JESUS…MORE THAN AN APPETIZER!

Posted on September 5, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

There are two kinds of people in the world it seems. Those who love to eat and those who eat to live. Those who love to eat are great cooks, wonderful hosts, serve way more than is needed and busy themselves with all the details from the appetizers to the main course. These hosts finish it all with a beautiful dessert even though you feel you cannot eat another bite! They want everyone to get their fill and be happy while eating.

Then there are those who simply eat to live. We can learn a lot from those who just want to relate to others. They feel it is okay to skip all the flourish and just share a coffee or tea with a friend who needs a listening ear. Ready for company at a moment’s notice, they feel it’s okay to pull out chips and dip when someone comes to your home to share important news or just visit. It’s okay that the house might not be perfect for “drop-ins”. What you see, they most likely don’t see. If they do see a mess, then they are at least encouraged that they are not the only imperfect people!

Both have good intentions. Who are you? I confess to both at times. Who are we trying to impress, really? What is our real need? Do we get caught up in the details and forget the main course? Are we listening and honoring the people who have come or making sure the roast doesn’t burn?

Luke 10, The Message
Mary and Martha

38-40 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”

41-42 The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

Luke 10 Mary

Think about it…
–BOTH Mary and Martha love Jesus. He is their friend. They support his ministry and mission.
–Martha wants to serve him well. Mary wants to listen, “hanging on every word”.
–Both have good intentions. Jesus tells Martha to quit fussing over the largeness of the meal. “Chips and dip will be fine, Martha…come and sit, be with Me.
–Only one thing is essential…Me, says Jesus.

Ouch. Wow.

Jesus is more than an appetizer, he is the MAIN COURSE! Hang on His every Word and you will be blessed…and so will I!

Dear Heavenly Father, Help us to avoid the temptation of being enthralled by the details in this life and miss the Main Course. You are Life. You are the Bread of Life. May we feast on Your Word today. Speak to our hearts. Cause us to stop, sit at your feet, focus and listen. What a treasure You are, Lord.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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UM, DEFINE NEIGHBOR, LORD

Posted on September 4, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

There was once a former president who was accused of smoking marijuana in his younger college days. He was gifted at spinning his sins, or so he thought, by saying, “I tried it but I
didn’t inhale.” On anther occasion of getting caught with adultery, he was known to say, “It depends on your definition of is…is.” What? Most of what he said became nothing but fodder for a plethora of jokes. But we (as a nation) elected him for a second term! We humans are notorious for looking for loopholes in the law, in grace, and in serving others.

A religious scholar tries to test Jesus with a very important question then looks for a loophole in his own behavior. Jesus sets him straight with the intent of the Law with a story that closes all loopholes. Don’t you love how Jesus closes all the gaps, dots all the i’s and crosses all the t’s? There is no “spin” on how to love God and others with all our hearts, minds and souls.

Luke 10 love others

Luke 10, The Message
Defining “Neighbor”
25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”

26 He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”

27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”

28 “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”

29 Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”

30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.

33-35 “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’

36 “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”

37 “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”

What do we learn?
–Go and do the same. Simple. No loopholes.

Dear Heavenly Father, We know that the story you told was even deeper and wider than the simplicity suggests. Help us as a nation to lay down prejudices and quick judgments. Help us a church. Help us as individuals. Help us to go and do the same as the compassionate Samaritan to a hurting and broken person. Then others will know we are Yours by Your love expressed through us.
In Jesus Name, and by Your Power within us, Amen.

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SENDING OUT THE SEVENTY

Posted on September 3, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

When the Billy Graham association plans to come to a city for a evangelism event there is a carefully crafted plan that precedes the actual services. If you have ever been involved in one of these events then you will know. All churches in the area are contacted months in advance. They are asked to be involved in many ways but the first is to pray. Pray for the lost in their city to come to the event through their invitation.

They are also asked to pray for hearts and souls to be open to receiving and accepting the invitation of the Holy Spirit of Jesus to come and reside in them forever. Pray for volunteer believers to be trained to lead people to Christ at the event when the invitation is given. Pray for the speakers and leaders. Pastors are asked to come, be trained and bring other volunteers with them to help. Many months of advance work is done before the night of nights when Jesus shows up through the speakers and musicians with the message of salvation. Then volunteers are also trained to do follow up work after the event so those young believers will have people in church groups to help them grow in their newly found faith.

