GET USED TO DIFFERENT

Posted on July 3, 2021 by randscallawayffm

The Chosen film series is gaining popularity by giving the disciples of Jesus personalities that you and I might have.  The writers, producers and director are driven by the Biblical account while presenting what the followers might have felt when hearing Jesus’ words of teaching.  We see Jesus as a patient, loving man, always delivering a lesson while knowing what lies ahead for him as the Son of Man as He calls Himself. 

Jesus is also God’s Son.  He is saddened with righteous anger at those who claim to know God but use their power to oppress God’s chosen people.  The claim of what they think God wants by the religious elite does not fulfill God’s Law.  In fact, their way sets aside the intent of God’s Law while replacing it with their manmade laws and small thinking along with their unholy actions and judgements.  Jesus came to set things right.  Jesus came to show the world who God is and what He really wants from all of us.  Jesus came to fulfill God’s Law as well as God’s words given to the Prophets proclaiming the Savior Messiah centuries before Jesus came.

Yes, Jesus is the Son of God and He is on earth for a little while and He is also Son of Man with human emotional feelings and physical traits of man.  Jesus is Son of God, sent by God with a mission to seek and to save the lost.  Jesus, Son of Man, goes to the Father before doing or saying anything concerning His mission so He will accomplish it exactly the way God tells Him to be and do it.  This is who Jesus is.

Jesus reminds The Twelve again of what is going to happen, but they still can’t quite comprehend the sacrifice part of the mission of Jesus…yet.  Remember that Judas, who will betray Jesus is among The Twelve who hears what Jesus is saying but is going his own way in his heart.  Judas wants revolution of a different kind.  Jesus wants the revolution of souls saved and restored to God.  Judas cannot get used to different.

In the meantime, human selfishness and power-hungry attitudes they have grown accustomed to among religious leaders, rises in the hearts of the disciples.  How sad, that just as Jesus has finished reminding them how He will suffer a sacrificial death according to scriptures, the mother of James and John butts in to ask for position in the Kingdom for her sons, James and John!  Friends, are we not embarrassed for her?  Talk about inappropriate timing, wrong thinking, not to mention the rest of the disciples thinking of James and John as “momma’s boys”.  So, then they all argue about who will sit with Jesus in His Kingdom!!

We might get disgusted at this scenario, but don’t we occasionally do the same?  Don’t we sometimes feel we are beneath some of the “dirty” work of ministry, the suffering and pain and the mocking while we serve at times?  We want appreciation and less judgement.  We crave a pat on the back instead of a slap on the face.  Get used to different thinking, Jesus points out.

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 20:17-28, NLT

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romansto be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

PAUSE TO REFLECT

How is our serve? 

Do we seek self-satisfaction with that “feel good” feeling for bending down to serve?

Do we serve simply because the Spirit of God prompted us to serve?

Do we serve well, in the most excellent way, for the audience of One, God, Himself?

Is our serve given to others because we love God?

Does our serve bring glory, honor and praise to God who invited us to serve?

This is a lot to think about but it is important to ponder.  Samuel, priest of God, explains what God truly desires from a servant’s heart;

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”  1 Samuel 15:22, NLT

Jesus fulfills this scripture with His very life… “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus left the throne of glory with perfect submission to God’s mission, laying down His life for ours.  Jesus, perfect Savior, showed His perfect servant attitude that He wants us to follow.  Be different in our attitude of serve, he teaches.  Be like Jesus.

Paul elaborates the attitude of servanthood;

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8     he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:1-11, NLT

Get used to serving with a different attitude says Jesus.  Get used to different thinking about the Kingdom of God.  To those who believe, we are called children of God.  His Kingdom now lives in us!  Serve like our Savior!

Abba, Father,

Thank you for your lessons of obedience with servant attitudes of grateful submission to You.  What you invite us to be and do is always perfect.  Help us to respond with quick holy obedience to your Spirit’s promptings.  To YOU be all glory, honor and praise for the outcome!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

NO PLACE FOR JEALOUSY IN THE KINGDOM!

Posted on July 2, 2021 by randscallawayffm

The Kingdom of Heaven that belongs to God calls us to belong fully to Him.  There are many who are called to live in His Kingdom and so we come. We are the Kingdom of God because we believe and choose to follow Jesus, His Son.  Everyone living in His Kingdom are chosen and invited to do His work with Him of seeking the lost and pointing them to salvation only found in Jesus.  We do not point them to an imperfect church of humans still growing and maturing as the way to salvation, but to Christ who is Perfect in every way.  He is the Way to saving grace, He is Truth and He is the example to follow to live Life to the fullest degree!  We serve Him, doing what He ways, being who He desires us to be, in His work to help others find and follow Him, too. 

