Thursday Thought -- January 31, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard!  Be alert!  You do not know when that time will come.  It’s like a man going away:  He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.  Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back -- whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.  If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.  What I say to you, I say to everyone:  ‘Watch!’” (Mark 13:32-37)

When will Jesus come again?  Listen carefully to the words of Jesus, “no one knows.”  Those who try to predict when He will come don’t know what they are talking about.  God has not revealed the time of the Second Coming of Jesus.  He didn’t reveal it to Jesus while He was on earth, and He hasn’t revealed it to us.

His coming will be sudden and unexpected, like the arrival of thief in the middle of the night.  His arrival will come like a surprise visit from the owner.

The question is not when will Jesus come, but what will He find us doing when He does come?  Will He find us sleeping, unconcerned about spiritual things, about the things of His kingdom?  Or, will He find us busily involved in God’s work, sharing the Good News, serving others for Jesus’ sake?

The primary instruction given with regard to the second coming is “watch.”  There is to be among the followers of Christ a sense of expectancy, waiting, watching, expecting Him to come again -- and busy doing what He has asked us to do until He arrives.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 30, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.  Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything -- all she had to live on.’” (Mark 12:41-44)

It’s not the amount of the gift, but the heart attitude that is behind it that matters to the Lord.  This poor widow’s gift meant nothing to the priests and the temple.  It wasn’t enough to provide any help to the on-going needs of those who were serving God with their lives.  The large gifts of the rich people were what provided for the upkeep of the priests and the temple.  Yet, Jesus applauded the widow’s very small gift and downplayed the large gifts of the wealthy.

The widow’s gift came from the love of her heart and was a significant sacrifice for her.  That mattered to God.  The love behind the gift touched God.  The sacrifice of the widow impressed the Lord.

For the rich men, no sacrifice was involved.  The large gifts they gave did not even make a dent in their wealth.  They would never miss the money.  And, perhaps it wasn’t their love for God that motivated their giving.  Perhaps it was the honor they would receive from men, especially from the priests, that prompted them to give.

The heart matters to God.  God knows what’s behind the gift, and that’s what counts with Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 29, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.  ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  The first one married and died without leaving any children.  The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child.  It was the same with the third.  In fact, none of the seven left any children.  Last of all, the woman died too.  At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?’  Jesus replied, ‘Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?  When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.  Now about the dead rising — have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”?  He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  You are badly mistaken!’” (Mark 12:18-27)

The Sadducees were trying to make a point – that life after death doesn’t make any sense.  That’s what they believed.  Although they were religious Jews, they believed that life on earth was all there was.  When death came, that was the end.  There was nothing beyond the grave for anyone.

The story they used to prove how irrational the idea of life after death is involved one woman and seven brothers that she married in succession – being widowed by each husband.  The Old Testament Law required a non-married brother to take his brother’s widow as his wife if she was left a widow without children.  It was the plan that was used to keep the land in the tribe and family.  After being married to all seven and having children with none of them, which would be her husband in marriage?  That was the Sadducees question.

The problem was that they were defining eternity in terms of earth.  In fact, there is no marriage in eternity.

We would never come up with the same kind of story that the Sadducees came up with because we don’t practice the same kind of requirement among brothers.  But, many of us still have the Sadducees problem of defining heaven in terms of earth.

I can’t understand what we’re going to be doing all the time in eternity – just floating on clouds and playing harps and singing?

Will there be dogs in heaven?  How about cats?

Will I know my family and friends in heaven?

How will I recognize other people when they have a new body?

Do I get to pick what age I want my body to look like?

All of those, and many other questions are framed from an earthly perspective and that doesn’t work when talking about eternity.

It’s okay to say we don’t know what heaven will be like.  It’s okay to say that because eternity is beyond our comprehension.  It’s okay to say that because the One in charge of creating heaven and ruling heaven is Someone we know well and who has proved He can be trusted.

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Monday Thought -- January 28, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.  They came to him and said, ‘Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity.  You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.  Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?  Should we pay or shouldn’t we?’  But Jesus knew their hypocrisy.  ‘Why are you trying to trap me?’ he asked.  ‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’  They brought the coin, and he asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this?  And whose inscription?’  ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied.  Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’” (Mark 12:13-17)

What does belong to Caesar?

