour out her most valuable possession to Him.

It’s not just about money. It’s about commitment and value. How much value do you place on Jesus and your relationship with Him? In what ways are you willing to be extravagant to demonstrate your love for Him?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- October 22, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.’” (John 11:25-26)

Now that’s a marvelous promise. Those who believe in Jesus will live, even though we die. It’s a promise about eternal life. It’s a promise about life after death. It is also a promise that is hard to believe. We can’t see beyond the grave. We haven’t been there and come back and we don’t know anyone who has. Death has been called the great unknown and for most of us it is the greatest fear we have. We don’t even like to talk about death. It is as though we believe that if we don’t talk about death we can keep it from happening to us and those we love. We can’t. Death is as real as life and it touches every one of us.

If we could just believe Jesus’ promise, then there would be hope.

“Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’” (John 11:43-44)

Now there’s a reason to believe! A dead man brought back to life again. Who in the world could do such a miracle? The answer is: no one in the world. Only God could do such a miracle! If Jesus could do such a miracle, maybe we can believe even the unbelievable promise He made. Perhaps there is hope.

“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.” (John 11:45)

What Jesus did for Lazarus is a reason to believe! Because of it, many came to believe then. Because of it and many other proofs, many have come to believe today, too. I have! Have you?

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Tuesday Thought -- October 21, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

There is security in following Jesus. His promise is that no one can take us away from Him. That is a promise that is backed by all the power of God. We are safely protected for all eternity in the hand of God.

I’m not sure how that makes you feel, but it makes me feel settled and secure. As I look around the world, there is a great deal that is unsettling. The political scene is unsettling, who knows what is going to happen in the weeks and months ahead. The economic scene is unsettling, the stock market jumps up and down with frequency and in extremes. The military scene is unsettling, with war raging and terrorists clamoring for attention with more and more hideous acts of violence. Disease and disaster strike with so often and with such force. Life in this world is unsettling.

There is not much in this world that offers security. But I know the One who holds me in His hand is strong enough to overcome the world, He already has. He is strong enough to defeat any foe, the worst has already been brought down. He is wise enough to see the schemes of the enemy well before they happen and move to thwart them.

He is holding me in His hand. The whole world may be unsettled. The whole world may fall apart. But I’ll still be held safely and securely in the hand of God. Now that’s a settling thought!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- October 20, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’” (John 10:7-10)

They clamor for attention, making claims that they cannot fulfill.

Wealth shouts, “Here’s life, pursue me and you’ll find everything that you dream of.” But those who have pursued wealth and won have not found the fulfillment it offered, they’ve found emptiness instead.

Pleasure shouts, “Here’s life, pursue me, take all the pleasure you can find and you’ll be truly happy. It will be all you ever dreamed of, real life.” But the end of a life pursuing pleasure isn’t the fulfillment it promised, but dissatisfaction that there isn’t more and a hollow feeling inside.

Power shouts, “Here’s life, seek to control people and things and in that control you’ll find the satisfaction you desire.” But, in the end, power isn’t all that it claims to be. It fades and is gone, and even while you have it, it doesn’t provide the fulfillment it promised.

Name every other pursuit the world offers and the same can be said of them. They offer life, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness. In the end, they cannot deliver what they promise. They are thieves, offering what they cannot give and stealing your opportunity to find true life.

There is a pursuit that does fulfill. It brings satisfaction that does not fade. It brings happiness that cannot be taken away. It provides more than it claims. Life, real life, is not in the pursuits of the world, but in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Pursue that, pursue Him, and you’ll find life.

Sometimes we look at the things of the world and wonder if perhaps that pursuit would be better. Don’t be fooled by what you see. Don’t be fooled by the facade people wear. Don’t be fooled by the temporary. Hold on to Jesus and you are holding on to life to the full, for eternity!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- October 17, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:1-5)

In Jesus’ day, the sheep knew the voice of their own shepherd. Out in the open fields, two shepherds would often meet and while they talked their two flocks mingled with each other. When the shepherds were ready to go their separate ways, one would call out to his sheep and they would follow him. The other shepherd would head a different direction, call to his sheep and they would follow him. There was no danger of the wrong sheep going with the wrong shepherd. The sheep knew the voice of their own shepherd and they followed him.

