TRUTH CONQUERS ALL

Posted on November 15, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

In the midst of life struggles, where lies and gossip run rampant, we long for the truth to rise to the surface. What is real? Who is authentic? No one wants to be fooled. The One who loves us most is Truth in the Person of Jesus Christ.

The Pharisees are more blind than the now sighted man Jesus healed. They keep repeating the same questions over and over to Jesus. If He said simply, I am the Messiah, then they probably would have sent him to be killed instantly. But it wasn’t time, yet. Jesus explains truth to all of them. He explains the sheep analogy once more but they do not hear. They seem to only have one agenda…to get rid of Truth so they can continue to control the people with pretense and lies, power and pride.

John 10, The Message
22-24 They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter. Jesus was strolling in the Temple across Solomon’s Porch. The Jews, circling him, said, “How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you’re the Messiah, tell us straight out.”

John 10 follow

25-30 Jesus answered, “I told you, but you don’t believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”

31-32 Again the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him. Jesus said, “I have made a present to you from the Father of a great many good actions. For which of these acts do you stone me?”

33 The Jews said, “We’re not stoning you for anything good you did, but for what you said—this blasphemy of calling yourself God.”

34-38 Jesus said, “I’m only quoting your inspired Scriptures, where God said, ‘I tell you—you are gods.’ If God called your ancestors ‘gods’—and Scripture doesn’t lie—why do you yell, ‘Blasphemer! Blasphemer!’ at the unique One the Father consecrated and sent into the world, just because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I don’t do the things my Father does, well and good; don’t believe me. But if I am doing them, put aside for a moment what you hear me say about myself and just take the evidence of the actions that are right before your eyes. Then perhaps things will come together for you, and you’ll see that not only are we doing the same thing, we are the same—Father and Son. He is in me; I am in him.”

39-42 They tried yet again to arrest him, but he slipped through their fingers. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and stayed there. A lot of people followed him over. They were saying, “John did no miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true.” Many believed in him then and there.

What do we learn?
–Jesus is Truth. Whether we choose to believe or not, Truth is. Truth paid for all sin for everyone in the world who believes and accepts, follow and obeys.
–Those who believe Truth hear know and hear His Voice.
–Truth lives in us.
–Our actions should reflect Truth who lives in us.
–“Father and Son. He is in me; I am in him.”
–Many DID believe and follow Truth as the Person of Jesus Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father,
When we seek Truth, we are seeking You. You promised that when we seek, we find You. We are seeking Truth in a world full of lies. Lead and guide us to Truth today and always. We don’t want to miss Truth in the fog of lies. Forgive us. Transform us.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE SHEEP RELATIONSHIP

Posted on November 14, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

Sheep, to me, are hilarious fluffy balls of awkwardness. As Ken Davis quips, “They don’t even run right!” Why do I say this? I used to watch sheep on my grandpa’s farm. I would stand at the fence and try to call for them like Grandpa, but it didn’t work. My kid voice only scared them. The sheep would scatter and huddle together in another part of the pasture. So, not to give up, I would move around and get close to where they settled. I would call to them. They scattered again…away from the sound of my voice. Then I watched Grandpa come from the barn. The sheep picked up their heads. ALL of them ran to him at the mere sight, smell and sound of HIS voice. They knew who their real care giver was and were not going to follow a mere visiting grandkid who had nothing for them.

John 10 happy sheep

Sheep are mentioned many times throughout the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament perfect lambs were used as sacrifices for the sins of the people. “Lambs without blemish” were the only acceptable offerings by the priests. If you didn’t raise sheep then you had to buy one, a perfect one, to present for sacrifice.

The New Testament opens with sheep and their shepherds being among the first to hear the glorious news that the long awaited Messiah came to earth in the form of a baby. Yes, the Perfect Lamb of God has come as the One without blemish or sin, willing and powerful, to lay down his own life as our final sacrifice, to take away our sins in this one act of pure, perfect Love.

Jesus is not only the Lamb of God who took our place and bore the punishment for our sin. Jesus is also The Shepherd. We are His sheep. He knows our name. Those who know Him hear His voice and follow. Other voices fade into the background. We follow because we know He cares for us and will take us to where we need to go. “He makes me lie down in green pastures”, David writes. “He restores my soul”.

