04/09/18 - John 3

April 9, 2018 – John 3

He must become greater; I must become less.   John 3:30

The mantra of a true believer--- the desire to bring God glory is greater than getting it for ourselves.

Becoming a believer of Jesus has some incredible benefits – complete forgiveness of our past, freedom from sin, receiving the Holy Spirit as our personal protector, permission to enter heaven and live forever, eternal rewards, and much more!  Best of all, we discover a personal relationship with God Himself, and start to learn His voice, becoming His child!  What a deal!!!

But there is a catch.  (I know, there is always a catch, huh.) We have to let go of pursuing this life.  Many try to avoid that part.  Some try to play both sides of the fence.  Most struggle to know what that means.  But ultimately, becoming God’s child means giving up our own lives in order to pursue His.  Our mission changes.  We no longer seek the glory of this life, we seek to bring glory to Him.  Every decision, every action, every behavior, every thought comes down to that simple question:  Will it bring God glory?

If you’re human, then you have tried to avoid that catch.  In our humanity, we only see this world, and prefer to benefit from what it offers.  It’s easy to justify ourselves when we compare to what others have, or what others have done.  We can even twist Scriptures to say what we want, and justify our choices.  Truth be told, we have all struggled with this desire for personal gain instead of God’s Glory.

John the Baptist was not like most humans.  He didn’t operate under the pressure of comparison.  He didn’t justify his behavior based on other’s performance.  John had one simple measure: Who gets the glory?  If Jesus was getting more glory, then it was a good decision.  Jesus must become greater, making John lesser.

If you’re stuck in the world’s system, that motto will be very threatening.  It will call for sacrifice you are not familiar with.  For all of us, it will be a constant challenge to our pride or egos.  But it might also create the most freedom you have ever experienced!  You’re no longer under the pressure to perform.  You won’t be wasting time or money on things that don’t last.  You might even find a greater connection with God, the ability to witness miracles, and the most peace you will ever experience.  What could God do with you if He was getting all the glory?

Be warned – it will not be easy.  Your friends and family won’t understand it.  Many will oppose it.  Some will take offense to it.  But God will LOVE IT! 

Start today.  For every decision, conversation, behavior, ask yourself:  Will this bring Jesus more glory?  Act on that answer and see what happens.  It could be life-changing, and definitely will be an adventure.  It’s what Jesus asks of you … so make it your mantra.

04/06/18 - John 2

April 06, 2018 – John 2

Jesus' mother said to the servants, "Do whatever Jesus tells you." John 2:5

We see the miracles when we fully obey Jesus' commands.

The first miracle recorded about Jesus took place at a wedding party.  I’m so glad John recorded it.  Here’s Jesus, just one of the crowd, hanging out with his friends and his family, enjoying life and celebrating the wedding of someone they knew.  Jesus is not known for healing the sick or preaching the Word or raising the dead.  He’s just a fascinating guy. 

Midway through the party the host runs out of wine, and mom cares enough for his reputation to intervene with Jesus.  I imagine nobody believed Jesus could do anything, and hadn’t seen Jesus do anything noteworthy.  So when mom tells them to simply obey whatever Jesus says, they didn’t do it out of honor to Jesus, they did it out of honor to his mother.  Imagine their surprise when their large jars of water end up being the best wine they have ever tasted!

If you were one of those servants, you would have witnessed an incredible miracle simply by obeying whatever Jesus said to do!  Would you have obeyed?  Would you have doubted?  Would you have complained?  What would have been your response?

Most of us have the need for a miracle or two in our lives.   Maybe it’s an intervention in a circumstance, or a repair of a relationship, or a re-supplying of a resource.  Some need God to do a miracle with a health issue or a job loss.  Whatever the issue, we can either try to do things our own way in our own power, or we can try obeying the instructions of an all-knowing God.  Those servants obeyed, and witnessed a miracle. 

Your miracle may be a single obedience away!  Do you trust Jesus enough to simply obey what He has told you to do?  Instead of seeking the divorce, obey Jesus and forgive.  Instead of hoarding your money in fear, give to His Kingdom.  Instead of pushing people to do what you want using anger, show them the kindness of Jesus.  Instead of offering your time to every activity and distraction, schedule time to worship & serve Jesus each weekend.  Take your water, obey Jesus, and wait for His miracle.