Honor.  Peter wrote, “Honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17)

Submission.  Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities.” (Romans 13:1)

Taxes.  Paul wrote, “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.” (Romans 13:6)

Although we may not like what our government asks of us, unless they ask for something that is dishonoring to God or contradictory to His clear instructions to us, then we are commanded by God to obey them as His servants.  It is not often that there is a contradiction between the commands of the government and the commands of God.

The greater point that Jesus made to the Pharisees and Herodians – and to us – is that we are to be sure that we give to God what belongs to God.

What belongs to God?

Reverence.  Peter wrote, “Fear God.” (1 Peter 2:17)

Obedience.  Peter wrote, “We have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood.” (1 Peter 1:2)

Love.  Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

Worship.  The Hebrew author wrote, “Worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28)

God ahead, give to our government what rightfully belongs to it.  But never give to government what rightfully belongs only to God.  Be sure to give God – and only to God – what belongs to Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 25, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“He then began to speak to them in parables:  ‘A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower.  Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.  He sent still another, and that one they killed.  He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.  He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved.  He sent him last of all, saying, “They will respect my son.”  But the tenants said to one another, “This is the heir.  Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”  So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.’” (Mark 12:1-8)

The world doesn’t always treat people like it should.  That’s one of the points of this parable Jesus told.

The owner of the vineyard had every reason to expect those to whom he had rented his vineyard to treat his representatives well.  After all, he owned the vineyard.  There is no indication that the owner did anything except treat those who rented from him fairly and appropriately.  The owner had a right to a portion of the fruit of the vineyard and he sent his representatives only to collect what was rightfully his.  But the renters abused and treated poorly every servant that the owner sent and even killed some of them.

Finally, the owner sends his own son.  Surely the renters will treat with the respect that is due to him.  At least, that is the expectation of the owner.  But that is not what happened.  Instead, the renters seized the opportunity to do away with the heir in the hope of gaining ownership of the vineyard.  It was a foolish plan that was doomed to failure because the owner had all the legal rights and all the moral right to avenge the loss of his son and to take the vineyard away from the renters.

The servants of the owner were not treated like they should have been.  The owner’s son wasn’t either.  They were innocent servants and an innocent son sent to do what was right.  The world turned against them and struck out at them.

There may well be situations in which you find yourself on the wrong end of bad treatment.  Remember, that’s not something new.  It’s been happening since Jesus’ time – and thousands of years before.  It will happen until the end of time.  But in the end, the Owner will cause justice to prevail.  That is the promise and the plan of God.

And remember, even the Owner’s Son experienced the same thing!

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Thursday Thought -- January 24, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit.  When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.  Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’  And his disciples heard him say it.  ---  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.  Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, look!  The fig tree you cursed has withered!’” (Mark 11:12-14; 20-21)

This story is about fruit-bearing!  The tree was leafed out.  It looked good.  It had the appearance of health and vitality.  Yet, there was no fruit and fruit is the purpose of a fig tree!  But this story is not about trees and figs, it is about those who follow Jesus.  And for followers of Jesus, it’s about fruit-bearing, too!

There are many disciples of Jesus who look good.  They have the appearance of health and vitality.  They do much of the right stuff.  Yet, they have no fruit!!  And fruit is the purpose of a follower of Jesus.  Jesus expects those who follow Him to bear fruit, not to just look good, not to just look religious!

What kind of fruit does God expect in the lives of those who follow Him?  Paul listed these characteristics and called them the fruit of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)  Peter’s list was similar:  faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)  Those are the characteristics God expects to see being developed in the life of one of His followers.

Jesus cursed the fig tree that had no fruit and it withered and died the same day.  That’s how important fruit is to God.  Without fruit there is no life in the tree.

It’s not how religious you look – it’s the fruit in your life that matters.  So, how’s your fruit?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 23, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.  Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.  Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, ‘Hosanna!’  ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’  ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’  ‘Hosanna in the highest!’” (Mark 11:7-10)

From our place in history, the acclaim of the crowd for Jesus that day doesn’t seem very impressive.  It would take only a few days for the crowds to turn from highest praise to its call for His death.  Jesus, too, knew what would happen in a few days.  The praise wasn’t all that gratifying to Him.

However, His disciples didn’t have the advantage of knowing the hearts of men or of knowing the future as Jesus did.  They must have been terribly excited by what was happening among the crowds.  For them, it must have seemed like vindication.  Though it didn’t always seem like it, they had made the right choice in following Jesus.