Jesus is also the Gate for the sheep. Sheep go through Him to get to the free open spaces of the pasture, to feed on the good grass, to drink from refreshing waters in the quiet streams. They know The Gate will not let in those who would harm them. “I put the sheep before myself.” “I have other sheep (the rest of the world) who also recognize my voice.” One flock, one Shepherd. Yes!

John 10, The Message

He Calls His Sheep by Name
1-5 “Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”

6-10 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

11-13 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him.

14-18 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father.”

19-21 This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks. A lot of them were saying, “He’s crazy, a maniac—out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?” But others weren’t so sure: “These aren’t the words of a crazy man. Can a ‘maniac’ open blind eyes?”

John 10 sheep me

What do we learn? Going deeper still…
–Watch out for those who try to get to the Sheep without going through The Gate. Jesus is the ONLY WAY.
–Jesus knows His Sheep individually, not as a herd. He knows your name. He knows my name. He calls us by name. He knows our hearts. He knew us before we were a twinkle in the eyes of our parents!
–Jesus has the power to lay down is life and raise it up. And He did. For us. How does that make us feel?
–The Shepherd cares for His Sheep. He leads us out of harm’s way. He protects us from evil as He leads us through the dark places.
–The Good Shepherd’s authority comes for our Heavenly Father.
–The Good Shepherd is calling us…are we listening?
–The Jewish leaders were split. Jesus is a maniac or Messiah.
Who do you choose? Our lives will reflect what we believe in our hearts.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
We have so many thoughts about Your Word to us this morning! You are great and greatly to be praised! You sent Your Son to save us! You gave us Your Holy Spirit to guide and direct us away from and around the obstacles of this life. Jesus, thank you. You are indeed our daily manna, Bread of life. You are the Living Water that quenches all our thirst. You are THE Light. You are our Shepherd. We are Your sheep. Thank you for laying down your life for us. Thank you for taking us to the wide open spaces of your love, mercy and grace. You defeated death. You have overcome evil. Why would I not listen to Your Voice?!
In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE BLAME GAME AND WRONG QUESTIONS

Posted on November 13, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

BLAME GAME
Our human first response is to blame something or someone when things go wrong. Admit it. In small irritations or big mistakes, we first blame others as reasons for why something is the way that it is or why it went wrong until we admit that life isn’t always fair and stuff happens. Sometimes we contribute to the cause and sometimes there is no reason.

When kids are caught doing something wrong on the playground by the teacher, they generally respond, in this order, with three adamant statements:
“I didn’t do it!”
“I wasn’t the only one!”
“I’m sorry.”
I’ve learned that you don’t have to say anything you just have to look them in the eyes and want for the truth. Generally the right answer comes quickly. Do we as adults still go through this process? Maybe.

WRONG QUESTIONS
Why do we always have a need to explain life? Is it a way of gaining control if we can explain why or how things happen? Is it our desire to make life nice, neat and tidy? It’s part of our nature to be curious and that is not bad if curiosity questions lead to learning. But, do we sometimes ask the wrong questions, missing the point completely?

John 9 sheep try to explan

As we read our next passage in John, Jesus and his disciples are walking along the streets and see a man blind from birth. A discussion ensues and a theological question is asked of the Master Teacher. “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Here we go, humans trying to explain the plight of a person without knowing the “story”. There must have been sin or wrong things would not have happened is their immediate thinking. Jesus sets things right (His purpose) in the discussion, opening the eyes of this disciples first. “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.”

Look instead for what God can do. This could be the key!

Jesus heals, but not instantly. He takes the dust of the earth that humans were created from, forms a clay paste from His own Holy saliva and puts it over the eyes of the man. Now, He gives the blind, but soon to be sighted, man a task. Go wash. Who helped the man get to the pool? Just thought I would throw that question in for consideration. Someone had to help him. Was it a friend? Was it one of the disciples who led him there? It doesn’t matter. The man sent…went, washed and SAW!

Everyone in town soon began to talk about the man. They had watched him beg for years as his only means of support. What happened? Maybe it isn’t him at all. But the man declared, “It’s me!” And the questions fly at him. The touch of Jesus changed him, but they are not satisfied with that mere explanation. They haul him off to the Pharisees who grill him like a criminal caught in a crime. His parents are brought in for questioning. Sounds like NCIS, doesn’t it?

The marvelous touch of Jesus is not seen as a miracle but a crime performed on the Sabbath. A rule broken according to The Law. Blame Game played well with Wrong Questions asked once again.