Obedience allowed those servants to see water turned into wine.  Obedience allowed the disciples to see 5 loaves feed 5000 men.  Obedience allowed Peter to bring thousands to know Jesus in a single sermon.  And obedience is what opened the door to millions of miracles, big and small, since the beginning of creation.  Even Jesus obeyed by going to a cross, and brought about the single event that resurrected his life as well as the life of every believer since.  Obedience is what opens us up to the hand of God.

So what are you waiting for? What is the step of obedience you have delayed doing, that God is ready to use for a miracle.  Choose today to obey! 

04/05/18 - John 1

April 5, 2018 – John 1

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12

He is ready to welcome us into His family if we choose to come INTO His authority.

Archie Bunker was a character of the old sitcom “All in the Family”.  He presumed to be the authority of the house, but found himself struggling to maintain control.  Often his wife or kids worked out the situation to challenge his authority or rules, and by making it Archie’s idea, overcame his authority.

Who’s the true authority in your home?

Some might say the father.  With the mantle of leadership put on his shoulders by God, and often his physical presence, the man of the house would be a logical choice.  Sometimes it appears that way, especially if he is good at making logical arguments, or providing the family income, or physically imposing his will. 

Some might argue the mother is.  She may not always be the most physically intimidating, but her ability to influence everyone and push the right buttons would make her a likely candidate.  Someone once said the husband is the head, but the wife is the ‘neck’ and can turn the head any way she wants.  That has the appearance of true authority in the home.

Then some might suggest the kids.  After all, a baby seems to get all the attention and can demand their way in a single cry.  Or in some homes, the kids have learned how to work the parents or manipulate the situation to get whatever they want.  Then some teens have grown up into strong controllers by their attitudes and behavior, making an outsider see them as the authority.

Of course, there is always the argument that God is the authority, but it would be hard to tell that in many homes.

I might suggest that none of those are the case alone.  Instead, the true authority is not found in the first names of the family lineage --- I would suggest it is in the last name.  True authority is defined by what the FAMILY defines the rules to be.  Whether one is the head, or the neck, or the heart, or even the big toe, it’s the BODY that has authority over itself.  And for most families, it is the structure of the family that dictates the authority.

John describes Jesus in the first chapter of his Gospel as the light of the world, but then turns and says that Jesus is the root of the family.  But accepting Jesus doesn’t take away our identity, it simply changes it to be part of the family name!  So the authority is in the family.  That includes God the Father, and Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit’s Presence, along with all of the believers who have come into the family.  It’s the authority of the family that now is our true authority.  The family decides the code.

But that doesn’t mean we can outvote God on decisions.  It means we are a part of the family when we support the family structure.  We aren’t just given a name, we are given a ‘right’ – a heritage – an honor.  Being a part of God’s family brings purpose, responsibilities, expectations, obedience … all things that are part of healthy families because they carry the Last Name of the family!

You are now part of God’s Family, and the authority is in the family.  Celebrate that great gift and enjoy the privileges of living with an All-Powerful God, but also enjoy the responsibilities and expectations.  Support your family, and follow the family code.  It’s All In the Family.

04/04/18 - Luke 24

April 4, 2018 – Luke 24

Jesus said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?" Luke 24:38

Trusting in the resurrection changes worry into worship and doubt into belief.

The ONE EVENT that changes everything is the Resurrection.  Without it, there is much to doubt and disbelieve.  But with it as our foundational truth, everything is possible and nothing is to be feared.

That’s a bold statement, and one that needs to be considered deeply.

Imagine life without a resurrection.  Our hope for eternity would be in doubt.  The only way to heaven would be trying to determine what was ‘good enough’.  Our spiritual efforts would all be about religious activities.  Forgiveness would be minimized and retribution would be maximized.   Without a resurrection, the fruits of the Spirit would lose their luster.  Who would care about being patient & kind when this is the only life you have to live?  Selfishness would be the standard for living, and violence would reign in every facet of life.  Without any belief in a resurrection, we would be more lost than ever.  Most would not even have a faith, since the basis of hope for the last 2000 years has been centered on a resurrection. 

