John 15
(John 15:5 NLT) "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” Through this action of ours the Father is glorified just as Jesus glorified the Father throughout His ministry here on earth. Jesus goes on to tell them that He has loved them just as the Father loved Him (verse 9) and again He tells them “Remain in My love.” How do we do this? By simple obedience, how do we obey? Read His Word so that you will know the truth and your spiritual eyes and ears will be opened. Have you ever seen a well-trained, obedient dog with his master? I can tell you that dog is far happier than the one on his own roaming the streets, not knowing where his next meal is coming from and unsure of what danger waits around every corner. His coat is dirty and shaggy; he is skinny and malnourished and cannot trust anyone for fear of losing what little he has. You see we are happiest and the most joy comes from being with the Master because like the dog who loves his owner we have a longing to be there. It was placed by the Creator in the heart of mankind long before we were born and it continues with each new life so that all may choose to either do right or wrong, choose the narrow path or the wide one, choose to spend a life time loving the Father or a life time wondering the earth for something to fill the God-shaped hole. The faithful, Jesus calls “friends” and no longer slaves because He has made known to them the will of the Father but He also reminds us that if the world hates Him they will hate us as well. The world has set itself against the Lord and a mighty, fearful fate they will one day meet because of choices of rejection they have made again and again even though they have seen with their own eyes the miraculous changes the Lord has done in you and me, as we glorify Him with our lives of worship.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
If you love Me, obey My commandments
John 14
Jesus knew how important it was for His disciples to be prepared for what was to come and in chapter 14 we see that moment when the One who led them to the battle speaks to their hearts to remind them why they are there. It’s the same reason why movies like Braveheart with William Wallace and Gladiator with Maximus do something to the heart of men – it calls to life a battle cry from deep within us.
William Wallace, “Yes, fight and you may die. Run and you may live, at least for a while and dying in your bed many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our freedom!”
Maximus, “Three weeks from now I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be and it will be so. Hold the line, stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled for you are in Elysium and you are already dead. What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
Most of us will never engage in hand to hand battle but each one who follows Christ Jesus will face spiritual battle, not just once but again and again and again. Not only did Jesus build up His disciples but He handed them the weapons required for this unseen battle starting in verse one. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.” Jesus goes on to tell them what awaits the faithful and why they are here. Then He reminds them of who He is and that they have walked with Him and know Him, even though fear is standing at the door. Jesus told Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” He told Philip, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking Me to show Him to you?” Thomas, Philip, and the other disciples feared what was to come for Jesus was talking about death and separation. I can just imagine they felt like I do many times, ill prepared and without direction but Jesus calls to a deep place within each of us to remember who He is, that He is with us through His Holy Spirit always, that we can ask anything of Him in His name and He will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father (verse 13), finally Jesus calls us to obey His commandments without regard for consequences. The words William Wallace spoke to his men serve as reminders to us that there are times being safe leads us away from our purpose or like Maximus reminds us how dangerous it is to day dream and ignore the here and now. Even though we feel it would be better to turn and run or we remain physically because it is required of us but dream of being somewhere else God calls us to stand and face the enemy, knowing He will go before us and live or die we are free from the bonds that would otherwise restrain us.
Jesus knew how important it was for His disciples to be prepared for what was to come and in chapter 14 we see that moment when the One who led them to the battle speaks to their hearts to remind them why they are there. It’s the same reason why movies like Braveheart with William Wallace and Gladiator with Maximus do something to the heart of men – it calls to life a battle cry from deep within us.
William Wallace, “Yes, fight and you may die. Run and you may live, at least for a while and dying in your bed many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our freedom!”
Maximus, “Three weeks from now I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be and it will be so. Hold the line, stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled for you are in Elysium and you are already dead. What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
Most of us will never engage in hand to hand battle but each one who follows Christ Jesus will face spiritual battle, not just once but again and again and again. Not only did Jesus build up His disciples but He handed them the weapons required for this unseen battle starting in verse one. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.” Jesus goes on to tell them what awaits the faithful and why they are here. Then He reminds them of who He is and that they have walked with Him and know Him, even though fear is standing at the door. Jesus told Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” He told Philip, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking Me to show Him to you?” Thomas, Philip, and the other disciples feared what was to come for Jesus was talking about death and separation. I can just imagine they felt like I do many times, ill prepared and without direction but Jesus calls to a deep place within each of us to remember who He is, that He is with us through His Holy Spirit always, that we can ask anything of Him in His name and He will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father (verse 13), finally Jesus calls us to obey His commandments without regard for consequences. The words William Wallace spoke to his men serve as reminders to us that there are times being safe leads us away from our purpose or like Maximus reminds us how dangerous it is to day dream and ignore the here and now. Even though we feel it would be better to turn and run or we remain physically because it is required of us but dream of being somewhere else God calls us to stand and face the enemy, knowing He will go before us and live or die we are free from the bonds that would otherwise restrain us.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Unless I wash you...