I love the “final answer” of the sighted man, “All I know is I was blind but now I see.” Many times that’s all I can say when God’s Holy Spirit intervenes in my own life in unexplained ways, at least to humans who don’t know Him.

John 9 Jesus heals

Jesus comes back to the man. Don’t you love that? When beaten on by evil when a glorious thing happens to rob you of the joy of the touch of the Master, Jesus shows up again to clarify Who is in control. He is the ONLY reason we need to explain anything. He is the answer to all questions. “Master, I believe.”

Read the whole story in John 9 and see what God teaches You about Him. It’s all about God, you know. Always.

John 9, The Message

“He replied, “I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see.”

Dear Heavenly Father,
In this world You are the Light that leads us to the right answers to right questions. You open our eyes to Truth. Thank you for healing our own blindness. Master, I believe.
In Jesus Name, Amen

And is THAT why our moms spit into a tissue to wipe the dirt off our faces? Was that considered holy in their eyes? (Smiling.)

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WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Posted on November 11, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

“Who do you think you are?” shouts those who are proud of their standing in the community and do not like the interference of an “outsider” who thinks and behaves in ways that are opposite and different than their routines and rituals. When our ethics and morals are attacked, we automatically respond with “Who put you in charge?” or “Who are you to tell me what to do?”. When our minds are made up, confess, we do not like to be challenged. Everything we don’t agree with, we call “stupid, crazy and of the devil” as our first line of defense. These are the attitudes Jesus faces in today’s passage.

John 8, The Message
I Am Who I Am

48 The Jews then said, “That clinches it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy—demon-possessed!”

49-51 Jesus said, “I’m not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about. I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I’m telling you, you’ll never have to look death in the face.”

52-53 At this point the Jews said, “Now we know you’re crazy. Abraham died. The prophets died. And you show up saying, ‘If you practice what I’m telling you, you’ll never have to face death, not even a taste.’ Are you greater than Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you think you are!”

54-56 Jesus said, “If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn’t amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven’t recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn’t know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. Abraham—your ‘father’—with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered.”

57 The Jews said, “You’re not even fifty years old—and Abraham saw you?”

58 “Believe me,” said Jesus, “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.”

59 That did it—pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.

John 8 I AM

Another perspective look…

I have faced these attitudes in teaching little ones. Some kids raise themselves because of neglect or because their parents are still kids themselves. Because there is no one to get them up, feed them breakfast or dress them, they do it all on their own. When they get to school, they are tired, hungry and under-dressed for the weather most days. When you tell them to do something for the good of their growing and learning, they are often rebellious. They fight back with “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

As a teacher, you want the best for them. So you have to approach these attitudes in a different way. We work first on trust, letting them in on a secret that they have yet to discover…that we love, accept and care for them as a person. We help other students in the class accept and help them, too. I overheard a first grader tell an unhappy peer, “Teacher loves us, you’ll be okay.” Wow. Eventually the walls of pride and the “me against the world” attitudes fall and then learning can begin to take root.

Why do my thoughts go back to teaching? The Pharisees and many other leaders have spent generations moving farther and farther away from what God intended for them. They have been “raising themselves” on their own rules. Being oppressed by Roman rule they have developed a survivalist mentally. They trust no one (not even God) except themselves. I see Jesus not giving up on the Jewish leaders.

Why consistently debate them and their “who do you think you are attitudes?” Because He came to set things right between ALL of God’s creation with God. Jesus does not give up on Pharisees or anyone else because of the rich love He has for all the women and men God created. We see these debates and we first think, Jesus, why mess with them? Like the prophets and even the disciples, we first think, Jesus, why not just destroy them by fire? But then we think of Jesus pleading words, “I’m not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about.”

BEFORE creation there was God. BEFORE creation God knew we would need to be saved from our own pride and self propelled behavior that only leads to death.

Jesus died for you and me. Jesus died for the Pharisees, too. Jesus died so that we might live forever with him…IF we believe in the great I AM…who was with God at the Beginning.

As teachers work with rebellious children because of their love for them, wanting the best for them so they will learn and be productive in life, Jesus relentlessly works in us, His rebellious children at times, so that we will live in His love forever.

Dear Heavenly Father,
We repent of our rebellion in and out of Your church. YOU are God and we are not. We repent of going our own way which leads to mistakes and missteps. Free us, teach us, shape and mold us to be and then do all You intended for us to be and do. Thank you for not giving up on us. Thank you for The Plan. Continue your transformational work in us. We are listening. Speak to our hearts all day long.
In Jesus Name, Amen

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

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WHAT’S MISSING?

Posted on November 10, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

We choose up sides on the playground to play a game. One team against the other, they battle to win. In life, there are two sides and only two sides. We get to choose the side we’re on! We can choose the side who offers us the material world to get us to come over to his side, then works to destroy us bit by bit, devaluing who we are, destroying our families, throwing barriers down to block us from our Creator. He uses what little power in life we think we have and suggests that we must and can rule the world. Everything is done in the dark behind closed doors. “I’ll do it my way” is the mantra of life. Then the hammer falls, we lose it all and die wondering why? There is no future. There is no hope. Satan is the father of lies.

OR we can choose the side who offers Truth, where everything is exposed to Light. The great I AM, God, the Father, is honest about our worth and values us as His child. He created us for purpose and loves us. He wants the best for us and knows exactly what that is. His love is unconditional and unchanging. He gives us freedom like no one else can. He breaks all chains of bondage to sin and the addictions to sin. We are set free to love like He loves, be in His Presence, call on Him day or night and be loved forever. We have hope, freedom, acceptance, belonging and worth as His child. Jesus, Son of God, explains this freedom to the religious leaders who knew The Law but missed God in all this.

John 8 set free

John 8, The Message (Read it all for I can only quote a portion)
27-29 They still didn’t get it, didn’t realize that he was referring to the Father. So Jesus tried again. “When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am—that I’m not making this up, but speaking only what the Father taught me. The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn’t abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him.”

30 When he put it in these terms, many people decided to believe.

If the Son Sets You Free
31-32 Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”

33 Surprised, they said, “But we’re descendants of Abraham. We’ve never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘The truth will free you’?”

34-38 Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. But I also know that you are trying to kill me because my message hasn’t yet penetrated your thick skulls. I’m talking about things I have seen while keeping company with the Father, and you just go on doing what you have heard from your father.”

39-41 They were indignant. “Our father is Abraham!”

Jesus said, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would have been doing the things Abraham did. And yet here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth he got straight from God! Abraham never did that sort of thing. You persist in repeating the works of your father.”

They said, “We’re not bastards. We have a legitimate father: the one and only God.”

42-47 “If God were your father,” said Jesus, “you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn’t come on my own. He sent me. Why can’t you understand one word I say? Here’s why: You can’t handle it. You’re from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me. Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone on God’s side listens to God’s words. This is why you’re not listening—because you’re not on God’s side.”

Reflect…

Whose side do you choose? It’s a matter of life or death.

Dear Heavenly Father,
You sent a part of You to show us Your Light in the darkness. Thank you, dear Jesus! Thank you for explaining freedom. Thank you for redeeming us. Now help us to live as redeemed people with joy in our hearts and smiles on our faces! I choose You because You first loved me. I love you with all my heart, mind and soul. I choose to be on Your side of Truth and eternal life with You. My hope is in You!
In Jesus Name, Amen

And I’m singing…

My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You

My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You

I will praise You with all of my life
I will praise You with all of my strength
With all of my life
With all of my strength
All of my hope is in You

My life is in You, Lord

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AND THE STONES DROPPED

Posted on November 9, 2017 by randscallawayffm
John, The Love of God
 
The gospel of John is often recommended to new believers as the book of the Bible to read first. His gospel is a primer to learn about the unconditional love of God. John not only writes of the love of God, he teaches us, through Jesus, how God thinks and from what vantage point He works. God is merciful and kind. God is love. God extends grace when human minds least expect it and don’t deserve it. All these attributes are shown clearly and perfectly by Jesus, His One and Only Son.
 
This familiar story of the woman drug through courtyard and thrown at Jesus’ feet for judgement is one of those times when the attributes of God are displayed. This woman is accused and convicted of adultery. As women, we are prone to ask, where was the man? Could He have been one of the group who used her to trap Jesus? Mm.
 
So, what do YOU say, Jesus? Here are the facts: Jesus knows The Law. Jesus knows the hearts of the accusers. Jesus knows the woman’s heart. Jesus knows this is a trap. He does something that takes the attention off the woman who is trembling by now and He simply begins to write something in the dirt. We ALL would love to know what He is writing in the dirt. Our humanness and knee-jerk reaction would like to think He was listing all the sins of the “rock stars” holding stones ready to throw. But we really don’t know. John doesn’t tell us.
 
There are many ways this could have gone down, but Jesus displays the wisdom, love, mercy and grace of God. He gets up from the dirt and says, “the sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Then he bends down, where the woman is, and writes more in the dirt. The finger of God is writing in the dirt. He is now eye level with the woman. Could we just camp on that thought? He bent down to where the woman was thrown as garbage and lifts her gaze from the dirt to Him.
 
Back to the rock stars…they are now the ones trapped in their own sins. Can you hear the thud of each stone being dropped. Can you hear the rustle of feet and the swish of robes as they steal away humbled by God’s wisdom?
 
The woman is now alone with Jesus, Son of God. He knows her sin. She knows her sin. But the focused issue is now love, mercy and grace. The result is restoration. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?” The woman looks up from the dirt and the writings of Jesus into the eyes of a Savior. “No one, Master”.
 
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”
 
Condemnation was not why He came. He came to seek and to save the lost, broken and confused. How he did it shows us a glimpse of Who God really is….Love, mercy and grace.
 
How do we respond? Sometimes we self condemn and think we will never be what God wants us to be. Repent…and sin no more. Jesus loves us too much for us to go back to the life we once lived. We are redeemed! We must live this new life celebrating our redemption and allow His Holy Spirit to restore us to health. Get up from the dirt. Drop the stones of judgement toward others. Let us help each other live the abundant life fueled by the love of God.
 
Maybe what was written in the dirt was, “Love God, Love Others”, the two commandments that all the others are hinged upon.
 
John 8 Jesus
John 8, The Message
To Throw the Stone
 
1-2 Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
 
3-6 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
 
6-8 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
 
9-10 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”
 
11 “No one, Master.”
 
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
It is enough to repent of our own sins to You and grow in Your love so that we might bear Your fruits of Your Holy Spirit. It is not our work to dwell on the sins of others or throw stones of gossip and judgement. May all our focus be on You, waiting for Your nod to serve others. May we do no harm, but only encourage others to find and follow You, too and experience your unconditional love. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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EXPOSE!

Posted on November 8, 2017 by randscallawayffm
John, The Love of God
 
There are many stories in history of those who “blew the whistle” or sounded an alarm to wrong doings and unethical practices in a company or corporation. Whistle blowers are not popular people. Leaders do wrong things for self edification, power, and riches. It might begin small with a few misdeeds gone unnoticed with words, “it was the best means to an end”. Because it goes unnoticed, it soon escalates out of control. Leaders become actors who lie so well even they believe their own lies!
 
Leaders, lawyers, and company heads involved in ponzi schemes can not hide the truth forever. A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator generates returns for older investors through revenue paid by new investors, rather than from legitimate business activities or profit of financial trading. Eventually they are found out. Investors with names and families lose all they financially have by trusting what was a lie.
 
The Jewish leadership have been playing games with God for quite a while. The Jewish scholars knew the Law but used it to make man-made addendums to the law to control and oppress the people they placed “under” them instead of helping them know God. The Romans oppressed the Jews so the Jewish leaders, it seemed had a need to oppress their own. Weird, I know. Unethical practices, misguided motivation, loss of integrity, lack of love replaced the full intention of God’s Law. Jesus is sent from heaven to fulfill the Law, explain the intent and practice of the Law and essentially “blow the whistle” on those, preceded by generations before them with Truth. Love God. Love Others like He loves us.
 
Even His own brothers who lived with Jesus growing up did not believe in him. They pushed Jesus to “perform”, “show them what you can do” and “show your stuff”. Jesus was not a hypocrite like other leaders who “played” a part. Jesus was Truth. He was sent to seek and to save the lost AND at the same time expose Truth about God, salvation, restoration and relationship with God. Sent from God, the Father, He remains in the background until it is God’s time for Him to lay down His life for ALL of us. However, He cannot and does not stop teaching Truth. The crowd was divided. He taught “like no other”. Who do we believe?, is the mantra at this point in Jesus’ life.
 
John 7 truth
John 7, The Message
 
1-2 Later Jesus was going about his business in Galilee. He didn’t want to travel in Judea because the Jews there were looking for a chance to kill him. It was near the time of Tabernacles, a feast observed annually by the Jews.
 
3-5 His brothers said, “Why don’t you leave here and go up to the Feast so your disciples can get a good look at the works you do? No one who intends to be publicly known does everything behind the scenes. If you’re serious about what you are doing, come out in the open and show the world.” His brothers were pushing him like this because they didn’t believe in him either.
 
6-8 Jesus came back at them, “Don’t crowd me. This isn’t my time. It’s your time—it’s always your time; you have nothing to lose. The world has nothing against you, but it’s up in arms against me. It’s against me because I expose the evil behind its pretensions. You go ahead, go up to the Feast. Don’t wait for me. I’m not ready. It’s not the right time for me.”
 
9-11 He said this and stayed on in Galilee. But later, after his family had gone up to the Feast, he also went. But he kept out of the way, careful not to draw attention to himself. The Jews were already out looking for him, asking around, “Where is that man?”
 
12-13 There was a lot of contentious talk about him circulating through the crowds. Some were saying, “He’s a good man.” But others said, “Not so. He’s selling snake oil.” This kind of talk went on in guarded whispers because of the intimidating Jewish leaders.
 
Could It Be the Messiah?
14-15 With the Feast already half over, Jesus showed up in the Temple, teaching. The Jews were impressed, but puzzled: “How does he know so much without being schooled?”
 
16-19 Jesus said, “I didn’t make this up. What I teach comes from the One who sent me. Anyone who wants to do his will can test this teaching and know whether it’s from God or whether I’m making it up. A person making things up tries to make himself look good. But someone trying to honor the one who sent him sticks to the facts and doesn’t tamper with reality. It was Moses, wasn’t it, who gave you God’s Law? But none of you are living it. So why are you trying to kill me?”
 
Please read the rest of this chapter for full understanding…
 
Think about it…
–Do you see why there are so many warnings throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, to WATCH OUT in this life?
–We must pray for discernment and then courage to flee all that is not of God.
–When in doubt if something is right or wrong, then it probably isn’t right. When in doubt, don’t.
–When something doesn’t match what God’s Word says, then don’t participate.
–When someone says, “keep this under your hat” or “no one needs to know the details”, RUN from involvement.
–When a leader’s motivation begins to turn from helping others to helping themselves, speak up in a Spirit of love.
–When speaking, telling or preaching…Stick to God’s Word. Always.
–Jesus is Truth. Preach Jesus.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
You came from heaven to earth to save us, to set us free from evil’s hold on us and to blow the whistle on those playing the game without knowing God. You set things right. Keep us focused and alert. Our enemy is still trying to turn heads, including our own. Give us courage to speak Truth and stand for Your Truth with love in hearts for You and others.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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WHERE ELSE?

Posted on November 7, 2017 by randscallawayffm
John, The Love of God
 
There is a very old gospel hymn we used to sing when I was a child. Some of you might remember it, “Where Could I Go But to the Lord”. It is more a statement of faith than a question asked. The chorus still rings in my head…
 
Where could I go oh where could I go
Seeking the refuge for my soul
Needing a friend to save me in the end
Won’t you tell me
Where could I go but to the Lord
 
As I read our next passage in the gospel of John, Jesus is confronted by arguing Jews over His statement, “I Am the Bread of Life”. Jesus is talking about believing and trusting. But like first graders who take what you say very literally, the Jews spout, “How can this man serve up his flesh for a meal?” They don’t get it. Jesus is teaching everyone a new language…Spirit language. Some are beginning to understand and some don’t even want to try, much less follow him.
 
I remember a dear friend whose husband was not a believer. She and her son prayed for him for many years with patience, never giving up on him. Finally, he came to an altar of prayer after a program his son was in at church and repented. “I give up, I’m coming to Christ!” After a few months, my friend called me and said, “Susan, it is wonderful. We now speak the same language!”
 
You see, believers learn to speak a Spirit language as shown to us by Jesus. I’m not talking about speaking in tongues, but a language prompted by a relentless knowing that Jesus IS who He says He is, fully accepting his gift of complete forgiveness for our sin, and tenaciously believing in God the Father as The One and Only God Who sent His Son to die for our sin. His Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts in ways that comfort, encourage, convict, direct and guide and keep us focused on Him. As we read His Word and grow in His love, grace and mercy, we think and talk less like the world and more like Him.
 
