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A Proper Response for Great Results – Matthew 8:8-10

playingmanyparts — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:26:03 +0000

Matthew 8:8-10
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

Two things strike me immediately as I read through this section of Matthew about Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant. First, the great humilty the Centurion displays when he speaks with Jesus, and second, the complete faith he has in Jesus doing what he says he will do.

There are many ways I approach the throne when I am speaking my prayer requests, but I am afraid all to often it is not with humility and the realization that I already have far more than I deserve from my loving Heavenly Father. I must remember that I am nothing, that I deserve nothing, yet my father loves me and wants to give me all the things I ask. Instead of approaching him with my entitlement attitude, I have to remember what it has cost him just to hear my prayers.

And then, after I have shared my list of entitled requests, I often doubt that he will fulfill my needs. What a spoiled brat of a child am I?! I assume I deserve things, but then assume that God will not give me what I desire. The Centurion tells Jesus he doesn’t need to be with him, but to only speak the words and he will know it is done. He could have requested that Jesus return to his home to make things better (and I myself often complain that I can’t see Jesus) but this man knows without fail that if Jesus says he will do something, it is as good as done. This speaks volumes of both the character of the man and Jesus.

Do approach God with humility and great faith, or do I approach him as a bratty child who feels entitled to the word but lack solid faith? I am afraid all too often it is the latter.

Father, forgive me for my attitudes and my lack of faith. I am so grateful for all I have been given and truly lack for nothing. Align my thoughts and desires with yours, and may I seek only those things you wish to give me, and when I ask, please grant me the faith to see them come.

Obedient to Death – Philippians 2:8

playingmanyparts — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:56:05 +0000

Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

I am getting older, and we all are dying. Yet every time I get a new ache or pain (and let’s be honest, those are practically daily, and especially worse when starting a new exercise regime) I start to panic about how I might be dying. News flash: Since the moment we are born we are dying. We come to live quickly and die, there is little else, unless you are a Christ follower and believe in eternity.

I am reminded today in Philippians that Christ came to live quite a short life and then to die. He had about 3 years of earthly ministry and then he willingly went to the cross to die. He was obedient to death, even death on a cross. And I too am called to pick up my cross and follow him. . .into death. In this current state of medical advancement, where many of us live to be 70, 80, 90 and beyond, it is sometimes hard to remember that we have been called to die with Christ. We are called to die to self and to submit (yes, even to death) to God’s will.

In a world where fear of death is peddled in every medical office and many pharmaceutical companies are getting rich on that fear, we MUST remember that death is better than life. We who have Christ, have life eternal. . .being absent from this body means being present with CHRIST! This is a truth to cherish, celebrate and anticipate. . .not fear. Fear is from the Devil . . . flee from it today.

Father, show me how to live sold out like Paul. Earlier in Philippians 1 he said “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Help me live a life of dedication to your glory the way Paul does here. Help me truly realize the reality of eternity with you, and to look forward to that hope even while I serve here. May this be the year that I am so sure of you that I too can say with Paul “to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Our Response to His Great Love – Matthew 5:48

playingmanyparts — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:36:07 +0000

Matthew 5:48
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is the end of the first part of the Beatitudes, one of Jesus first sermons that is recorded. I have been looking through Matthew 5 – 7 quite a bit over the past few weeks. I believe God has me lingering here to grasp something that is still a bit beyond my reach. But I have gotten a few things already.

This verse at the end of chapter 5 is a hard one. I remember being asked by some teenagers early on in my ministry what this verse meant and I struggled a bit to help them understand it. I think I get it a bit more now. You see, Jesus came and was a rebel. He did not want to be counted among the religious elite, but a man, a savior for the common folks. His point throughout this sermon seems to be that we need to dig deeper, go further than just what the law requires. God is perfect, and out relationship of tremendous gratitude to him should inspire us to want to dig deeper, go further because of what He has done for us.

We are not just following some dead set of rules so we can get closer to God, we are responding to our Fathers great love for us. . .by faith, and obedience to Him. We should want desperately to be perfect for him. If we are following Him, getting closer to Him and bathing in his Word we should be changing and loving and growing and we should look more and more like this picture Jesus really paints of himself in this sermon on the mount.