For Jesus, the last week of His life was not a roller-coaster of emotions going from the high of the Triumphal Entry to the despair of the cross.  But for His followers it was.  In reality, the highs weren’t really as high as they seemed and the lows weren’t really as low as they seemed, either.  The thoughts and emotions of His followers were so clouded by the temporary and by their lack of understanding.

Often mine are too!  What seem to be terrific highs often aren’t really as exciting as they seem.  What seem to be terrible lows often aren’t as devastating as they seem, either.

It’s just that I don’t see so clearly.  A good reason to trust and follow Someone who does!!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 22, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him.  ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’  ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.  They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’  ‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said.  ‘Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?’  ‘We can,’ they answered.  Jesus said to them, ‘You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.’” (Mark 10:35-40)

Can you believe the immaturity, the selfishness and the arrogance of James and John?

First, they had to know that what they were going to ask of Jesus was not something they should have been asking for.  You can tell that they knew by the way they introduced their question to Jesus.  They tried to trick Jesus into agreeing to their request before they told Him what their request was.  That sounds like something a four year old would do.  Of course Jesus didn’t fall for their trickery.

Then there is the selfishness of the question itself.  They wanted power and glory – to sit on the right and left of Jesus.

Then comes the arrogance.  When Jesus asked them if they could drink the cup He was going to drink they said they could.  There was no question about their strength or ability – not in their own mind.  They knew they could handle whatever life threw at them.

I’m shocked that two of Jesus’ closest followers would be so immature, so selfish and so arrogant.  That is, I’m shocked until I do an honest review of my own prayer requests made to the Lord.  When I look honestly at what I’ve asked for I can often see immaturity, selfishness and arrogance in my own requests of God.  Maybe James and John aren’t so much different from the way I am – and I’ve been with Jesus a lot longer than they had when they made their requests!

Lord, help me grow beyond my immaturity.  Help me say “no” to my selfishness.  Help me lay aside all arrogance for the humility that You demonstrated so clearly.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 21, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Peter said to him, ‘We have left everything to follow you!’  ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields -- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.’” (Mark 10:28-31)

Jesus never softened the cost involved in following Him.  Just before this interchange between Jesus and His apostles, He had told a rich young man that the one thing he lacked to gain eternal life was to sell everything he owned and give it to the poor.  What a cost!?  The point Jesus was making was that money and possessions, for that rich man, had become so important that they kept him from following God, so they had to be dealt with radically.

Sometimes it does cost people to follow Jesus.  It cost the apostles.  They rarely saw their families because they were traveling with Jesus.  They had left their jobs and businesses behind and were suffering financially for it.  And, down the road, the costs would get even higher for them.  All but John would be killed for following Jesus, and John would be exiled to a lonely prison island for his role in the kingdom.  It would cost them all a great deal to follow Jesus.

Jesus’ point in this passage is that it’s worth it.  No matter what it costs, it’s worth it.  God will be no man’s debtor.  What we sacrifice for Him here will be more than made up to us in the long-run.  That’s the promise of God!

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “I consider our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 18, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus replied.  ‘But at the beginning of creation God “made them male and female.”  “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”  So they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.’” (Mark 10:5-9)

Marriage originated in God’s mind.  It was God’s plan that a man and a woman were designed to live together in a lifelong relationship of commitment, partnership, and love.

Problems in marriage relationships go all the way back into the Garden of Eden.  In the first marriage, Eve tempted Adam to follow her in straying from obedience to God and Adam failed to warn and protect Eve from the serpent.  They ended up hurting each other instead of standing together to help each other follow the Lord.

Marriage problems have continued from that day until this.  In the Old Testament there was polygamy, adultery, and divorce.  These are just some of the horrendous problems that existed in some of the marriages recorded in that era.  In the New Testament we still read of divorce, adultery and other marriage problems -- even in letters written to those who had come into relationship with Jesus.

Where do all of these problems come from?  The Bible teaches that they arise from sin, selfishness, and hardness of heart.

Jesus is calling His followers back to God’s original design for marriage.

He is calling us to purity – expressed in the concept of being one flesh, not allowing anything or anyone to mar the marriage relationship.

He is calling us to commitment – expressed in the statement that nothing should be able to separate a husband and wife.

He is calling us to unity – a bond so complete that a husband and wife always stand with each other, helping each other in every way possible – physically, emotionally, spiritually – helping each other become more like God wants us to be.