John 6, The Message
47-51 “I’m telling you the most solemn and sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate the manna bread in the desert and died. But now here is Bread that truly comes down out of heaven. Anyone eating this Bread will not die, ever. I am the Bread—living Bread!—who came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this Bread will live—and forever! The Bread that I present to the world so that it can eat and live is myself, this flesh-and-blood self.”
 
52 At this, the Jews started fighting among themselves: “How can this man serve up his flesh for a meal?”
 
53-58 But Jesus didn’t give an inch. “Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you. The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and will be fit and ready for the Final Day. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you. In the same way that the fully alive Father sent me here and I live because of him, so the one who makes a meal of me lives because of me. This is the Bread from heaven. Your ancestors ate bread and later died. Whoever eats this Bread will live always.”
 
59 He said these things while teaching in the meeting place in Capernaum.
 
Too Tough to Swallow
60 Many among his disciples heard this and said, “This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.”
 
61-65 Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, “Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this.” (Jesus knew from the start that some weren’t going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, “This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father.”
 
66-67 After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: “Do you also want to leave?”
 
68-69 Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”
 
70-71 Jesus responded, “Haven’t I handpicked you, the Twelve? Still, one of you is a devil!” He was referring to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. This man—one from the Twelve!—was even then getting ready to betray him.
John 6 word of life
What do we learn and need to “chew on”?
 
–Jesus gives the followers an out…”Do you also want to leave?”
 
–Peter, in his normal fashion spoke up for The Twelve, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life.” Peter speaks the Spirit language when he says, “We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”
 
–Even though this new language (teaching) was tough to swallow for the disciples, The Twelve tried to understand. Jesus knew that when His real flesh would be torn and His blood would flow to pay for our sins forever some would flee the scene. He also knew which one would betray Him. But He kept teaching ALL of them.
 
–“Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making.” –Jesus
 
Reflect….
*Do you want to leave Jesus? He does not force us to stay with Him.
 
*If we stay, are we committed and confident, like Peter?
 
*Where would we go but to the Lord? For Life.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are God and we are not. Where would I go but to You? There is no one like You. Blessed be Your Name! Thank you for being patient with us as you continually work in us and through us to be and to do all you intended for us.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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LOOK FOR JESUS–SEE THE SON!

Posted on November 6, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

Jesus. The Miracle Maker, Healer, Encourager, Storyteller. He is Truth expressed with unconditional Love. He came not to judge but to seek and to save the lost. Jesus. He is like no other “religious person” to the people who listened to Him and watched Him teach while He walked the earth.

In our next passage the party of five thousand, full from yesterday’s lunch and want more, pile into boats and go looking for Jesus. Jesus knows their hearts, minds and what is hidden in their souls. Because He is Truth, He speaks Truth to those looking for Him. “You came looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I fed you.”

Why do we look for Jesus today? Are we hoping to resolve a crisis, avoid one, or just be fed for a day? Again, Jesus is making sure his seekers are not just impressed by Him but truly believe in Him. Jesus is not “Santa” for a season, He is Savior and LORD to those who believe, love Him back and follow Him daily because of His love in us.

John 6, The Message
22-24 The next day the crowd that was left behind realized that there had been only one boat, and that Jesus had not gotten into it with his disciples. They had seen them go off without him. By now boats from Tiberias had pulled up near where they had eaten the bread blessed by the Master. So when the crowd realized he was gone and wasn’t coming back, they piled into the Tiberias boats and headed for Capernaum, looking for Jesus.

25 When they found him back across the sea, they said, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “You’ve come looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I fed you, filled your stomachs—and for free.

John 6 Jesus Bread of Life

The Bread of Life
27 “Don’t waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last.”

28 To that they said, “Well, what do we do then to get in on God’s works?”

29 Jesus said, “Throw your lot in with the One that God has sent. That kind of a commitment gets you in on God’s works.”

30-31 They waffled: “Why don’t you give us a clue about who you are, just a hint of what’s going on? When we see what’s up, we’ll commit ourselves. Show us what you can do. Moses fed our ancestors with bread in the desert. It says so in the Scriptures: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32-33 Jesus responded, “The real significance of that Scripture is not that Moses gave you bread from heaven but that my Father is right now offering you bread from heaven, the real bread. The Bread of God came down out of heaven and is giving life to the world.”

34 They jumped at that: “Master, give us this bread, now and forever!”

35-38 Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.

39-40 “This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.”