Father God, draw me closer to your side today. Root me deep in your love and feed me your word that I might grow closer to you and closer to the image of Christ that is portrayed here. I want to love you, serve you, follow you in everything that I do. I am desperate for you God.

If We Confess – 1 John 1:8-10

playingmanyparts — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:59:19 +0000

1 John 1: 8-10

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

My sin is ever before me, how about you? I sorta feel like the more experiences I have, the more I learn, the more sin I see in my life. Sins of commission and omission; sins that keep me from a deeper relationship with my God. Silly sins that I should be over by this time in my life and in my spiritual walk. Yet there I was in traffic this morning ready to run another car over because of some silly infraction that had me boiling in less than 10 seconds.

It is with great hope that I face today with these verses from one of my most favorite books of the Bible. God is so good, if we but confess our sins he is so very faithful to forgive them. I find that the more I ask for purification, the more he sends those tricky situations so I can get better at them. Talk about a two-edged sword, ouch. But He knows what I need and He is faithful, that I have seen over and over again. We can’t be without sin, but we must ever be faithful ourselves in confessing and repenting and trying to accept purification.

Father, forgive me for my sins today. Forgive those hateful thoughts I have in traffic. Forgive me for not letting go of those hurts I have. Continue to work on me father. Thank you for your faithfulness, even when mine is lacking.

The Bible Is Unique – 2 Peter 1:20-21

playingmanyparts — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:30:10 +0000

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV)

20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Do you realize how unique the Bible really is? I am not sure I thought about it too terribly much before teaching a Jr High Youth Group lesson last night. The Bible was put together over a period of 1500 years by 40 different people on 3 different continents. Yet there are no contradictions. No contradictions. Have you ever played telephone? Do you have any idea how impossible it is to get that many people involved and have such unity of thought and theme. It is a serious miracle.

As if that weren’t enough, do you also know that there are hundreds of fulfilled prophesy? There are over 300 about Jesus alone that were fully fulfilled. Want examples? I did too, so here are just a few . . . check them out.

Where Jesus would be born (Micah 5:2)
Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)
How he would die (Psalm 22)
That Jesus would rise again (Psalm 16:8-11)
His body was pierced (Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22:16)
Not a bone was broken (Numbers 9:12)
Buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)

Father God, you have not called us to faith in vain, and you have left us much comfort and assurance of your way. Thank you for your grace and mercy, and for knowing we would need so much. Give me strength and power to proclaim your awesome nature to all.

All We Need, and Then Some – 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

playingmanyparts — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:31:52 +0000

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

As I pray for a 18 year old boy who suffered a heart attack two days ago, I am again reminded and broken for the lost and hurting that are out there in the world who don’t know Jesus and who would perish if they died today!

For those of you who are Christ followers, but lack confidence in your abilities to convey the word of God . . . take heart. I often don’t write or say what I think I should for fear that I am stupid, don’t have the right words, or don’t understand God enough but that fear is not from God but rather the Devil. This is only one of many verses throughout scripture that assures us that God has given us all we need. All we need for life, teaching, and sharing our faith with others. We are all called to share the hope that is in us. We have all been called by Jesus to go and share the message of His love with a world that desperately needs it.

I am the least of the least and have no business teaching anyone. Yet everyday God gives me a word from Himself, every day he breaks my heart for some lost soul. How is God calling you to share your faith? He does call us all. . if we only listen. And He indeed has not left any of us lacking any spiritual gifts! Claim those today and seek to share those with anyone who crosses your path today. Life is short, you may not have tomorrow to share with that Mom on the train, the checkout woman at the store, your neighbor, that boy that comes over to visit your son.

Father, please continue to break my heart for what breaks yours! Show me those who need your love and a word from you today. Use me father to reach the hurting world around me. Keep me in your word so I am always prepared with your message for others. Thank you for equipping even me.

Like a Tree During A Season – Psalm 1:1-3

playingmanyparts — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:43:11 +0000

Psalm 1:1-3

1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

As I read verse 3 above, I am struck by the imagery of the tree planted by streams of water. That sounds so refreshing, and I don’t always feel so refreshed. Then I continue reading about how the tree yields its fruit in season and am reminded that this may be a winter time for me. I have been planting and watering a ministry for a bit now, I have been working hard and feel the calluses on my hands and knees, I have planted and fertilized and weeded and tended to my garden. Now I need to pray and continue watering and working while the winter storms brew and do their best to bury me.

However, I know without a doubt that the spring is indeed right around the corner. I trust God, and I know that his plan for me is good, and it is to benefit me, so this season I can and will weather, knowing a better time is just around the corner. I will cling to that picture of the tree planted by streams of water on a beautiful summer day and know that is what my future with Christ looks like.

Father, thank you for your goodness, faithfulness, and love. Thank you that seasons come and go in our lives and each one prepares us and makes us ready to face the future you have for us. Thank you that you work all things together for the good of those who love you and keep your commands. Help me to be faithful in every season.

Thankful In All Situations – Psalm 28:6-7

playingmanyparts — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:41:49 +0000

Psalm 28:6-7

Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

It has been a rough few weeks for me. Since starting a new ministry, I have been dealing with random tough situations. Nothing earth shattering actually, but I have been dealing with several new negative situations in my life which all culminated this past weekend with a break-in at my home. After that, I found myself at the end of me. I was crying and upset and calling out to God asking him why I was under such attack when I have been so faithful to the point of pain. I went to bed Sunday night literally crying to God asking why, confessing that I was mad for no reason, and also confessing a poor attitude and asking him to change me. You know what? He did!

I woke up Monday morning feeling refreshed, revived, and changed. Nothing about my situation had changed. Our stolen items were still gone, but overnight God had turned my sorrow into joy. Joy in just being given another day and another opportunity to prove that in all situations I can praise Him. He was my strength and my shield, and when my heart trusted in Him He did help me. I was able to drive to work Monday morning with a song in my heart and praise on my lips. It isn’t magic, but when we pray and ask for what we need, He is so very faithful to hear and respond to our cries for mercy!

Father, you are so good. Thank you for such an amazing example of how you come to me when I call, how you love me. Thank you for your many blessings, for keeping my family and I safe, and for giving us our daily bread.

Obedience: A Dirty Little Word – Romans 1:5

playingmanyparts — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:31:11 +0000

Romans 1:5

Through [Christ] we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.

Just a small reflection on a verse that I found myself reading and rereading this morning. I want to go and do some further research on this verse and its meaning and especially its origin. But for today I am pondering the position of these words. The version above is from the NIV Bible. Here is the ESV

through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations

Whether it is obedience that comes from faith or the obedience of faith, I am caught today by the word obedience and what that means for me. Obedience is tricky. We are taught to be somewhat cynical from the time we enter school, to question everything, so when someone mentions obedience I think most of us get a bit uncomfortable.

However, I think anyone who has been a Christ follower for any length of time also recognizes the value of obedience to one who is far more omnipotent and omniscience than ourselves. If we have true faith in God, obedience should be easy, and yet it is often the biggest hurdle, at least for me, to being a follower of Christ.

Obedience often means doing hard things. It means loving that person who does not love me and is often not even nice to me. It means overcoming fear and reaching out to those who may not want to be reached. In short, it means taking up my cross today and following a path I may not want to follow to a location I may not want to seek in order to obey God. It isn’t easy, and yet some of my life’s greatest blessings have come from obedience I at first wanted to resist.

Father, forgive my stubborn obstinate heart. Help me learn to truly have faith, to see with my faith, and to lean not on my understanding, but on yours.

The Author of Success – Luke 5:1-11

playingmanyparts — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:51:08 +0000

Luke 5:1-11
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

I got a notice about a fantastic new movie coming out soon so I did some checking around and stumbled upon a site that had this story from Luke explained a bit more. This neat site was so encouraging to me at a time when I really needed to hear God speak about a new ministry I am planning. He reminded me that when we are fishing for men, success is guaranteed by the very author of success! There is no greater calling that to tell people about Jesus. And we don’t have to do anything more. He does all the heavy lifting, we only need be obey Him and tell them of Him.

Father, forgive my pride. Thank you for reminding me that your word does not return void, you want people to hear your gospel, and you will bring them if I share your word. I love you and seek only to obey you and do what you have called me to do. Bless the hearing of your word, and remove me from it completely in all I do and say.