John 13
At the final supper of Jesus and His disciples we find Him washing their feet, which was an act reserved for a servant. That is why we read Peter’s response in verse 8 when he told Jesus “no”. He did not want Jesus to serve but instead lead but Jesus told him, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will… Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me.” You see Peter and the other disciples felt energy building as they believed something great was about to happen but their idea for their teacher to lead a great rebellion freeing their generation from the tyranny they faced strangely was not God’s plan. Jesus was reminding them of His ever loving and caring example that He wanted them (us) to follow as He prepared them for His departure. Jesus was not blind or deaf to their heart’s cry for freedom or ours but it was and is not the physical restrictions He had come to break but those of the spirit and this would not be understood until after His death, burial, and resurrection. Father God gave us His Word so that we may know the truth and therefore be made free! One day the wrong will be made right and those to whom injustice has been done He will raise them up and they will fly like eagles on wings of glory. For they will rise as He calls them unto Himself but only the Father knows when and how this will happen for it is not for us to know but ours is to be faithful and trust that He knows what is best for His children, His sheep. It is then when the mysteries of His words in Revelation will be made clear, just as the words Jesus spoke in the upper room that day was made clear after He rose from the grave. So hold on, something great is about to happen.
At the final supper of Jesus and His disciples we find Him washing their feet, which was an act reserved for a servant. That is why we read Peter’s response in verse 8 when he told Jesus “no”. He did not want Jesus to serve but instead lead but Jesus told him, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will… Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me.” You see Peter and the other disciples felt energy building as they believed something great was about to happen but their idea for their teacher to lead a great rebellion freeing their generation from the tyranny they faced strangely was not God’s plan. Jesus was reminding them of His ever loving and caring example that He wanted them (us) to follow as He prepared them for His departure. Jesus was not blind or deaf to their heart’s cry for freedom or ours but it was and is not the physical restrictions He had come to break but those of the spirit and this would not be understood until after His death, burial, and resurrection. Father God gave us His Word so that we may know the truth and therefore be made free! One day the wrong will be made right and those to whom injustice has been done He will raise them up and they will fly like eagles on wings of glory. For they will rise as He calls them unto Himself but only the Father knows when and how this will happen for it is not for us to know but ours is to be faithful and trust that He knows what is best for His children, His sheep. It is then when the mysteries of His words in Revelation will be made clear, just as the words Jesus spoke in the upper room that day was made clear after He rose from the grave. So hold on, something great is about to happen.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
His Vast Love
As vast as the deep reaches of space is I believe it is not large enough for us to escape His love! Who knows what the next life holds but I know this, He has a purpose for each and every one who belongs to Him and the things we go through in this life are preparation for the one to come. You’ve heard it said, “It’s not the destination but the journey that brings the most joy.” Though our minds cannot grasp what God has in store once Jesus comes for His bride to miss out on the personal time with our Lord in this life throughout the valleys, great plains, and mountain tops is to miss insight into His heart for us. We will never pass this way again so take inventory of His loving kindness, His wondrous grace, and His mysterious heart of adventure and know there is purpose in all Jesus said and did, not only what we read in His Word but also where He is leading us today for one day the reasons why will be answered and when we look back we will wonder why our faith was so small.
Friday, October 5, 2012
My sheep know my voice
John 10
Jesus said his sheep know his voice and will not follow another. Have you ever been mid-stream in something and hear a small still voice say, “Don’t”? Somehow you know the difference between your own thoughts and God’s voice (it’s confirmation of the Holy Spirit). After hearing this from times past and unsure what to do I go ahead and do what I originally intended then end up learning a valuable lesson. Thankful for God’s grace it doesn’t take too many times for me to realize what is happening and I began listening, even waiting for it before making life changing decisions. Just like the boy Samuel heard God’s voice three times before the older wiser Eli told him that this is God’s voice. Samuel’s reply once he knew who was calling him was, “Speak, your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10 NLT). I too want my response to be, “Speak Lord and quiet my soul for I purpose to hear you.”
Jesus said his sheep know his voice and will not follow another. Have you ever been mid-stream in something and hear a small still voice say, “Don’t”? Somehow you know the difference between your own thoughts and God’s voice (it’s confirmation of the Holy Spirit). After hearing this from times past and unsure what to do I go ahead and do what I originally intended then end up learning a valuable lesson. Thankful for God’s grace it doesn’t take too many times for me to realize what is happening and I began listening, even waiting for it before making life changing decisions. Just like the boy Samuel heard God’s voice three times before the older wiser Eli told him that this is God’s voice. Samuel’s reply once he knew who was calling him was, “Speak, your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10 NLT). I too want my response to be, “Speak Lord and quiet my soul for I purpose to hear you.”
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Children imitate their father
John 8
Jesus makes it very clear that people imitate their father, though the people that day claimed to be children of Abraham their actions and beliefs made a case against their own report. Jesus saw through their words and recognized their actions to be consistent with that of the enemy. God is just, holy, and the Father of truth if He is your Father then you will be like Him. There are many claims today of people in the media being Christians, even co-workers, friends, and family though we cannot judge or condemn we are expected to know from who they come from by their words and actions. Jesus told us these things so that those who believed Him would not be led astray.
(John 8:31-32 NLT) Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, "You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
The moment we listen to direction from sources other than God we open ourselves to being led down the wrong path. If we do not spend time in prayer or time reading His Word how will we know Him, how will we be led by Him when life requires us to make choices? If our prayer life is not consistent with the Word of God are we not confusing ourselves into believing something other than truth? It’s not enough to pray, people from every religion pray but we are to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to desire His presence in our daily lives and each day know Him more. When we go to school or work, when we come home to be with our families, even when we are alone our one desire shall be God’s presence in our own lives. One of the big problems with the people Jesus was speaking to in chapter 8 was that they were not aware of their own blindness for in their minds they knew they descended from Abraham but they did not know him. You see blood lines don’t matter, whether Jew or Gentile makes no difference that which leads to eternal life is determined by whom you follow and imitate.
Jesus makes it very clear that people imitate their father, though the people that day claimed to be children of Abraham their actions and beliefs made a case against their own report. Jesus saw through their words and recognized their actions to be consistent with that of the enemy. God is just, holy, and the Father of truth if He is your Father then you will be like Him. There are many claims today of people in the media being Christians, even co-workers, friends, and family though we cannot judge or condemn we are expected to know from who they come from by their words and actions. Jesus told us these things so that those who believed Him would not be led astray.
(John 8:31-32 NLT) Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, "You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
The moment we listen to direction from sources other than God we open ourselves to being led down the wrong path. If we do not spend time in prayer or time reading His Word how will we know Him, how will we be led by Him when life requires us to make choices? If our prayer life is not consistent with the Word of God are we not confusing ourselves into believing something other than truth? It’s not enough to pray, people from every religion pray but we are to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to desire His presence in our daily lives and each day know Him more. When we go to school or work, when we come home to be with our families, even when we are alone our one desire shall be God’s presence in our own lives. One of the big problems with the people Jesus was speaking to in chapter 8 was that they were not aware of their own blindness for in their minds they knew they descended from Abraham but they did not know him. You see blood lines don’t matter, whether Jew or Gentile makes no difference that which leads to eternal life is determined by whom you follow and imitate.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
true greatness
With true greatness comes true opposition. Without struggle, without difficulty, without testing of one’s spirit it would never be known to what limit we might be able to endure but for what purpose? Are we to be tested so that we may know our own limits? Not entirely, what good would be accomplished if God revealed our weaknesses without showing us the way to salvation, without making it abundantly clear the keys He has given us to help others who are also struggling in their journey? No, it is so that we may know God’s limits within us. Listen, we understand that all things are possible for God yet our expectations of what He will do in a given situation has dwindled because of life’s difficulties. Day in and day out these difficulties seem unending and without us being aware they take a toll on how we see God’s ability to handle all situations, not only for today but for to tomorrow as well. The Bible tells us that all things are possible through Christ Jesus, which gives me strength (Paul said this to the Philippians 4:13). So any limitations we find are not God’s but our own limits on how far we trust Him to be who He tells us He is in our own lives! Trust in the Lord has direct correlation on how much He will accomplish in this life here on earth, which He has given to us. So be glad that you face tribulation, for it is only a mirror of how much you trust God; not so you know where you have failed but so that you may know where He has succeeded in that all things will glorify the Lord God of Hosts who is high above all heaven and earth!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)