I think of this when I read how Jesus sent out seventy of his chosen followers to do “advance work” before his arrival in the surrounding towns of his ministry. I am certain that Billy Graham used Jesus’ method of preparing and sending out as his point of reference and planning, led by His Holy Spirit. It makes sense. How Jesus ministers always makes sense. Let’s look into this further…

Luke 10, The Message
Lambs in a Wolf Pack
10 1-2 Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge:

“What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.

3 “On your way! But be careful—this is hazardous work. You’re like lambs in a wolf pack.

4 “Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage.

“Don’t loiter and make small talk with everyone you meet along the way.

5-6 “When you enter a home, greet the family, ‘Peace.’ If your greeting is received, then it’s a good place to stay. But if it’s not received, take it back and get out. Don’t impose yourself.

7 “Stay at one home, taking your meals there, for a worker deserves three square meals. Don’t move from house to house, looking for the best cook in town.

8-9 “When you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you, heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, ‘God’s kingdom is right on your doorstep!’

10-12 “When you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say, ‘The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we’re giving it back. Did you have any idea that God’s kingdom was right on your doorstep?’ Sodom will have it better on Judgment Day than the town that rejects you.

13-14 “Doom, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had been given half the chances given you, they’d have been on their knees long ago, repenting and crying for mercy. Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you.

15 “And you, Capernaum! Do you think you’re about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You’re on a mudslide to hell.

16 “The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me.”

17 The seventy came back triumphant. “Master, even the demons danced to your tune!”

18-20 Jesus said, “I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I’ve given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that’s the agenda for rejoicing.”

21 At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. “I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

22 “I’ve been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to.”

23-24 He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. “Fortunate the eyes that see what you’re seeing! There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper.”

Luke 10 pray

What do we learn about ministry?
–Fall to our knees and pray first.
–Pray for help in ministry.
–Go out in pairs…never alone.
–Be careful. Satan does not want you to succeed. Pray continuously for discernment and his defeat.
–Travel light. Don’t let stuff get in your way.
–Practice hospitality. Go where you are wanted and received.
–Dust your feet and move along where you are not wanted.
–“The one who listens to you, listens to me”, says Jesus.
–When we follow Jesus’ lead, we succeed.
–Jesus defeats the enemy for us.
–“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
–It pleases God to do it this way.
–It is a blessing beyond blessings to have the opportunity to serve God in His ministry to seek and to save the lost. “Fortunate the eyes that see what you’re seeing!”–joining Jesus in His work!

Dear Heavenly Father,
What a wonder You are! You are God and we are not. Jesus, you gave us the model for ministry! Help us to do what You did and follow Your lead always. In Jesus Name, Amen

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CARPE DIEM

Posted on September 2, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

Carpe diem is Latin for seize the day; enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all hope in the future. We have heard this phrase used many times as a motivator to consider what you have in front of you, to understand that too much time is spent worry about the future and to be and do something today.

Tony Campolo used this phrase as the title of one of his books. Carpe Diem encourages the reader to seize life and live it passionately, engaging the moment with intensity and gaining from life all that it has to offer. This is Tony’s call to overcome the deadness that pervades our culture along with ways this can be done. He says, “We don’t even sin passionately!” Nothing seems to motivate us. This was written many years ago. Are things better? Whose to say? I do think we are sinning more passionately. We are doing well in that arena. Many are fighting and marching to justify their sin. Not good.

I think about all this when I read the ministry troubles that arise in the next passage of Luke. I am pondering the wisdom Jesus shows as he deals with what the disciples are bringing before him.

Luke 9, The Message
49 John spoke up, “Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn’t of our group.”

50 Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally.”

51-54 When it came close to the time for his Ascension, he gathered up his courage and steeled himself for the journey to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead. They came to a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his hospitality. But when the Samaritans learned that his destination was Jerusalem, they refused hospitality. When the disciples James and John learned of it, they said, “Master, do you want us to call a bolt of lightning down out of the sky and incinerate them?”

55-56 Jesus turned on them: “Of course not!” And they traveled on to another village.

57 On the road someone asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said.

58 Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.”

Jesus said to another, “Follow me.”

59 He said, “Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.”

60 Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God’s kingdom!”

61 Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.”

62 Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”

Luke 9 seize

Think about it…
–Jesus said if they are not in your group, but using his name, it’s okay. Leave them alone.
–When faced with racial and ethic differences, they turned and went another direction. They didn’t set fire to the village or cause harm to those with different opinions. Mm.
–Jesus wants full commitment on the part of his followers. He will help you count the cost of discipleship so that you are going into this adventure with full disclosure. Don’t “sell” perspective believers that “all will be perfect” if you follow Christ. It won’t be. Tell the Truth. You will have His help to overcome this life.
–Don’t wait until all is perfect in you or around you. SEIZE the day! Carpe Diem! “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mattew 6:33) He will take care of those things precious to you if you first take care of those things precious to Him.