The Body of Believers in Jesus, aka “church”, gather for the purpose to grow in His character, worship Him in Spirit and Truth, while pointing unbelievers to Jesus to be saved.  (See the book of Ephesians) There just isn’t any room for jealousy in this holy work.  When jealousy enters, the work is hindered.  It’s no longer about Jesus but about ourselves.  Jealous in a virus.  The only vaccination against it is the love of Jesus in us.

Jealousy as been given the name, “the green-eyed monster” and rightly so.  Jealousy ruins relationships and destroys the nourishment of our souls.  Jesus knows jealousy well.  Jealousy was birthed in heaven among the angels.  Jealousy was named Satan who was jealous of God, Himself!  Satan wanted to be God.  He recruited and built an army of demonic angels to take over God’s Kingdom!  How absolutely foolish, right?  Satan was thrown out of holy heaven but he did not stop his jealous battle to win over the world.  Satan is the prince of this world.  His goal is to plant seeds of jealousy in all of us.

God came down from heaven in the form of His only Son, Jesus.  Jesus came to a world who had all but forgotten God.  The religious who read God’s Law and added to His law with oppressive mandates were no longer living with Him, living in His Presence or living for Him.  They were living for self.  The religious elite were the epitome of jealousy.  They were jealous of Jesus who was Truth.  Jealousy was and is at the root of evil who wants to turn us away from God, shouting “unfair” when we don’t feel we are getting our fair share, not getting our way, while thinking only of ourselves.  This is just where the evil one wants us to be.

Therefore, Jesus teaches a lesson about workers in a vineyard (Kingdom of God) who were jealous of who did what, when and where and for how long.  He teaches all who heard about avoiding jealousy because jealousy does not fit and is not welcome in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God.  It never did.  It never will. 

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 19:1-16, NLT

Parable of the Vineyard Workers

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

PAUSE TO REFLECT…

Are we jealous of anyone who serves well in the Body of Christ?

Are we really jealous of the blessings that seem to fall on those who we think do not do as much as we do?

Are we jealous now? 

What can we do to get rid of this sin?  

Repent now of all jealous thoughts.  Ask God to help us channel our thinking towards lifting others up instead of putting them down.  God’s Kingdom has no room for jealousy.  We are all God’s children with specific tasks given by Him with the abilities and gifts to do them.  It’s all up to God what those tasks are and how He will provide.  He is God and we are not.

THIS leaps off the page of this passage for me today…” Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?”, says God.  The answer is no. 

Abba, Father,

We have seen jealousy in us and in others destroy relationships and hinder your work in us and through us.  We repent of all jealousy for we know where it comes from.  May your Kingdom come and reign in us and all around us and through us.  May YOUR will be done in every detail of our lives on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day thinking that comes from you with hearts ready to serve you as you guide us.  Lead us not into temptations of jealousy and other destructive sins, but deliver us from evil and evil’s schemes to plant these seeds in our hearts, minds and souls.  With you all this is possible.  You are our strength and our song.  You have all power.  You fight all our battles.  To you be all glory for all the victories over sin.  To You be all glory, honor and praise forevermore!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

DO I JUST HAVE TO BE GOOD?

Posted on July 1, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Little Ashley sat quietly in our Sunday School class for first graders.  Everyone was working on coloring a craft that would lead them to the heart of the lesson.  It was not normal for Ashley to be this quiet, so I asked her what she was thinking.  She looked up and seriously asked, “Do I just have to be good to get to heaven?”  I was a bit surprised by the question but I could feel that she was seeking an honest, clear answer.  The Holy Spirit told me to answer with the truth of our salvation that morning and let the rest of the lesson be put aside for now. 

I prayerfully shared with Ashley how it’s not as much about being good as it is about believing in Jesus and what He did to save us from doing bad.  When we say yes, I believe and forgive me, Jesus helps us with our desires to do what He says every day.  This all begins with really believing who Jesus is and believing what He did to save us.  A relationship then begins with Him that is even more loving than the relationship you have with mom and dad!  Hard to imagine, right?  Jesus loves us and He wants all that is good and right for us.

There is more to that story, but you get the picture.  Ashley accepted Jesus that morning along with another friend at the table.  The friend proclaimed with a smile, “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time!”  I smiled thinking about what a “long time” means to six-year-olds.  I’m smiling even now remembering this beautiful moment.

Some will argue that six-year-olds may not know what they are doing, but I witnessed a transformation in both of these girls that day and in the coming days.  It all began with the question that is similar to the rich man’s question in our passage today, “Do I just have to be good to get to heaven?”  Jesus told us in yesterday’s passage, “let the children come to me” with their childlike faith, trusting fully in Him.  We can learn a lot in transforming from childish to childlike faith.

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 19:16-30, NLT

The Rich Man

16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

18 “Which ones?” the man asked.

And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

WHAT DO WE LEARN?

It’s not as much what I do, but who I’m following.  Jesus wants all of me, not just the good parts, but all of me. Rich, poor or in-between according to this world’s standards makes no difference.  We must give all to Him in exchange for all He has for us, letting nothing get between our Lord and Savior and us.  Give up the world and follow Jesus.  There are no regrets.