But take a look at what belief in the resurrection HAS produced.  From that foundation, men have sacrificed themselves for their neighbors, the poor & painful have been cared for, hospitals and educational institutions have been created, forgiveness has reigned over retribution, kindness is an honored character quality, mercy is part of our justice systems’ toolset, and countries negotiate their problems before fighting over them.  The hope of a resurrection fuels more than we can ever imagine.

Jesus shows up and sees his disciples, and they are still not quite believing the resurrection is true.  They are still in fear of the Jews and in doubt of the events, until Jesus shows up.  But a resurrected Jesus has a way of solving our fear and doubts.  Believing in Jesus frees us from worry, because we have no risk of death.  If we were to be killed, it would simply mean a quicker entrance into heaven.  And believing in the resurrection removes doubts, because if Jesus can make good on His claim to come back from the dead, then His promises about life, about eternity, about meeting our needs, about being with us in every circumstance can also be trusted.  Trusting in the resurrection turns our worries into worship and changes our doubts into beliefs.

And all because Jesus shows up to prove the resurrection happened!

Has Jesus shown up in your life?  Maybe not in a physical form, but have you seen the hand of Jesus on your life recently?  Are you troubled?  Maybe it’s time to relive the resurrection and let that single event change your worry into worship and your doubt into belief.  Look for the signs that Jesus is in our midst, and trust the resurrection.

It just might change the course of your life!

04/03/18 - Luke 23

April 3, 2018 – Luke 23

Herod plied Him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. Luke 23:9

Jesus doesn’t owe us answers, but often gives them in His silence.

This is hard to face:  but I’m more like Herod than I care to admit.

Herod finally got the chance to meet Jesus, and started asking many questions.  Luke doesn’t tell us what the questions were, but we can venture a guess.  Maybe Herod was curious about Jesus’ background.  Or maybe how Jesus did all those miracles.  Or how Jesus was able to attract all those crowds.  Maybe Herod was curious about Jesus’ opinions on political or social issues.  Or there could have been some clarification questions on teachings from Jesus’ sermons.

But I think there was one bigger question Herod asked, and it’s the question I would have asked too:  WHY?   Why did my loved one die?  Why does evil happen?  Why am I put in this place, or this job, or this family?  Of all the questions Herod could have asked, I would bet most of them were rooted with a WHY. 

That’s what makes me more like Herod than I care to admit.  Given the chance to ask, my questions would fall into the WHY category as well.  And if you had a private consultation with Jesus, you may also have some WHY questions to ask.  Let me be clear: THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH WHY QUESTIONS!  But the attitude behind the WHY question is often at issue.  Are you expressing grief, demanding an answer, longing to learn, or questioning the logic? 

But here’s the amazing response of Jesus.  JESUS DIDN’T ANSWER, he just listened. 

·         For the grieving, that is the best response: listening and caring for their pain.

·         For the demanding, it’s the best response: letting them hear their own arrogance.

·         For the learning, it’s the best response:  letting the question lead ourselves to learn the answer.

·         For the questioning, it’s also the best response: letting the person think through the issue.

Often, the best answer to WHY questions is not an answer, it’s a listening ear.  Jesus heard everything that Herod said, but didn’t offer an answer.  And that allowed Herod to hear himself.  It was not only wise of Jesus, it was the right answer from Jesus.

We’ve been on both sides of this situation.  When we’re faced with pain, we often want to demand answers.  And when people are in pain around us, we often want to give an answer.  Don’t be so quick to respond.  Use your listening skills as a part of the solution.  You might do more good in what you hear, than in what you say.   

And when life gets you down, go ahead and ask Jesus the WHY questions.  But pay attention to His response.  He may not be verbally answering, but He is definitely listening --- and that’s the best answer we could ever ask for!

04/02/18 - Luke 22

April 2, 2018 – Luke 22

Jesus answered, "If I tell you that I'm the Messiah, you will not believe me... But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."  Luke 22:67, 69

It’s not Jesus’ claims that prove His identity.  Jesus is Lord because He WAS what He claimed.

Don’t just say it … show it!   That’s not just a catchy phrase from a song, or a motto for a Midwestern state.  It’s the expectation of every human when it comes to outrageous claims by another.  Rightly so, we don’t believe everything we hear.  We want to see it before we believe it.

Jesus didn’t bother trying to prove Himself to men, He just WAS Himself.  He didn’t claim to be the Son of God, Jesus WAS the Son of God.  He didn’t only claim to be the resurrection and the life, Jesus actually ROSE from the dead and Lived forever.  We don’t believe Jesus because of His claims, we believe Him because of His flawless actions.

But HERE’S THE THING:  Jesus is done making claims and done proving them.  He’s already finished His job.  He came, He lived perfectly, He taught us everything we need to know, He died on the cross in place of each of us, and He rose from the dead.  Now, Jesus sits on the Throne of God and has completed everything He needs to do until the Father sends Him back.  Jesus doesn’t need to Say it or Show it --- He has DONE IT!

But as humans, we don’t want a faith based on past proof.  We are looking for a present-day, personal act of proof from God before we’ll follow Him.  Not that Jesus needs to die on the cross again and come back to life three days later… but can’t He just show Himself in a tangible way to prove He really exists and is Lord over my circumstances?

I was one of those – crying out to God in my despair as a young man, wanting God to show Himself in my hour of need and prove to me I could trust Him.  Thankfully, Jesus didn’t obey my instructions.  Instead, He brought me peace and walked me through the problem.  Instead of proving Himself, Jesus GAVE ME HIMSELF.   A living Savior can do that.  What I have discovered along with millions of others, is that the Jesus who died for me is now living with me, and that’s better proof than more claims.

The Best Proof for our doubts is not more outrageous claims nor miraculous interventions.  The Best Proof is a personal relationship – when Jesus doesn’t just tell about Himself, but gives me Himself.  After all, that’s really what a relationship is:  giving yourself to another. 

Jesus doesn’t have to Say it or Show it – He IS IT!  You can ignore the claims and discredit the miracles, but you can’t eliminate Him.  Jesus is Lord, not because He claimed to be, but because that’s who He has always been. 

And when the judgment day comes that we face Him, Jesus won’t ask us to claim anything or show Him anything.  He will already know our decision – because He will know who we ARE as well.  Don’t just claim to be a Christian, or try to prove it by some action … Be It: a worshipper and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

02/28/18 - Mark 14

Feb 28, 2018 – Mark 14

Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. Mark 14:54

Following Jesus at a distance may seem safer, but only leads to sin --- stay next to Jesus.

Peter watched as his Savior and friend was arrested, and ran scared like all the others when Jesus accepted His predicament.  But Peter didn’t stay completely away … he followed Jesus at a distance watching the activities surrounding this unjust action.  Staying at a distance may have felt safer, but actually created more problems.  Instead of protecting his life, Peter found himself in the heart of deep temptation, being challenged about his relationship with Jesus and denying it three times.  You know the story, it didn’t end well.  His distance from Jesus led to his sin.

Some would say that the two issues are not connected, arguing that Peter would have died if he stayed with Jesus.  But maybe we need to reconsider:

-          Adam & Eve were a distance from God when they ate the forbidden fruit.

-          Cain killed Abel thinking God was not around.

-          Only Noah was close to God when the floodwaters came.

-          David was not where he belonged when he failed with Bathsheba.

-          Distance from Jesus preceded Judas selling Jesus out.

And remember this… Peter wasn’t the only one trying to stay with Jesus.  John did as well, but apparently was close enough to avoid the denial.  That didn’t mean John was better than Peter, just closer to Jesus than Peter.

If you’re like me, the more distant you find yourself from Jesus and His church, the more at risk you are with sin too.  While distance may feel safer or easier, it opens us up to more temptation. 

Closeness is not just about proximity, it’s about intimacy.  Knowing Jesus and staying connected to Him is not just a physical thing, it’s staying connected to Him in emotions, spirit, values, obedience, and more.  All of those things require commitment, effort, and obedience.  And that means staying with Jesus, no matter what risks come up.  Easier said than done!

So BE CAREFUL when options or arguments challenge you to put God aside temporarily.  CRINGE when schedules and expectations try to steal your time in worship or personal devotions.  Don’t be religions, be close.  If you sense God growing distant, do your best to dive deeper in your walk with Him.

ONE WORD: There are moments and seasons when people experience “the Dark Night of the Soul”.  In those moments, you feel like the distance has grown between you and God, but your pursuit is still happening.  Don’t despair.  Stay in pursuit and guard your walk.  Dark nights are about God’s plan, but distance is about our plan.

Remember – the safest place to be is next to Jesus.