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” Matthew 6:33, The Message

Yes, Seize THIS day, God leading us!
In Jesus Name, Amen

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TREASURE AND PONDER

Posted on September 1, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

Everyone wants to know the last words of Diana before she died in the car wreck. I don’t even have to say her last name, you know who I’m talking about. We think of last words our loved ones said to us and treasure those words in our hearts as good memories of who they were to us and to others. No matter what else was said and done in a lifetime, last words are the ones we remember best. When all else is scraped away, last words from the heart are remembered most. I have also observed that loved ones seem to know that time is fleeting and begin to prepare us for their departure. The Holy Spirit has a lot to do with this “knowing”.

Jesus, for the second time, begins to prepare His closest disciples, for his departure from earth. These men and the women who supported him, have followed him all over the countryside in His mission to seek and to save lost people. They watched Him heal the sick, raise the dead, and defeat evil, pulling it out of possessed people. They watched him miraculous feed thousands of people by raising the little food that was on hand up to God for His blessing. He saved them and others from their previous lives of tradition and just getting by with small lives. He taught them tirelessly. They watched Him pray. He taught them to pray.

Jesus previously told them that is was “necessary” that he was to endure an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, be killed and on the third day be raised up alive. These words were pretty clear and concise. But no one wants to grasp news like this. So, now Jesus gets in their face, with a “read my lips” look and says, “Treasure and ponder each of these next worlds: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into human hands.” They didn’t get it. Maybe they didn’t want to get it. In fact, they ignored the words of the Master and reverted back to childish behavior, arguing over who is the greatest! Yikes!

We are appalled…but we know the rest of the story. Later, after watching His words lived out in front of them, they got it, were humbled, and remembered, treasured and ponder every word of Christ. But for now, they don’t get it. Jesus has more to teach his disciples before leaving earth.

Luke 9, The Message
Your Business Is Life
43-44 While they continued to stand around exclaiming over all the things he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Treasure and ponder each of these next words: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into human hands.”

45 They didn’t get what he was saying. It was like he was speaking a foreign language and they couldn’t make heads or tails of it. But they were embarrassed to ask him what he meant.

46-48 They started arguing over which of them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them, he brought a child to his side. “Whoever accepts this child as if the child were me, accepts me,” he said. “And whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference.”

Luke 9 words

 

Thoughts to ponder…

Our spirit, not our size, make the difference. What is the size of my spirit? How accepting of others am I? Do I “get it”? Do I treasure the words of Christ? Do I live what I say I believe? Am I seeking recognition over relationship with God and others?

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the lessons you taught while living on this earth. Your words are Truth and Life to those confused and broken. May we remember, ponder, treasure each word until Your Word becomes us. In Jesus Name, Amen

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FOCUS

Posted on August 31, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Source: FOCUS

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FOCUS

Posted on August 31, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

As teachers we know when our students lose focus.  We see it in their eyes.  The light might be on, but no one is home.  Their minds dart everywhere but where you want them to be.  Most our work as teachers is to pull them back into focus and help them to learn.

Case in point.  I was teaching a small group of first grade kids around the kidney shaped table designed so that eye contact can be made with every student.  I was in the center, behind the table, passionately telling the story of the importance of vowels in forming words.  I felt like they were focused, all eyes on me, listening intently.  There is no greater feeling than when you think learning is following teaching.  I finally asked a question about vowels for clarity.  A little girl leaned in, eyes bright with wonder.  I leaned it with excited anticipation of her answer.  She passionately responded, “Mrs. Callaway, I love your necklace!”  My bubble burst.  I thought I had them.  It was going to take more than one lesson to teach these kiddos how to read.

Some adults are the same way, aren’t we?  We lose touch with the important because our focus is on the putting out the immediate fires in our schedules.  We have no margin for error when we overbook our time.  We say yes to everyone but God.  We lose focus.

Does Jesus get frustrated when we lose focus and just don’t “get it”?  Apparently, yes.