THE REST OF THE STORY

It would be discovered a few months later that Ashley had an aggressive tumor of cancer in her small leg leading to the amputation of that leg.  Although Ashley’s mom and dad were devastated, Ashley took it all in stride because she knew Jesus was with her through it all.  What a witness she was to all the doctors and nurses who cared for her.  She was also encouraging to all her roommates at the hospital who would come and go through chemo treatments.  God gave her miraculous strength and tremendous resilience because she believed in Jesus.  Ashley survived all and became a beautiful young woman.  Come as a child…says Jesus.

I’m reminded of the song of our childhoods, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”.  Remember?  I will be singing that all day long today!

I have decided to follow Jesus,

I have decided to follow Jesus,

I have decided to follow Jesus,

No turning back, no turning back.

Abba, Lord and Savior,

Yes, there is no turning back for me!  To give all I have back to you in return for all of You living in me, guiding me, keeping me out of trouble, protecting me, providing for me, making a way through the storms while being with me is a no brainer. Thank you for saving my soul, making me whole and not leaving me to my own devices but challenging me each day to grow closer to You and to others with a love that is so deep I will never reach the bottom of it all. 

You are my shepherd.  You are all I need.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

HUSHERS

Posted on June 30, 2021 by randscallawayffm

When our children were small, they were eager to go to church to see their family and friends.  They would run from the car, into through church doors, looking for those who they knew would love them back, talk and play with them on their level.  They also had some grown ups who they looked forward to seeing, too.  But there were some church people they shyly avoided.  These were the “hushers”.  Yes, you read that right, hushers, not ushers.

As parents, we worked hard to keep our three under control by teaching them how to behave in social situations including church.  There is a delicate balance to be struck between welcomed enthusiasm without hurting someone else in the process.  The hushers were people who thought children needed to be whisk to another part of the building as soon as possible without being seen or heard from until their holy time in church was accomplished.  Hushers desire that children not be seen OR heard.  Children are a “necessary evil” to build the church with new families in their opinion.

Thankfully, this is NOT the opinion of Jesus, who again, sets the community straight on what part children play in God’s Kingdom thinking and behaving.  The disciples are the original church hushers in this passage.  Jesus reprimands his guys, telling them to let the children come!  They are brought out of the crowd to the lap of Jesus to be blessed by Him!  “The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children”, says Jesus who is our King of kings and Lord of lords!

What did Jesus really mean?  Are we to be childish, demanding our own way, running through the grownups, selfishly wanting our time with Jesus without anyone else interfering? No, what Jesus meant was the opposite of childish.  We are to be childlike in our faith, enthusiasm to be near Him, joy showing on our faces because of the “can’t wait to see Jesus” joy in our hearts, totally trusting in the One who loves us most.  Yes, bless the children for they know and trust more purely and resolutely than most adults who are jaded by the world.  Children, according to Jesus, are the church of today as well as tomorrow.  We, like children, grow in Jesus with faith “like a child”.

So, what are we teaching by our body language and words to the children who enter our church buildings?  Value or mere tolerance?  According to Jesus the health of our community of believers is measured by the value we place on children who are blessed by Jesus.  We must not squelch the joy of children but provide environments of love, acceptance and valued belonging that promote and stir the joy of loving Jesus.

Come, like a child…with holy growing faith, pure trust, full of the love of Jesus who lives in us who believe. 

Do we really believe in what we believe about God really real?  The answer lies in our behavior.

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 19:13-15, NLT

Jesus Blesses the Children

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Abba, Father,

This is a new day.  I give my life to you for evaluation, correction and encouragement to learn and grow in You.  This small passage about the smallest and highly valued part of our community is a great lesson in humility, love, truth, faith, trust and grace.  It is a lesson in becoming childlike in our joy.  Lord, restore the joy of your salvation in all of us.  Restore the joy unspeakable and full of your glory in my heart.  Lift me up from the rumble of worldview thinking and help me to think higher thoughts, thinking that is more and more like you.  Thank you for the pause to reflect on one of my favorite passages of Your Word.  Help me to be childlike in faith always while growing away from childish behaviors.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

FROM THE BEGINNING…

Posted on June 29, 2021 by randscallawayffm

God created the heavens and the earth; and it was good God said.  It was good, perfect and sustained itself because a perfect God created it all.  His Son, Jesus was there looking on, along with God’s Spirit.  Imagine the Three-in-One creating our world from just words.  “Let there be light” …and there was light. 

When nature was created, it was designed to sustain itself with waters that flowed from underground streams.  No rain fell.  No storm clouds formed with angry claps of thunder.  It wasn’t needed in God’s original design.  The newly formed creation was now ready for mankind.  God created a man and named him Adam.  “…the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” Genesis 2:7

God created a beautiful home for his newly created human.  “Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.” Genesis 2:8. What a beautiful place it must have been!  Imagine every flower, tree, bush, vine growing in a forever-watered garden!  No weeds or thorns, only soft, brilliant beauty all around as far as the eye can see. Fruits of God’s labor were growing, ripe to eat for the new man.  God created man’s body to function meticulously and perfectly.  This new body was created with a constant flow of life-giving blood that sustained life with each beat of his created heart.  Imagine it!  God is so amazing with his creation!


“Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden, he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”  Genesis 2:8-9

“The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”  Genesis 2:15-17

God gave Adam purpose—watch over the Garden.  God gave Adam two choices; to live or die.  Then God gave Adam a helper, friend, coworker in the Garden and joined them together as one united with Him as His created.  “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18

Don’t you love the words, “just right for him”?  Adam didn’t get to choose his helper.  But who God created just for him was perfect and right! 

God’s original plan for two becoming one began with Adam and Eve.  He created them for each other.  “It is not good for man to be alone…”  God joined them together spiritually, emotionally, mentally, intelligently, with a free will to choose good or evil.  They chose evil and the rest is history.  Evil entered the Garden of perfection and because Adam and Eve chose the enticement and will of the serpent over the will of God.  Their lives were thrown into turmoil.  God’s created man and woman were thrown out of His perfect Garden and placed in an imperfect world where humans would continue choose good or evil.  Mankind would forever have two choices:  God’s best life on a narrow path but with power to overcome all obstacles and then live with Him forever versus Evil worst life that leads to eventual death.  Many follow evil.

Those who follow the wide, easy road to evil’s temptations will suffer broken relationships with God and with each other.  Those who follow God’s path will have His help in a troubled world to restore relationships, grow in His love, live with an unexplainable joy in the middle of storms in our imperfect world.  Followers of God are given super strength beyond themselves to cope with what makes us weak.  We are told and shown often real love, the ultimate, unconditional love of God for each one who believes, accepts His salvation from His Son, Jesus, with a desire to trust and obey Him.  We learn quickly that what God, our Father, wants is always the BEST for us!

Jesus expresses all of this plainly in the passage below.  I just had to go back to the beginning as He did with the manipulating, trap-setting Pharisees and realize once more the depth of His love for us along with His perfect plan for us who choose to marry. 

I chose to marry, but I chose Jesus first.  I prayed for who God thought was “just right for me.”  This prayer received an answer when I was just 16 years of age.  Randy apparently prayed the same prayer.  We have been “united as one” for over 50 years, now if you include “dating”.  We will celebrate 50 years of marriage at the end of August.  We are often asked, “What’s your secret?”, as most do in this world who think it is unrealistic to be attached to the same person for that long when we could have tasted the fruit of other trees. 

Forever marriages, being united for the “long haul”, begin with major life investments in each other that “pay off” when reserves are low or one of us was weak.  These life investments included:

  1. Time with God alone and together asking what God wants from us as His purpose for us.  Adam and Eve were given purpose from the beginning, “tend and watch over the Garden.”
  2. Knowing and believing each day, through good times and bad, that “what God has joined together, allow no one to separate.”  God gave me to Randy.  God gave Randy to me.  We are one with God.  This bond is spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual as we seek God’s best life.  Randy is “just right” for me and me for him. 
  3. Tenacious trust and obsessive obedience to God in this union keeps us together.  Common trust keeps in common with each other!
  4. We disagree on approach but we agree on the outcome of common goals.  We often disagree as we approach how to accomplish most anything.  We are as different as night and day in thinking processes and strategy!  How God must smile when we come to a task and talk about how we are going to accomplish it!  We discuss loudly at times then calm down after thinking it through. Yes, at first, “my way is the right way” we both think but then we discuss the options, pray over each challenge and then proceed relying on the gifts and talents God has placed in each of us.  We approach everything as a “team” led by our Coach to be and do what is God’s best will and plan. 
  5. We fail but that’s okay.  We fail as a couple and as individuals.  It is then that we have learned to draw closer to each other still as we come to the aid of the other when we fail.  We figure out what went wrong, asking God to recalculate and correct our steps on the journey. 
  6. The word divorce is not an option.  Divorce was never an “out” for us.  It wasn’t at the beginning or over the years in challenging times. We were resolute in keeping this promise to each other before we said, “I do.”
  7. “Love, love will keep us together” is a song of the seventies playing in my mind.  For me love has a different meaning that the superficial love the writer penned in this soft, feel good, song.  Love seriously goes deeper than mankind can imagine or wrap our minds around.  This love of God along with the growing realization of the depth of love God has for us is a well that never runs dry!  The more I realize the depth of love God has for me the more I love my husband, our children, our grandchildren, and everyone else God puts in our lives on this brief journey on earth.  God’s love in us is the ultimate goal.

You can probably add to this quick list that I have made this morning, but you get the picture.  Marriage is hard and must not be taken lightly or irreverently. 