The sheep got to know the voice of their shepherd because they spent a great deal of time with him. They listened to him sing and talk. They got to know his voice so well that they could pick it out, even among dozens of shepherds.

Jesus talks at length in this chapter of John’s Gospel, comparing Himself to a shepherd and His followers to sheep. The point in these first few verses is that His sheep can get to know His voice so well that they can pick it out among many competing voices.

There is a principle there about knowing the will of God. The best way to be able to discern the will of God – where He is wanting you to go – is to get to know the Shepherd so well that you can tell which voice is His, even among the many which compete for attention. Like the sheep of Israel, we will get to know the voice of our Shepherd only by spending time with Him, lots of time with Him. The better we know Him, the easier His voice will be for us to hear.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- October 16, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” (John 9:1-3)

Have you ever wondered why some people are born blind, or with other infirmities? The Jews of Jesus’ day, including His own disciples, thought they had it all figured out. People are born with handicaps because either they sinned, or their parents did. That’s especially helpful for those of us with no obvious handicaps, it must mean we’re pretty decent folks, and so were our parents!

Those Jews were wrong! Being blind or deaf, or having any other handicap, doesn’t mean that some sin is being punished by God. Rather, it means that is the way God has chosen to create the person in order to accomplish the purposes for which He decides to use them. That is His right as Creator.

The man born blind in John 9, was born blind to display the glory of God. One of the ways in which he did that was when Jesus healed his blindness and gave him sight again.

None of us is perfect. Not all of our handicaps are obvious. And some people suffer much more than others because of their handicaps. But all of us are made in the way God chose in order to accomplish what He desires to accomplish through us. Every person ever made has everything he or she needs to accomplish all that God wants them to accomplish.

With what God has given you, are you accomplishing all that He desires to accomplish through you?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- October 15, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“‘Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.’ ‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ the Jews said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.” (John 8:56-59)

It seems like such a simple little statement that Jesus made: “before Abraham was born, I am.” But it set the Jews off. They wanted to kill Him!

In that simple little statement, Jesus was saying that He had been alive for thousands of years, existing even before Abraham was born, before the Jewish nation got its start. No human being can say that. That’s the point: Jesus was declaring that He was no ordinary human being. Although clothed in flesh and bound by the limitations of humanity, Jesus was claiming to be God!

That’s even clearer when you grasp the meaning of the title by which He called Himself: “I am.”

It’s a title that says He has no beginning and no end. Jesus was declaring that time meant nothing to Him. He lived – and still lives -- in the eternal present. We would say, “I was there before Abraham was born.” Jesus said, “I am.”

Even more significantly, the two words “I am” are the name by which the Father called

Himself. When Moses asked God at the burning bush, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13) God answered Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

Jesus was declaring Himself to be God. That was very clear to the Jews who heard Him. They picked up stones to kill Him for it!

He’s no mere man that we follow. He’s not just a good man, nor even a great man. We follow Jesus. We follow God!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- October 14, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32)

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? It’s not about going to church. It’s not about an intellectual belief in who He is. It’s not about participation in rituals and ceremonies. All of those have value and help in some ways, but they are not the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

To be a disciple means to be a learner and a follower. A disciple listens to the one of whom he is a disciple and then follows that teaching. So, a disciple of Jesus listens to the teaching of Jesus, but not in an intellectual pursuit of knowledge, but listens in order to follow what He says.

That sounds like bondage to some people. To do what someone else tells us to do, even someone like Jesus, means that we can’t just do whatever we want and many people object to that. More than anything else, many people what to be their own bosses and do whatever it is they want to do. They think that anything else is bondage.

But the truth is, to follow Jesus is not bondage, it is freedom, real freedom. To listen to the teaching of Jesus and to follow it is to live in the way God created us to live, and that’s freedom. It’s freedom from guilt, freedom from the power of sin, freedom to be the people God created us to be.

The truth sets us free. Following Jesus sets us free.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- October 13, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“When the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’ For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (John 7:2-5)

Jesus had four brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. (see Matthew 13:55) At this point it was fairly late in Jesus’ ministry. He’d already been teaching for some time and had attracted many disciples. Yet, His brothers were not among His followers. His brothers did not believe in Him. They did not acknowledge Him as the Messiah.

Many of you also have family members who do not believe in Jesus. It’s encouraging to know that Jesus understands what it is like to have family members who do not believe, and do not understand why you believe.