The chosen disciples have just returned from a mountain-top experience of seeing the glory of God, being with God, watching Jesus, Son of God talk with the saints of tradition.  They cannot, however, seem to draw out an evil spirit possessing a boy. The boy’s father is overwrought and pleaded for Jesus to step in and restore his son. Jesus, frustrated by the lack of focus and understanding in his followers, heals and restores the boy.  God’s glory, greatness, power and majesty was seen by all.  Focus is restored.

Luke 9, The Message

37-40 When they came down off the mountain the next day, a big crowd was there to meet them. A man called from out of the crowd, “Please, please, Teacher, take a look at my son. He’s my only child. Often a spirit seizes him. Suddenly he’s screaming, thrown into convulsions, his mouth foaming. And then it beats him black-and-blue before it leaves. I asked your disciples to deliver him but they couldn’t.”

41 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring your son here.”

42-43 While he was coming, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. Jesus stepped in, ordered the vile spirit gone, healed the boy, and handed him back to his father. They all shook their heads in wonder, astonished at God’s greatness, God’s majestic greatness.

Luke 9 focus 3

What will help us?

Satan is the author of confusion.  He wants us too busy,  extremely overwhelmed and over scheduled with no margin for error.  He does is best work in us at these times, guiding our focus away from all that is God.  Tempers flare at the slightest circumstance, life gets harder, and everything good turns sour and bitter.  When this happens, stop.  Let us fall to our knees and ask the Father to defeat the foe within us, in Jesus Name.  He will do exactly that and bring us back to focus on Him.  Every.  Time.  He has done it for me.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We need you every hour.  Every hour, minute and second, we need You.  Turn our thoughts and our eyes upward.  Help us to focus with understanding and clarity on things of You, on You.  Defeat the foe within us who wants to take away all focus on You.  Calm the confusion in our lives.  Bring order in the chaos.  Help us to say yes to You.  Help us to say no, even to good things, if it is not what You want in our lives at the moment.  Comfort us with your peace.

In Jesus Name, Amen

 

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DEEPLY AWARE

Posted on August 30, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

Think about those times that God’s glory enveloped the room and His power was seen in the actions of others and felt deeply in our hearts. Remember when you knew, without a doubt, you were completely under His sovereignty.

At one of the many youth camps Randy and I directed, there was an evil spirit lurking in everything we did. We fought it all week. There was one young boy, in particular, that seemed to led by evil. You could see evil in his eyes. We specifically prayed for him after all campers went to bed.

On the last night of camp, evil began to lose it’s hold on this young boy. You could see it literally drain from his eyes down to his toes. It happened during worship. I led worship so I could see what was happening as the songs of praise were lifted up. Because he had caused so much trouble in the preceding days, I kept my eye on him (as any good teacher would do) in case he would need assistance from bothering others. God’s glory was taking over. Our prayers were being answered.

This young boy, who wreaked havoc all week, fell to his knees and accepted the Christ he had been working against all week. You could see God’s glory on his face. His countenance was totally changed! His eyes were not dark and foreboding but free and bright. Everyone was rejoicing over this one who met the Savior for the first time.

If that wasn’t enough, God’s glory continued. It had rained during the service with even a bit of thunder and lightning, (which was great, adding to the message of God’s power and mighty love!) We walked out of the worship service and into the misty early evening. The sun was seen on the horizon before ending this day. This young man looked up and was the first to notice the most beautiful rainbow that arched over the campgrounds. “Look, God did that just for us, didn’t He?” Randy and I laughed with tears in our eyes and said, “You bet He did!” “This is just another reason to praise Him!”

What a moment. I’m tearing up just telling you this. That special moment in time of seeing God at work was beautiful. We were deeply aware of His Presence. God’s glory was seen and felt. But we can’t stay at camp…

We can’t build monuments every time we see God at work. The world would full of monuments and pillars if we did. You see, God is ALWAYS at work, all over the world. What we do need to do is pray, be quiet and LISTEN to Him. Know what our part entails and obey.

Luke 9, The Message 
Jesus in His Glory
28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.

32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.

34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”

36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.

Luke 9 listen to him

 

Think about it…
Peter, John and James were allowed to follow Jesus up the mountain to pray. The boys were put to sleep while Jesus was encouraged by Moses and Elijah about his final mission in Jerusalem. The disciples awoke and saw Jesus talking with revered saints of tradition. The saw God’s Glory in Jesus. We know Peter’s first reaction was to build a monument. Maybe that’s why he was picked to build the church? ; ) But God enveloped them with a big cloud hug until they became still, deeply aware of His Holy Presence. Finally, they stopped talking and babbling and heard, “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to Him.”