So, why talk about divorce, concessions with a man-made way out, says Jesus.  Let’s talk about God original best plan from the beginning.  It’s about God.  It’s will always be about God and His love for us.    

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 19:1-12, NLT

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.

3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

7 “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.

8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”

10 Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!”

11 “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

CONSIDER…

Ask God what He wants, He never fails to answer this sincere, honest question. 

Abba, Father in Heaven,

You are my Shepherd.  You are all I need.  You let me rest in green meadows.  You lead me beside peaceful streams.  You renew my strength.  You guide me along right paths, bringing honor to your Name.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

FORGIVE

Posted on June 28, 2021 by randscallawayffm

In this world, we have heard it said from psychologists, counselors, media testimonies, and other forms of social awareness agendas that we must forgive so we can be happy.  Forgiving people who deliver blows of pain must be forgiven by us so we will have peace.  The world says we need to release all hurts and offences from our thinking so that we don’t give the other person space in our minds any longer.  The experts of the world say that forgiveness is for self.  As I read our next passage of what Jesus says, forgiveness is not about self.  It is about God who so loved the world!  (John 3:16)

God sent His son as a sacrifice for our sin, all sin, so that the ledger of sin could be stamped “paid in full” forever for each one of us.  Jesus took all sin upon himself so that we could be set free from our debt of sin.  Then in His supreme mercy, mixed with great grace, He forgives all who come to Him and asks for His forgiveness.  Here is something to think about which separates world thinking from God’s thinking.  He didn’t forgive us so He could feel better about Himself!  He forgave us to save us and give us life! 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Jesus forgives us because of His extreme, relentless, unconditional love for us!  He forgives us because we needed it and He was the only one who could give that kind of forgiveness to be totally free to live with Him forever.  His goal of forgiveness is to restore a right, intimate loving relationship that is pure, holy, and full of grace. 

We must not forget what His forgiveness cost Him.  Jesus went to and through hell and back for us.  He suffered rejection from the religious elite who sold him out to the Romans.  The Romans delivered beatings with mocking along with whippings sharp metal spikes on the end of leather straps until his body was unrecognizable. If that was not enough, He willingly laid down His life for ours on rough, wooden logs.  Large nails pierced his hands and feet in precise places so He could hang on this cross until He died.  As He died the mocking continued.  He watched the weeping of his family and friends from the cross.

Jesus’ response?  “Forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus forgives all who come to Him and believe.  “Believe and you will be saved…” (Romans 10:9). He didn’t suffer on the cross for our sin so he would “feel better” about Himself.  He defeated death, rose again, and even appeared to His disciples later so that His forgiveness was declared complete and whole.  All sin, our sin, paid in full.  Peter who denied him—forgiven.  Thomas doubted—forgiven.  All who came to Jesus in faith believing—forgiven.  We who come believing—forgiven.

Friends, why is God leading us to these thoughts this morning?  I’m asking the same question.  We can so easily be confused by what the world says.  We must cling to what Jesus says about forgiveness.  His story of forgiveness goes deeper than we first thought.  His forgiveness is complete when we forgive those who owe us a debt of hurt and pain.  Forgive them because in doing so the full circle of our forgiveness is complete in Jesus, our Savior and Lord, who forgave us.

Forgiveness then, is not to make me happy, it is to make me holy.  Ah, we “get it”!

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 18:21-35, NLT

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Abba, Father in Heaven,

May I never forget the “millions” of sins you forgiven me as I forgive those who hurt me.  Help me to forgive and forget the list of hurts, offenses, mocking and criticisms of others.  There is nothing anyone can do to me that has not already been done to You.  Oh Lord, forgive now for proudly thinking that I am above forgiveness of others who hurt me.  Help us all to love like you love us by forgiving completely with the goal of right and pure relationships with you and others.  THIS is what makes you smile, isn’t it?

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

WHEN WE AGREE…GOD IS THERE!

Posted on June 26, 2021 by randscallawayffm

We humans have a way of bringing down anyone who is not like us or gets in the way of our popularity or position seeking manipulations.  It’s sad really, because this unthinking, shoot from the hip, strong versus weak basic, earthy behavior is found in animals who don’t have what we have—a brain that reasons. 

My grandpa raised chickens on his interesting, unique farm among other many other animals as a way to supplement his living as a carpenter.  I loved being with him, learning from him, as I walked with him.  I asked a million questions as I followed him around to do the chores, feeding his menagerie.  Grandpa loved all kinds of animals.  He even had peacocks, cockateels, parakeets and other exotic birds that he raised and sold to pet stores.  I could see the fascination on his face as he cared for them. 

However, his face would suddenly change to a dark frown when a group of chickens and the bossy rooster would gather to peck on an injured or weak chicken.  He would rush in and pull the beaten down chick aside and put it into a separate pen until the bird was strong again.  If left unattended, the bullies would peck the poor weak chicken to death. 