The fact that His brothers did not believe did not keep Jesus from having a relationship with them. He continued to be with them and talk with them. Notice that Jesus didn’t preach to them in this encounter. Not every opportunity to be with your non-believing family members needs to be a time of preaching. Preaching every time you see them repels much more than it attracts them to what we believe.

Eventually, at least two of Jesus’ brothers became believers. James became the most prominent leader of the church in Jerusalem and wrote the book of James. Judas also wrote one of the letters of the New Testament, the book of Jude. Although they did not believe during most of Jesus’ ministry, they were watching Him. His life and His teaching finally attracted them to Him.

Be encouraged if your family members do not believe. Jesus understands. Watch your life and your testimony, so that God can use it to attract your family to the One you follow.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- October 10, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’ Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” (John 6:25-29)

What attracts you to Jesus? Some were attracted to Jesus when He lived because they wanted what they could get from Him. They liked the food He created for them.

Jesus is looking for followers who aren’t attracted by what we can get from Him, but are attracted to Jesus Himself.

What is your goal in life?

There are many things to which a person can devote his or her life: being comfortable, acquiring wealth, having fun, staying healthy, being famous, making some contribution to society, and you can probably add more items to the list. None of those goals will last. All of them will fade into insignificance as time passes.

Jesus offers another goal in life toward which we can aim that will never fade away: it is simply to trust and follow Him. That’s a goal that will last for eternity. It’s really worth giving your life to.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- October 9, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

How much do you have to have for God to be able to use you?

According to Jesus, not much, only a very little.

“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.” (John 6:5-11)

A little boy’s lunch with a couple of small fish and five dinner rolls was enough for Jesus to use to feed a multitude. It doesn’t take much when you put it into the hands of Jesus.

No matter how little talent, intelligence, money, time, or other resources we have, if we’ll put it into the hands of Jesus, He’ll use it to accomplish more than we ever dreamed He could. How many Sunday School teachers are there out there who thought they weren’t any good at teaching and did it only because someone had to, and yet out of their class has come a preacher through whom God has reached thousands? How many simple prayers have been powerfully answered by God? How many small offerings have been multiplied to accomplish miracles?

What you have doesn’t have to be grand and you don’t have to have a lot. But give what you have to Jesus and He’ll use it in marvelous ways.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- October 8, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’ For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus gave them this answer: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’” (John 5:17-19)

There was a theory that was popular a couple hundred years ago called deism. Deism teaches that God created the world, then set it in motion and left it alone, never again interfering with what was happening in His creation.

That’s not what Jesus knew to be true. He declared, “My Father is always at work.” Jesus was sensitive and discerning enough to be able to see God working around Him. When Jesus saw God at work, He joined Him in that work.

God is still at work in the world today. He has not left the world alone. He is at work in people’s lives, drawing them to Him and then encouraging, comforting, challenging and supporting those who respond to Him. God invites you and me to be involved in the work He is doing.

Keep your eyes open. Look around you. If you are sensitive and discerning, you’ll see God at work. When you do – join Him! Among the people where you work, God is at work. Among your neighbors, God is at work. Among your classmates, God is at work. Will you join Him? Will you ask God to increase your level of sensitivity to His work? Will you allow God to use you as a tool to do His work?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- October 7, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. ‘Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’ The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ Jesus replied, ‘You may go. Your son will live.’ The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.” (John 4:47-51)

When the man asked Jesus to heal his son, Jesus made a promise: “You may go. Your son will live.” Jesus did not go with the man to where the sick boy lay, He simply pronounced the word. The man believed Jesus. John says, “The man took Jesus at his word.”

That’s remarkable faith, especially since Jesus had only done one miracle by this point in His ministry, the turning of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. At the conclusion of the account of this miracle John records, “This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed.” (John 4:54) There was something about Jesus that caused the man to believe Him.

We have a great deal more reason to believe Jesus, to take Him at His word. There are many miracles recorded for us to prove His power and authority. His teaching is there for us to read so that we can see His wisdom. The capstone is the resurrection, proof that He truly was, and is, the Son of God. Add to these the things we’ve seen Him do in our own lives and the lives of others around us. All of these are powerful reasons to believe, to take Jesus at His word.