What do we learn?
–Jesus sees their motivations. When Truth was spoken, they waffled, “When we see what’s up, we’ll commit ourselves. Show us what you can do.” They not only “waffled”, they just wanted more waffles to dine on! (Sorry, had to be said.)
–When Jesus offered Himself as the Bread of Life, they still missed it. So, where are the waffles? Seems silly but many are still missing the point today.
–In a nutshell, says Jesus, “This is what my Father wants: than anyone who sees the Son and trusts who h is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter REAL life, ETERNAL life.”

Look for Jesus as you rise up this morning. See the Son!

Dear Heavenly Father, 
You have us and you promised to never let us go. Thank you! Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who teaches us, convicts us, and causes us to think and evaluate our belief, faith, trust and behaviors. Continue to transform us to be and to do all that gives You glory, honor and praise. 
In Jesus Name, Amen

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IT’S ME. IT’S ALL RIGHT.

Posted on November 5, 2017 by randscallawayffm

John, The Love of God

How much does God love us? There are many great examples of how God proves His love for us. He shows Himself to us daily if we stop and realize and embrace Him, leaving all fear behind.

I was driving home from doing a teacher training at a church in Pennsylvania. It was evening. It was early spring. I tried to plan those events when the weather was more calm, after the snow, so the driving would be less dangerous. But, as I was driving through the mountains I approached a blowing spring snow storm. It was not getting better. Traveling that road many times, I knew that there was sheer drop on my right that could be the end if I slid off.

The storm was so bad that the road was covered quickly. In minutes I couldn’t tell where the lanes were. I had the wipers turned to the max but still had trouble seeing what was ahead. There was nothing but darkness behind me. I seemed to be the only one on the road. I couldn’t stop because I was afraid of being hit from behind or getting stuck. I just prayed and kept cautiously driving through the storm.

Through the blinding snow, I suddenly saw the red lights of the back of a semi. He wasn’t slowing down. He seemed to know where the road was. So, I said out loud, “Lord, do I follow him?” We both agreed, it seemed. So I kept driving, stayed a safe distance, but followed the lights ahead of me. After what seemed like hours, but probably was only about 40 minutes, I saw the exit for my hotel for the night. I didn’t usually book a hotel so I could get back to my Indiana home in one evening, but something prompted me to do so earlier that week. Mm. God knew the storm would come. God guided me through it. My hope was God. God was my rescue.

All through life, this was not my only episode where God provided for me and my family through the storms of life. I love what Jesus says to frightened followers as He walks on the churning waters, “It’s Me. It’s all right. Don’t be afraid.” I thought of those words as I drove through my own storm that night. Jesus knows. God knows. His Holy Spirit guides us safely through the storms.

John 6, The Message
16-21 In the evening his disciples went down to the sea, got in the boat, and headed back across the water to Capernaum. It had grown quite dark and Jesus had not yet returned. A huge wind blew up, churning the sea. They were maybe three or four miles out when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, quite near the boat. They were scared senseless, but he reassured them, “It’s me. It’s all right. Don’t be afraid.” So they took him on board. In no time they reached land—the exact spot they were headed to.

John 6 Jesus storm

More thoughts…
–The disciples left, leaving Jesus behind. Why? Why didn’t they wait on Him?
–When they saw Him, fear was the first response. Why? Because they hadn’t seen anyone walk on water? Because they had gone on ahead of Him and didn’t wait for Him to come down from the mountain? They focused on the storm instead of the Rescue?
–Why did they not recognize Jesus? Mm, they were not looking for Him. All their attention focused on the storm.
–Jesus always comes to us in the storms of life. This is reminiscent of the words of God to Isaiah: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (Isaiah 43:2).
–The Lord may not come at the time we think He should come, because He knows when we need Him the most. Jesus had waited until the boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone. In essence, Jesus was testing the disciples’ faith, and this meant removing every human prop.
–Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea, was merely a set of steps for Him to come to them.
–Often we fear the difficult experiences of life such as illness, loss of loved ones, and financial hardships only to discover that these experiences can bring Jesus closer to us.  When the disciples’ focus shifted from the storm to Jesus, they worshiped Him.
–“In no time they reached land–the EXACT spot they were headed to.” Mm. We will get where God wants to go every time when we trust and obey.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
You are Creator of all. You are in all. You know all. Our trust is in You. We have You and it’s all right. You replace our fear in the storm to deeper faith because of the storm. Thank you for continually transforming our thinking and behaving.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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