Sometimes we do that among our families, in our churches, and in our workplaces.  Instead of pecking or being pecked to death with hateful words, escalated accusations, demeaning the character of another, manipulations, fighting back, getting even by being a bully or being bullied, as believers, we have a plan to stop this madness. 

THE JESUS PLAN FOR RESOLUTION AND RECONCILIATION AMONG BELIEVERS

Sounds like an important document, doesn’t it?  It is! Jesus says to try to solve the dispute or misunderstanding among believers first in private.  Don’t take it to the chicken yard to fight it out or be pecked to death!  “This is what hurts who we are in Christ” is said with a spirit of Grace and Truth.  Stick to the facts.  THINK before we speak.  Use this filter of THINK and pause in prayer before the words of reconciliation spill out.  Is what I’m about to say to the offender the Truth, Helpful to the situation, Inspiring to both of us, Necessary to rebuild the relationship and most of all, Kind, said with grace and mercy?   

Offenders will be more likely to listen.  If they still do not, Jesus says to take it to the leaders for wisdom and consideration.  If that doesn’t work and the offender continues to hurt the mission of the church with manipulations and gossip thwarting the ministry of God’s work, then we must leave them to be who they are—offenders who believe only in getting their own way.  Jesus calls them pagans—unbelievers. 

Whoa, this is hard to hear and even harder to achieve in our world that is so easily offended by most everything and also by what Jesus says in His Word to us.  But this is for the Body of Christ infractions.  Keep that in mind.  In the Body of Christ, we will have disagreements, but we must look to the end goal and resolutely invite the mind of Christ to rule our thoughts and actions.  Peace can be had.  Peace, along with restored relationships within the Body, begins with you and I.  The following is the process taught by Jesus.

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 18:15-18, NLT

Correcting Another Believer

15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

THINK ABOUT IT…

Warren Wiersbe, my favorite commentator relates, “Above all else, go to him with the idea of winning your brother, not winning an argument.”

“It is possible to win the argument and lose your brother. We must have a spirit of meekness and gentleness when we seek to restore a brother or sister (Gal. 6:1). We must not go about condemning the offender, or spreading gossip. We must lovingly seek to help him in the same way we would want him to help us if the situation were reversed. The word “restore” in Galatians 6:1 is a Greek medical word that means “to set a broken bone.” Think of the patience and tenderness that requires!”  (Wiersbe)

Wiersbe explains verses 18-20; “There is a desperate need for honesty in the church today. “Speaking the truth in love” is God’s standard (Eph. 4:15). If we practice love without truth, it is hypocrisy. But if we try to have truth without love, it may be brutality. Jesus always taught the truth in love. If the truth hurts, it is because “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6).

“But keep in mind that humility must come before honesty. A proud Christian cannot speak the truth in love. He will use a brother’s faults as a weapon to fight with and not as a tool to build with. The result will be only greater disharmony and disagreement.”

“Not only must there be the authority of the Word, but there must also be prayer (Matt. 18:19).  It is through prayer and the Word that we ascertain the will of the Father in the matter.  “Where two or three agree”…”and believe”, God is there.  We cannot discipline others if we ourselves are not disciplined. Whatever we loose (permit) in the assembly must first have been permitted by God.”  (Wiersbe) 

We conclude that this process is for times when the mission and ministry of the Body of Christ, called “church”, is threatened from within the Body by another believer.  To correct and judge the world is the work of God.  That is another lesson for another time.

As we live and breathe, we will be offended daily by some action, event, or by the words of someone in this world.  That’s life.  Even in these instances, outside the Body of Christ, how we respond can encourage someone seeking–or push them farther away from God.  Ask for God’s wisdom.  We must THINK before we speak or act.  Build relationships, don’t tear them down.  Point them to Jesus by living Jesus out loud to all—in Grace and Truth. Don’t play chicken!

Abba, Father,

Lord, help us in the hard task of building relationships based on your love and forgiveness because of your mercy and grace given freely.  Lord, give us wisdom, extreme wisdom, in all our relationships.  Help us to know Truth and live it.  Help us to live graciously. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

LOST

Posted on June 25, 2021 by randscallawayffm

We’ve all been there.  We’ve all been lost.  Maybe we’re still lost.  Being lost, in the dark, without light to show the way, not knowing which way to go, produces unsettling fear to most human hearts and minds.  If we stay lost, we live with fear as a part of life which causes us to react to others in unholy ways.  We accuse, judge and even blame others for making us who we are.  How can it be our problem?  We do life from this fear that is caused from being, well, lost.  We defend our lostness by covering it up with “I know where I’m going!” but we really don’t.  We think we have it all together but forget where we put it–our mantra for life. 

When we live a lost life, we have no hope.  We trust no one but ourselves.  When we fail, we are brought even lower in our thinking and behaving.  On the outside, we are proud, arrogant, and seek only to please ourselves.  We put on “the greatest show on earth” to show the world we have all things under control–but underneath it all, at the end of the day, fear seeps in to remind us we don’t really know who we are or where we are going.