Are we babbling too much and not listening to Him?
Are we deeply aware of God’s Holy Presence in our lives?

Dear Heavenly Father, You are God and we are not. Our desire is to listen to You and obey. Make our desires match Your desires, will and purpose. Help us to see You and Your Glory in every good thing today…and say thank you.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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I AM

Posted on August 29, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

When the new patient was settled comfortably on the couch, the psychiatrist began his therapy session.

“I’m not aware of your problem,” the doctor said. “So perhaps, you should start at the very beginning.”

“Of course,” replied the patient. “In the beginning, I created the Heavens and the Earth…”

This gives us a chuckle at first but then, when you stop to think about it, we all have this “mental illness” at times. We think we can control every situation, plan for the future, and even change the world. The world tells us we can! Then we are jerked back to reality when the world we “created” for ourselves brings suffering through unexpected tragedy. Our way of life we had become accustomed to is now in chaos. Our confidence fails us. Even the most faithful believers are brought to the test. We are reminded that He is God and we are not. So not.

Jesus begins our next passage of knowledge with a question for his disciples, “Who do you think I am? This question is one for us to answer today. WHO do you think Jesus is?

Jesus went on to tell them that suffering will come. He foretold of suffering at the hands of religious leaders, be tried and found guilty, be killed and on the third day be raised up alive. Then he told them what to expect for themselves. Here’s where the rubber meets the road for devoted followers! Read, listen with open minds and hearts and be blessed in knowing, from the inside out, that He is God and we are not! He is the Great I AM. He is in charge! Take comfort in not being in charge.

Luke 9, The Message
18 One time when Jesus was off praying by himself, his disciples nearby, he asked them, “What are the crowds saying about me, about who I am?”

19 They said, “John the Baptizer. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back.”

20-21 He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”

Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus then warned them to keep it quiet. They were to tell no one what Peter had said.

22 He went on, “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive.”

23-27 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9 cost of follower

 

What do we learn?
–God is God, the Only God and we are not.
–True followers let Him lead.
–Don’t run from suffering, embrace it. He will show us how.
–We can’t do this by ourselves. Give it all to Him.
–God will bring out the real you, His best, that He created You to be.
–Jesus is coming back. Take a stand now. We will see the Kingdom of God.

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, You are the Great I AM. We worship You with all that is in us. Worship give us strength, joy and peace this very morning. What a relief to know YOU are in charge and will lead us to Your best. Show us Your ways. Help us to think and live more and more like You. 
In Jesus Name, Amen

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YOU FEED THEM

Posted on August 28, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Luke and The Lost

God still stretches what you have to more than you thought you had. Why? Because God is still God. He never changes. When you believe, trust and obey He takes what we have and exponentially blesses it. You can count on it. Here’s the proof…

Luke 9, The Message
Bread and Fish for Five Thousand
12 As the day declined, the Twelve said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”

13-14 “You feed them,” Jesus said.

They said, “We couldn’t scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody.” (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.)

14-17 But he went ahead and directed his disciples, “Sit them down in groups of about fifty.” They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread and fish to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. After the people had all eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered up.

Blessed food

 

What do we learn and believe?
–Never doubt God.
–Never say no to God.
–Always give what you have back to God.
–Always trust God.

Other thoughts…
–The Twelve were assigned to problem solve the situation. Jesus could have waved his hand over the crowd and “healed” them of their hunger. But He didn’t. He said, “You feed them.” What a great Teacher! Jesus uses the method for teaching good teachers still use today: Watch me while I do it, Do it with me, Now you do it while I watch, You do it with someone else watching. And it goes on…
–Multiplication came AFTER the blessing of God!
–After feeding thousands of men, women and children, The Twelve each had a basket of leftovers to pick up. Twelve disciples, twelve baskets of leftovers. Coincidence? Not likely. Each disciples had his hands on a basket. He uses each one of us collectively to accomplish together what one of us, by ourselves cannot.
–Jesus uses us in tough situations and circumstances to help us use our minds and hearts. He guides willing hearts and equips us in the process of fruitfulness.
–When we trust him, we get to pick up a basket full of leftovers! Blessings upon blessings, too numerous to count, are ours when we trust and obey.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
I’m Yours. I love you with all my heart, mind and soul. Transform me. Change me. Shape me for joining You in Your work to help people find and follow You. Bless us to be blessings back to You, to each other, to others who are in need and even to our enemies. I believe. I will trust in You. 
In Jesus Name, Amen

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