That is God’s design for marriage.  That was God’s plan for how marriage should work when He created it.  That is still how marriage will work best to accomplish what God wants to accomplish through it in our lives.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 17, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“They came to Capernaum.  When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.  Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” (Mark 9:33-35)

What are the marks of greatness?

Every list would include power.  The powerful of the world are considered great.  In a street gang everyone looks to the leader – he is the one with the power – he is the greatest in the gang.  In politics, those who are considered great are those who can wield the greatest power – who have the most influence.  In a company, it is the people on the top rungs of the ladder – the ones with power – who are considered the greatest in the organization.

In our world, wealth would have to be put on the list of the marks of greatness, too.  People like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and others with their caliber of wealth are sought after for their advice and for their checkbooks.  They are considered great because of their success.  It is measured in dollars and possessions.

Fame and popularity make others great.  Talent makes people great.  There are several marks of greatness that we can all think of.  From a human perspective we know what greatness looks like and what marks it.  It is obvious in the world.

Or is it?  The marks that the world considers when it measures greatness are not the same marks by which God measures greatness.  Jesus said that the greatest are not those at the head of the line, but those willing to put themselves at the end of the line and give preference to others.  The greatest are not the rulers and bosses and kings – but the servants who put the needs of others before their own needs.

God has a different perspective on greatness from that of the world.  So, whose measure of greatness are you pursuing?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 16, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion.  He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’  ‘From childhood,’ he answered.  ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.  But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’  ‘‘If you can’?’ said Jesus.  ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:20-24)

I admire the honesty of this boy’s father.  He wanted to believe that Jesus could heal his son, but it was just too incredible.  A part of him believed and a part of him didn’t.  He was honest about his wavering faith and asked for Jesus’ help with it:  “I believe, help me overcome my unbelief.”

Most of us have wavering faith, at least some of the time.  And many of us try to hide it.  We know it’s not right, we should believe without any doubt.  We know it’s not what we want.  We want to be sold out to Jesus, absolutely convinced of His ability and willingness to help.  Our pride gets in the way of our being honest about it.  Or perhaps we hope if we don’t acknowledge our doubt it will go away.  Or perhaps we’re afraid our doubt will keep Jesus from being able to work in our lives.  So, we keep it to ourselves.

But doubt kept to ourselves is still doubt and God already knows all about it.  Doubt kept to ourselves can never be addressed.  When the boy’s father was honest enough to admit his doubt, Jesus helped him believe -- He healed his son!

Playacting with God, trying to hide or cover up what we’re feeling and thinking just doesn’t work with Him.  He knows what’s going on in the deepest part of our hearts and minds.  Honesty before God is always the best policy.  It’s only in our honesty that God can deal with the trouble within us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 15, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone.  There he was transfigured before them.  His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.  And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.  Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.  Let us put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’  (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)  Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud:  ‘This is my Son, whom I love.  Listen to him!’  Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.” (Mark 9:2-8)

I don’t blame Peter for wanting to stay on top of the mountain with Jesus, Moses, Elijah and a couple of his good friends.  In fact, I’d say that most of us would like it if that is what the church was – Jesus, a couple of Jesus’ greatest servants, and a handful of our best friends.  We could learn so much from Jesus and His servants.  We’d enjoy the handful of close friends who were experiencing the same amazing things that we were.  That would be an ideal church.  It wouldn’t have nearly the problems of the church that we know now – especially if we were careful in choosing the friends who were with us there.  We could choose mature friends and friends who were usually willing to go along with our ideas.  It would be a peaceful church and a fun church.

The problem is that it wouldn’t be a church that would accomplish what God wants the church to accomplish.  The church was never designed by God to be a place primarily where our needs are met.  God didn’t design it to be a place that was fun for us.  God didn’t design it to be filled with peace because everyone went along with our ideas.  God had something else in mind for the church.

He designed the church to be an outpost from which others are reached.  We gain strength from each other so that we can be better equipped and prepared to reach out to others and to stand for Kingdom principles in a world that is hostile.

He designed the church to be a place where imperfect people gather and interact with each other in ways that make us face our own immaturities and imperfections.  That means relationships in the church aren’t always easy – but if we allow God to use them in our lives in the way He wants to them are good for us even when they aren’t easy.

He designed the church to be a place for progress in our own lives and for progress in reaching the world – not so what we think are our needs can be met and not so that it will be so much fun for us.

No wonder God didn’t even answer Peter’s idea.  It was just too far away from what He was trying to accomplish.  Instead, He ignored Peter and sent Jesus and the three disciples back down into the world with a command for the disciples to pay attention to Jesus.  That’s the command God gives the church, too – Pay attention to Jesus.  Listen to His teaching – look hard at His heart – follow His example.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 14, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

Jesus said, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

We had a conference here in Corvallis a few years back at which the speakers talked about God at 2000.  The basic thrust of the conference was that there are many ways to God and all of them are equally good.  Therefore, if a person holds to the exclusive view that Jesus is the only way to God, then he must be a short-sighted idiot!  With opinions like that dominating the academic world, even the religious academic world, you can see why there would be a temptation for a person to keep his Christianity to himself.

Then there’s the homosexual agenda which rejects the biblical teachings because they don’t fit with modern thought.  The assumption is that anything that does not agree with modern thought must be wrong.  Modern thought is the authoritative standard, certainly not ancient biblical writings!  With the culture having largely adopted that view you can see why there would be a temptation for a person to keep his Christianity to himself.

I could tell you a number of stories of people who have shared their faith with family, friends, or co-workers only to be told that wasn’t something they wanted to hear anything more about.  Many responses to the message of Jesus aren’t very positive.  There is a temptation to get gun-shy, keeping your faith to yourself to avoid the potential of ridicule.

If these are the views of the world, why bother, why make an effort to share what you believe?  Well, there are actually several reasons, but Jesus provides a good one in the above text.  It’s a promise from Him -- if you will faithfully stand up for what you believe about Jesus then He’ll faithfully stand up for you before the Father.  That seems like a pretty good reason to me!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 11, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Be careful,” Jesus warned the disciples.  “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” (Mark 8:15)

The world can have a powerful effect on what we believe and what we feel and what we do.

I enjoy watching reruns of the television show The West Wing.  The dialogue is crisp.  The actors do a good job.  The setting draws in its audience.  But the attitudes in the show toward the things of God are not those that are encouraged in the Bible.  The morality that is embraced by the show’s primary characters is not the morality that God encourages us toward.  That show, and others like it, can slowly dull our moral and theological senses so that we become more inclined to embrace ideas we would not embrace if we thought them through more thoroughly from a biblical perspective.

And The West Wing is one of the tamer shows that has been on television lately.

The daytime talk shows are less subtle in their influence.  They are deliberate in their attempts to sway the minds and hearts of men and women.

And there are many other forces in our culture that would seek to turn us toward a philosophy and a lifestyle that is contrary to the Lord.  Some of those forces are religious in nature -- some born of science -- some born of philosophy -- some of politics -- and some of other realms.

And what is true in our day was true in Jesus’ day, too.  The Pharisees had a philosophy and they sought to gain disciples to follow their way.  Herod, too, had a way of looking at life and at the world that he wanted those in his kingdom to embrace with him.  And both philosophies -- the Pharisees and Herod’s -- were antithetic to the teachings of Jesus.

“Be careful,” Jesus said.  “Watch out.”  That was advice to His disciples then … and it is His advice to His disciples now.  Be alert to what the world is trying to say.  Guard your mind and your heart.  Test what you hear against the only absolute standard that deserves our whole-hearted trust -- the Bible, God’s Word.

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Thursday Thought -- January 10, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus went on:  ‘What comes out of a man is what makes him “unclean.”  For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and make a man “unclean.”’” (Mark 7:20-23)

It seems to me that the goal of a monastery is to take away as much of the stimulus to sin as can possibly be taken away.  Monasteries are usually built in remote areas away from the crowds.  Access to television is forbidden or severely restricted.  The books available in the library have been carefully screened.  Some monasteries even forbid those who live there to talk with each other.  Almost all outside stimulus is removed in order to encourage purity of life and purity of thought.  Monasteries are among the most extreme efforts to reduce or eliminate the contamination that comes into a man’s life from the outside world.

But the problem with monasteries is that although they may be successful in eliminating almost all outside influences toward sin they cannot remove the most powerful influence of all – the evil that resides within a man’s heart!

It is important to understand that there are ways that God would have us control or reduce the influences toward sin as much as we can.  We are to flee temptation.  Still, the scripture is clear that we are not to go so far as to remove ourselves from the world.  Jesus’ instruction was for us to remain in the world without being of the world. (John 17:15-16)

The point that Jesus made above in Mark’s Gospel is that even if we get rid of all the evil influences that come at us from outside, we will never be able to make ourselves pure that way.  The evil arises from within our hearts.  The only hope for purity lies in the One who can change our hearts.  Only Jesus can change us from the inside out.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 9, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“‘You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.’  And he said to them:  ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!  For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.”  But you say that if a man says to his father or mother:  “Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban” (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.  Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.  And you do many things like that.’” (Mark 7:8-13)

The Pharisees were sticklers about the outward performance of the Law and following all of the traditions of men.  In this passage it’s the matter of washing hands before eating that has them riled.  Jesus’ disciples weren’t careful about following that tradition.  They sometimes ate with dirty hands.  That’s not hard to believe of men who spent their lives traveling.  Sometimes they weren’t around a place where washing could be done.  Compare that to the guys on the construction site who grab their lunch pails and dig right in.  To the Pharisees, the actions of the disciples didn’t just represent bad hygiene, it was sin.

But while the Pharisees were sticklers about these outward observances of the Law and traditions, they found loopholes that allowed them to disregard some even more important matters.  “Honor your father and mother” wasn’t just a tradition of the elders.  It was a part of the Ten Commandments, the very foundation of the all the Law of the Old Testament.  While worrying about handwashing and other minor traditions, the Pharisees ignored some of the Ten Commandments!

Ceremony and the outward performance of things thought “religious” are easy.  They are not only easy to do, but they are easy to judge.  But the heart, it’s harder to change -- in fact, a man can’t change his own heart – and it’s harder to judge.  And it’s the heart that truly matters to God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 8, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.  But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.  When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.  So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:30-34)

The account above from Mark’s Gospel immediately precedes the amazing miracle that Jesus did when he took the little boy’s lunch and used it to feed 5,000 men, plus women and children.

The thing that strikes me so powerfully from this story from Jesus’ life is how unselfish Jesus was.  He took the twelve apostles to a quiet and solitary place because He needed some time away from the crowds.  Jesus needed that time for His own good, to spend resting and communing with His Father.  He also needed that time for the apostles, to spend time focused just on them, teaching them and ministering to them.

Those were Jesus’ needs, but when the crowds followed Jesus to the quiet place He had found, He could not and would not turn them away.  The compassion of Jesus for the needs of the people exceeded the priority of His own needs and the needs of His apostles.  He set aside what He needed to focus on what would be most helpful to the crowds.

There are many times when I know what I need – I need rest, I need sleep, I need to be alone, I need to focus on myself, I need to take care of my house.  Those all represent needs that I have from time to time.  And when those needs are on my mind, I’m not likely to be as sensitive to the needs of the people around me.  But that’s not Jesus.  Even in the midst of His own needs, He was sensitive to the needs of the people around Him.

I want to be more like Jesus.  I want to see the needs of the people around me.  I want to be willing to set aside my own needs to move toward helping their needs.  I want to be more like Jesus – don’t you?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 7, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

John the Baptist makes an interesting case study in how God works in the lives of men.

One of the first things the Bible tells us about John is that He was specially selected by God from before his birth for a unique and essential assignment in God’s Kingdom.  Before John’s birth God told John’s father several things about John.  “He will be great in the sight of the Lord.” (Luke 1:15)  “Many of the people of Israel he will bring back to the Lord their God.” (Luke 1:16)  “He will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.” (Luke 1:17)

Jesus made an amazing statement about John.  “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John.” (Luke 7:28)  There were some amazing people to consider as Jesus thought about the greatest person who had lived to His day.  He could have selected Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Elijah, or any number of other great people of God.  Among all the choices He had, Jesus declared John to be the greatest in the sight of God.

So when we come to Mark 6 we find a surprising story – the end of John’s life.  He didn’t go out like Enoch did – God just taking him away to heaven.  He didn’t go out like Elijah – taken to heaven in a chariot and a whirlwind without seeing death.  He didn’t die like Moses did, alone with God on a solitary mountain with God performing the burial rights.  Instead, he died a cruel death – beheaded by a king who did not like John’s message.  “So Herod immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head.  The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter.” (Mark 6:27-28)

There are many things that we can learn from John’s life.  There are many things that we can learn from John’s teachings.  And, no doubt, there are many things that we can learn from John’s death.  Here’s the one thing that strikes me most from John’s death – being loved by God and chosen by God and used by God doesn’t guarantee a life of ease and peace and comfort.  In fact, it may be quite the opposite – that’s what it meant for John.

God loved John.  God used John in amazing ways.  God chose John for a unique and very essential assignment.  God considered John to be greatest man who had ever lived.  Yet God allowed John’s life to be taken prematurely and unjustly and with cruelty.

God’s perspective on the things of this world are often different from our own.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 4, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.  When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.  ‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked.  ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!  Isn’t this the carpenter?  Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?  Aren’t his sisters here with us?’  And they took offense at him.  Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.’  He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.  And he was amazed at their lack of faith.  Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.” (Mark 6:1-6)

The people of Nazareth were familiar with Jesus.  They knew Him as a young man.  They had seen Him working as a common laborer.  They knew His family and knew that they were just ordinary people.  There had been nothing extraordinary about Jesus during the time before He began His ministry.  So, the people of Nazareth wondered how He could be anyone special now.

They heard Him teach in their synagogue.  They heard His wisdom.  They had heard about His miracles, and perhaps they had seen some of them.  Cana is just a few miles from Nazareth, they had heard about His turning water in to wine there.  Other miracles were performed close by, too.

But in their familiarity, they failed to realize just how special Jesus was.  Because they knew so much about Him, they wrote Him off.  They seemed to have the same thought that Nathanael had, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Surely, if God were going to send someone special He wouldn’t have chosen Nazareth as the place to send Him.

Because of their blindness, their unwillingness to see Jesus for who He really was, they missed the Messiah!  Strange, isn’t it, that other villages and cities could see who Jesus was better than the people of His own home town.

Those who have grown up in the church and heard all the stories from Jesus’ life over and over again may fall into the same trap.  It’s all so familiar to them.  He’s so familiar to them.  Don’t let how familiar you are with Jesus blind you to who He truly is!!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 3, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there.  Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, ‘My little daughter is dying.  Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.’ --- While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.  ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said.  ‘Why bother the teacher any more?’  Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’  He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.  When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.  He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing?  The child is not dead but asleep.’  But they laughed at him.  After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.  He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’).  Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old).  At this they were completely astonished.” (Mark 5:22-23; 35-42)

There is nothing in life that frightens people more than death.  It’s the unknown and unseen that frightens.  What is beyond death?  What will happen to me when I die?

What would it take for you to be able to trust that Jesus can help you even after you die?

The stories in the New Testament like the one above were provided for that very reason.  The raising of Jairus’ daughter is one of the few accounts of Jesus conquering death.  Jesus raised Lazarus after he had been in the tomb for several days.  He raised the widow’s son as they were carrying him to the place of his burial.  He raised Jairus’ daughter after she had been pronounced dead by the people caring for her.  And, of course, Jesus Himself also came back alive after He was dead and buried!

All of those stories have a common purpose.  They proclaim to us that Jesus is more powerful than death.  Death is an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26), so it is natural and to be expected that we will fear it and dread facing it.  But that final enemy is not stronger than Jesus.

Jesus can, and Jesus has conquered death.  Even in death we can trust Jesus.  He, and only He, can overcome death for us.  In Jesus, we can face death with confidence because He has proven He is more powerful than death!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 2, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.  There were also other boats with him.  A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.  The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet!  Be still!’  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?’  They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” (Mark 4:36-41)

Jesus got into a boat with His disciples and started across the Sea of Galilee.  A violent storm arose, so violent that it even scared the fishermen among them.  Their lives were in danger.  Yet, Jesus slept in the front of the boat.  He wasn’t scared.  When they woke Him and expressed their fear, He acted, He spoke to the wind and the waves and they were still.

If I were caught talking to the wind and the waves, people would consider me crazy.  And the wind and the waves wouldn’t listen to me.  I don’t have the authority to make them do what I want them to do.  There was, and is, something remarkable about Jesus!  The disciples asked the important question:  Who is He?  If the wind and the waves listen to Him and obey Him, then who is He?

In Mark’s Gospel, we’ve already seen Jesus heal the paralyzed and the leprous.  We’ve seen Him drive demons out of those who were oppressed.  We have heard Him teach in ways that no one had ever taught before.  We’ve seen Him have such influence over people that He could just speak the word and they would leave their jobs and their lives and follow Him wherever He went.  And now we’ve seen Him calm a violent storm.

There was, and is, something remarkable about Jesus!  He is no ordinary human being.  He isn’t a prophet like those we’ve met before in the Old Testament.  There had never been anyone like Him – and there never will be!

His, by Grace,

Steve