We’ve heard of Jesus, but He can’t possibly be real.  Bad things still happen in the world with or without Jesus so we are hardened to anything that is Jesus.  It’s hard to be lost and hallow inside while keeping up the charade that we are “just fine”.  Church people don’t help much, for they seem to have the same problems we do in our lostness.  And boy, are they annoying.  Most church people seem to do all the same things we who are lost do.  They gossip about each other, hurt people with words, and fight among themselves.  They say “I’ll pray for you” but walk away without doing it.  They are a friendly bunch, but only with their cliques.  Their actions only make us feel more lost.  Our view is jaded because of our lostness.

FOUND

But then everything changed.  Someone was indeed praying for me.  The Light suddenly burst into my being, dispelling the darkness in my hard heart.  Jesus left the 99 to pull me out.  I was between a rock and hard place in my life.  Jesus spoke to my heart.  “Come, let me help you.”  I gave up all of me for all of Him.  All I knew at the time was I was lost but now I’m found.  Since being found by Jesus, saved by grace because of His mercy saturated with His unending, unchanging love, I don’t ever want to be lost again. 

I was blind but now I see.  God’s Word took on more meaning and began to be used as my lifeline for all of life.  When life stuff problems occurred, the answers were right there—all along.  His Holy Spirit convicted, corrected, comforted, encouraged, strengthened and pointed the way to real Life—not without problems but always with solutions. 

I am not perfect, never will be, but I know that I am perfectly forgiven.  ALL of us are who truly believe.

I was one of the 99 that Jesus relentless sought, to bring out of trouble, and to raise up from sin’s hold on me.  He grabbed me, embraced me, holding me tightly, sometimes kicking and screaming, never letting me go, until I knew He was the One and Only who could save me.  I let down all defenses, all fear and doubt.  Fear is a liar.  I then loved and embraced Him in return.  I have never regretted that decision.

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 17:12-14, NLT

Parable of the Lost Sheep

12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Abba, Father, Lord of my life,

You are my Shepherd.  You are all I need.  You let me rest in green meadows.  You lead me beside peaceful streams.  You renew my strength daily, hourly if needed.  You guide me along right paths, bringing honor to Your Name.  EVEN when I walk through the darkest valley, I will no longer be afraid for You are close beside me.  Your rod and Your staff pull me back to where it is safe, protecting me and comforting me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies who want me to stay lost.  You honor me by anointing my head with Your healing oil that takes away the irritants of the world in my walk with You.  My cup of life overflows with blessings.  Surely, without doubt, Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life.  And I will live in the house of the LORD forever.  Your promise.  My hope.  I will trust in You alone for I am no longer lost–but found.  To you be the glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

THE GREATEST

Posted on June 24, 2021 by randscallawayffm

A little boy gathered up his bat, ball and glove for practice.  He went out to his backyard alone to play the game he adored.  To watch him, you could almost hear the imaginary crowd cheering for his success in connecting with the ball and knocking it out of the park!  He laid down his glove, picked up his bat and ball, struck the bat on the ground a few times like the majors do, then took a few practice swings.  He firmly planted his feet and looked at the imaginary pitcher on the mound about to throw the first pitch to him.  

“I am the greatest batter in the world!”, he screams to the roaring crowd in his head.  He then throws the ball in his hand high into the air with his bat on his shoulder.  He quickly positions himself to swing!  But he misses.  “Strike One!” he yells, for he is also the umpire.

He repositions himself and tries again, “I am the greatest batter in the world!”.  The boy swings at his own thrown pitch.  He misses again. “Strike Two!” he yells.  The crowd in his mind goes wild.  He is now dusting off his feet.

He tries once more, “I am the greatest batter in the world!”.  The ball is thrown.  Another corkscrew swing with all his might sends him to the dirt.  “Strike Three!” he yells while picking himself up.  But the crowd is still cheering him on.  The boy then yells for all to hear, “I am the greatest pitcher in the world!”  He laughs as he does a victory dance around the base.  Undaunted, he begins the process all over again.

“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom?”, the followers ask Jesus one fine day as they traveled by foot over the countryside to seek and to save the lost.  His answer was simple and plain, easy to understand.  “…turn from your sins…”become like children”.  Jesus’ example, “come as a child” meant coming to the Father in Heaven with the faith a child has for a loving father.  A small child depends on their parents for all their needs and wants.  A child will jump into the arms of their father when they are told to jump, trusting they will catch them.  A child adores parents who love them and care for them. When a child feels afraid or threatened, they run to who loves them most.

“Come as a child” to the One and Only who is forever faithful with trust in Him first and always.  People who do come in complete trust with humbled hearts seeking forgiveness from their sins, turning from evil to follow God, the Father are deemed great.  We become great in the Kingdom of God we seek His great love for us.  We become great as we rely fully on God to grow our faith, hope and love with humble hearts.  Greatness is found in God alone.  We receive His Great Love because of His Great Grace and Mighty Mercy.  Who is the greatest?  The one who believes and sings, “Great is the Lord!” with a pure heart.