So, why don’t we? Why don’t we take Him at His word?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- October 6, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” (John 4:35-38)

When Jesus looked at the crowds of people around Him, He saw things that others did not. Even His closest disciples could not see what Jesus saw. When Jesus looked at the crowds, He saw people in need, hurting people who were ripe for the good news of salvation. His closest disciples didn’t see that. They didn’t have the spiritual discernment that Jesus had. They didn’t have the heart for the people that Jesus had.

Neither do we!

We look at the crowds of people around us, in our workplaces, our schools, our neighborhoods, and we see comfortable people, largely satisfied with their lives. We see people that we don’t think want to be bothered with the message of Jesus. We see people that we think just want to be left alone, left to find their own way through the world.

But Jesus sees the crowd differently. He looks deep into the hearts of people and sees their hurts. He sees their needs. He sees the guilt they know they carry. He sees their anxieties, their uncertainties about the future. He knows, if we would but be bold enough, many would listen and many would hear and many would respond.

In Sychar of Samaria, the people were ready to hear the Gospel and only Jesus could see that. His disciples missed it. In our day and place, too, many are ready to hear the Gospel. Does only Jesus see it? Or will we open our eyes to see the harvest that is around us and be bold enough to enter into it?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- October 3, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“‘Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus declared, ‘Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.’” (John 4:20-24)

For the Jews and the Samaritans, the place they worshiped was what determined how correct their worship was. The Jews had to worship at the temple in Jerusalem and they traveled there multiple times a year. The Samaritans had to worship on Mt. Gerezim.

Place wasn’t all that was important to them. Both also had very clearly prescribed ways in which they worshiped. They had specific sacrifices to give and specific rituals to follow. The value of their worship was determined by the way they followed the rules of worship.

Jesus told of a new kind of worship that was coming, and is now here. It is worship in spirit and in truth. That is, it is worship that comes from the heart. It’s not the place of worship that matters anymore, for God does not dwell in a house made by human hands. It’s not the rituals of worship that matter, either. It is what goes on in the heart that matters to God. A heart that is in right relationship with Him and that is expressing its love and devotion honestly is what God is looking for among us.

If your heart is not right, going through the best rituals in the finest house of worship doesn’t do a thing for God or for you. A heart that’s right and honestly loves Him is pleasing to Him even in the most humble place and with the most out of tune music.

When you worship, what does God see in your heart?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- October 2, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’ ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?’ Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” (John 4:10-14)

The Samaritan woman knew she was thirsty for water. She had come to the well to replenish the supply she kept in her home. She didn’t even know she was thirsty for the kind of water Jesus offered to give her: living water. There are many people like her. They are desperately thirsty and don’t even know what they are thirsty for.

This woman’s thirst for the living water had caused her to seek to satisfy it from other sources. She married man after man looking for what would satisfy, but none of them did. People today do the same thing. They seek to satisfy their thirst in all sorts of ways: drugs, alcohol, sex, work, fun, etc. None of those satisfy, because it is the living water for which they are thirsty.

Before Jesus could satisfy the woman He had to make her aware of her thirst. But once she acknowledged her thirst and saw in Jesus someone very special, she accepted from Him what only He could give.

The living water satisfied her! It’s living, so that it continues to renew itself. All of the other things with which people seek to satisfy their thirst are not living. They leave a person thirsty again very soon. Not what Jesus offers. It keeps satisfying even through eternity.

Thank God for the living water with which He has satisfied your thirst!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- October 1, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

Pride and jealousy are horrible things. We all fight it. Someone else gets a promotion that we think we deserved. Our neighbor is able to drive a much nicer car than we do. Our friend moves into a beautiful new home and we can’t understand how they can afford it and we can’t.

It’s hard to fight feelings of pride and jealousy, hard to overcome them and accept what we have with a good attitude. John the Baptist provides a great example for us.

“To this John replied, ‘A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, “I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.” The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.’” (John 3:27-30)

John recognized that his position was determined by God and he was content with it. He didn’t seek to become more than he was given. He wasn’t jealous that Jesus was something more than he was. When Jesus came along and people turned from John to follow Him, John didn’t fight to keep them. He willingly faded into the background. He was willing to watch Jesus become greater at his expense.

That would have been tough. Pride and jealousy could have kept John from enjoying what he was seeing and rejoicing in it.

Of course, we’ll never face a situation quite like John did. But we all face other situations where pride and jealousy surface. How will you respond to them?

His, by Grace,

Steve