Matthew—God’s Law Fulfilled

Matthew 18:1-10, NLT

The Greatest in the Kingdom

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. 8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

DANGER AHEAD!  What is NOT great…

Jesus concludes with a warning for those who yield to evil’s schemes to bring a younger believer down, tempt them sin, and turn them away from doing what is right with consistent harassment and criticism in their walk with God.  “Better to be drowned in the sea”…Yikes!

Jesus gets right to the bottom line.  “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin.”  Cast of, get rid of, turn from and lay down all that is offensive to the Father who loves us with great love.  

Who, then, is the greatest?  The one who loves God back.  The humbled one who believes all that God says while believing who God says He is, was and is to come.

 “O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8, NLT  The prophet of God.

Prophesy fulfilled when we walk with God. Don’t look down on anyone.  Look up to God.

Abba, Father,

Seeking greatness in the world’s view of thinking is not what you want.  You have expressed that clearly for us in Your Word more than once and you have reminded us today.  Help us to come to you with childlike faith as we grow out of our childish, selfish behaviors.  Help us realize the depth of your love for us, with power to love each other like you love us.  Help us to run from evil’s schemes, thinking and behaviors that bring all of us down.  Instead help us to focus all our thoughts on You so our subsequent behaviors are right and good, holy and pure.  Thank you for teaching us.  You are life.  We cannot do life without you.  Thank you for consistently growing and transforming me to be and do all you want, not what I want.  Forgive me when I strike out.  Thank you for picking me up and setting my feet firmly on your foundation.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

FROM GRIEF TO AMAZEMENT

Posted on June 23, 2021 by randscallawayffm

When was the last time you were grieving over the loss of a loved one, or loss of job or loss of time and energy to do what you want to do in this life and God surprised you with yet another miracle of his power?  Those are the days that amaze me, how about you?  When we lean into God when we are saddened, He lifts us in ways we never imagined could happen.  God does this over and over again.  Why?  Because He loves us. 

In this passage today we couple the sadness of the disciples upon hearing the ultimate death and resurrection of Jesus–from Jesus.  “The Son of Man” is what Jesus called Himself on earth.  “…will be betrayed in the hands of his enemies” is not hard to believe by His guys because they have heard all the criticisms expressed loudly and disrespectfully from the religious elite.  Those in power have followed Jesus as closely as the disciples have but for opposite reasons and agendas.  They are plotting the death of Jesus with each wonder God-in-Flesh performs.  Jesus’ enemies hate him for they are led by the one who was kicked out of heaven for plotting against God, wanting to be God!

So, here we are, grieving disciples, arriving in the next town of ministry, Capernaum, and they are met by Temple Tax Collectors.  These tax people do not tell the amount they owe, that would be too easy.  No, they try to sarcastically criticize one of Jesus followers, impetuous Peter, with “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”  Do you hear the taunting criticism dripping from each word of this question? 

I can also hear Peter’s response from the faith he has grown in Jesus being said like a boy caught with his hands in the cookie jar, “Yes, He does!”  But then goes directly to Jesus wondering how the payment will be made.  Jesus responds with a teachable moment lesson with a task before Peter even asks for the “how”. 

Why didn’t Jesus just produce what was needed by pulling it out of the money bag?  Why didn’t he just wave a hand over Peter’s hand or pull the coin from His ear like a magician?  Jesus instead told Peter to go fishing.  Peter was a fisherman.  Peter knew how to fish from previous experience.  Jesus used what Peter knew and had to fulfill what was needed for the moment.  Wow.  Pause here to think about it.

Jesus still does this in us.  With our little faith in knowing He will do what is needed, we go to Him for the “how”.  Jesus readily responds to our faith, trust, previous experience that He created us to have along with talents and God-given gifts to accomplish what is needed.  To those who “lean not to our own understanding’ but rely on God’s wisdom he shows us the “how” with clarity, great things happen!  God invites us to HIS work and guides us in His ways to accomplish each ministry task with Him.  Don’t you love that?

The judgmental critics were appeased.  “We don’t want to offend them.”  The tax was paid.  Peace was made.  Ministry progressed.  Relationships intact.  The greater purpose is always to “seek and to save the lost”.  Do you get the lesson here?  I am.  I needed this lesson to learn that we will always be criticized in ministry but we are in good company.  Jesus will guide us to do His work in His way in His time with His methods.  Yes, and amen!  Trust Him.

Matthew—God Law Fulfilled

Matthew 17:22-27, NLT

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

Payment of the Temple Tax

24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”

26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Abba, Father,

Thank you for the many lessons that pop up from Your Word today that restores the joy of your salvation in me, renews my spirit and brings hope, joy and peace to my heart, mind and soul.  You are my Shepherd.  You are all I want and need.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment