REUNION

Posted on May 23, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

Most, large, family reunions occur these days because of the death of one of us. We remember, laugh, cry, and hug. We are quiet and we are loud. The kids run in and out, looking for things to do while the grownups talk and talk and talk. It is sad how some family reunions are torturous because of Uncle or Aunt so and so. Everyone else tries to avoid those who are not kind and loving but loud and arrogant, wanting the center of attention. Family. Reunions. Getting together is still important to carry on in this life. All personalities are welcome at the family reunion.

There is a reunion with some of the same loving characteristics of family reunions but this one had a distinct purpose and mission. Jesus, with the authority of God, the Father, commissions His followers to carry on the work He had only begun on this earth. It is a reunion with their beloved Jesus!

Matthew 28, The Message
16-17 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28 with us

Think about it…
–Jesus arranged the reunion with those He loved. Some readily accepted that love, ready to risk it all, and as soon as they saw Him, worshiped Him. Some held back….not sure.
–There will be another reunion with Jesus someday. What will be my response? Will I timidly hold back or run to meet Him, risking it all to worship Him? Am ready to risk it all for Him now?
–The Message of Jesus is to be more and more like Him in our own walk, tell others about Him, show others what you have learned along the journey. When the decision is made to follow Christ, we then show the world in baptism whose side we are on!
–We are to Preach it! Practice it! Preach it with our very lives. Use words if we have to, but love God, then love others by telling and showing who Jesus is and what He has done.
–Sometimes in “practice”, we mess up. Don’t give up! Jesus forgives us because of His mercy and gives us the grace to get up and try again.
–God’s mercy and grace are gifts of His continuous love for us.
–Jesus will be with us. Always. Forever. Until that great and last reunion when He comes again. And He will. He promised.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are God and we are not. There is no one like You. I saw You at work yesterday. If I am focused I know I will see You at work again today. Thank you for being with us always, day by day, hour by hour. We need you, oh, how we need you each day. Help us to live as if that reunion might be in a few hours…expectantly with great enthusiasm.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

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JUST AS HE SAID

Posted on May 22, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

There is no one on this earth that you can trust completely for we are human. But we can always trust what Jesus promises. He will never let us down, is always at work to save us and lift our eyes upward to trust in Him. He is the One Who can transform us, day by day, one step at a time, until we become more and more like Him in our behavior. We cannot do this ourselves alone. We need help. We are all in need of our Savior and Lord. Life begins when we allow Him to do what is needed in us to be all He intended for us to be. Just as He said.

Matthew 27 and 28, The Message
The Tomb
57-61 Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.

62-64 After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, “Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be raised.’ We’ve got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There’s a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, ‘He’s risen from the dead.’ Then we’ll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first.”

65-66 Pilate told them, “You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can.” So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.

Risen from the Dead
28 1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

5-6 The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

7 “Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”

8-10 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. “Good morning!” he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, “You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.”

11-15 Meanwhile, the guards had scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, “His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping.” They assured them, “If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we will make sure you don’t get blamed.” The soldiers took the bribe and did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council, is still going around.

Matthew 28 risen

THINK ABOUT IT…
–It is interesting that even Jesus enemies, the religious leaders, were concerned with what Jesus had said about rising in three days. It is uncanny that they told Pilate exactly what Jesus said, “preaching” the first sermon to him about the risen Christ without believing in Him!

–And “just as He said” Jesus DID rise from the grave! He defeated death. He won over evil by going to hell with our sins on His shoulders! We are now redeemed, IF we accept him as our Savior and follow Him as our Lord!

–The women kept watch over the borrowed tomb where they laid the body of Jesus. Borrowed because He would not be there long! A brand new tomb that produced a new day for us! The owner of the tomb rolled a large stone in front of the opening. The soldiers stood watch over it protecting it.

–The women who stood watch were rewarded with seeing Jesus first. They were the first to “Go and tell”. They were the first to worship their risen Lord! They only left Him to go and tell.

–Religious leaders ordered the tomb to be sealed in fear that “just as He said” He would come out of that tomb alive or that His followers would lie about it. BUT all these efforts failed. An angel rolled the stone away from the tomb’s opening to reveal the emptiness to all watching. Jesus’ brief stay, just as He said, only left the sheets folded where they had laid Him three days before. HE IS ALIVE…still!

–AND this resurrection power is living in us who believe and follow!

Just as He said.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am a mess with message of your saving power and restoration. Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking my sin and setting me free. Thank you, Father for loving us this much. I’m listening for You today. I’m looking and watching for You to show up in the details of this day. I trust You. Thank you.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?

Posted on May 21, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

Believers and yet to believe will suffer with people who will bully and harass them in this life. Bullies come in all forms. Bullies are full of fear of rejection, pride, with an extreme desire to be heard, to be known and to be on top of the heap of humankind. It begins at home, develops on the playgrounds at school and works its way into the workplace. Bullies are typically survivors from being bullied themselves. They learn to manipulate all situations to their advantage. They work behind the scenes until they are established with power and influence then an all out attack rises until their foes, those who get in their way, are defeated.

Jesus knows. He suffered for us at the hands of church bullies (the chief priest and his gang members) who developed most of these same character traits in living.

That is the back story. Above all that man tried to do to Jesus is only the backlash of what He was sent to earth to accomplish.
What is really happening is that Jesus, Son of God, while suffering mocking, torture and terrorist abuse was taking all the sin of the world upon Himself . He took those sins, our sins, to the cross and nailed them, through his own flesh, onto that cross.

When He lifts His face toward heaven and asks, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”, Jesus already knows the answer, for in that moment OUR sin stood in the way of God’s Presence. Sin and God cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Our sin on the shoulders of Jesus caused His Father to turn away. BUT not for long. When Jesus breathed His last physical breath on earth, the mission was finished. Our sins paid for in full. Bullies defeated. Jesus went through and to hell and back for us. Think about that the next time you are bullied. Seems kind of silly now, doesn’t it?

Matthew 27, The Message
The Crucifixion
27-31 The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.

32-34 Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus’ cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call “Skull Hill,” they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn’t drink it.

35-40 After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”

41-44 The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.

45-46 From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around midafternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47-49 Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.”

50 But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.

51-53 At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)

54 The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!”

55-56 There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the Zebedee brothers.

matthew 27 forsaken

Think about it…
–Jesus, Son of God, part of the Three-in-One, took on our sin while God the Father turned away while the deed, our sin, was paid by His own sacrifice.
–He could have called ten thousand angels to defeat his bullies. But He did not. Someone perfect had to be the sacrifice for our sin. Jesus was the One.
–Jesus came down to where we are in order for us to look up and see God, the Father for Who He really is.
–Even unbelievers and bystanders said, “This has to be the Son of God!”
–The next time you feel abandoned, remember…you are not! God is just waiting for you to look up…and live redeemed!

Dear Heavenly Father, You are God and we are not. It is still hard to wrap our minds around the deep love you have for us. I love you, Lord, for who you are and what you did for me…for us. Mere words cannot express my gratitude. I’m redeemed. I don’t deserve it, but I’m redeemed. Now, help me to live knowing it! May my life reflect more and more Your glory and a lot less of me. Transform me.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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WHAT DO I DO WITH JESUS?

Posted on May 20, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

Our journeys in this life get dicey at times, don’t they? We search for peace and Truth in life storms that roll in chaos and damaging winds that change our being. Sometimes the storms are just a lot of noise to distract us from peace, joy, love, grace and mercy for each other and for ourselves. Sometimes the storms provide a cleansing so we can start over, being transformed by God, through His Holy Spirit living in us, because of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Our greatest question in this life was also asked of Pilate while court was in session, “What do I do with Jesus?” What a compelling question for our lives today. Who is Truth? Jesus. Who calms every storm? Jesus. Who is our rock that we cling to when the waters get too deep for us to swim? Jesus. Who transforms us, cleanses and forgives us completely of all sin? Jesus. But the crowds who praised him earlier when things were going well are now yelling “Nail him to a cross!” Do we do that?

What do we do with Jesus? Our own courts of judgments over Jesus still resides in our minds. Do we trust and obey, no matter what? OR do we nail him to a cross with our behavior when no one is looking…but God? Yes, what do we do with Jesus? Are with with him…or not? There is only two choices. Yes, or no.

Matthew 27, The Message

Pilate
11 Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”

Jesus said, “If you say so.”

12-14 But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing. Pilate asked him, “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jesus kept silence—not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.

15-18 It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.

19 While court was still in session, Pilate’s wife sent him a message: “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man. I’ve just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him.”

20 Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.

21 The governor asked, “Which of the two do you want me to pardon?”

They said, “Barabbas!”

22 “Then what do I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?”

They all shouted, “Nail him to a cross!”

23 He objected, “But for what crime?”

But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. You’re judge and jury.”

25 The crowd answered, “We’ll take the blame, we and our children after us.”

26 Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.

Matthew 27 what do i do with Jesus

Think about it…What do WE do with Jesus?
–Pilot washed his hands of making a decision…or so he thought, and many think that today. To make no decision concerning Christ to make a decision and that is no, I want no part of Him is the decision they make. There are only two choices. With Him or against Him.
–They way we love and treat others is tied directly to Jesus. When we hate and tear others down, we are nailing Jesus down once again to lift up ourselves in our minds.
–We love others BECAUSE HE first love us…while we were yet sinners in our own selfishness. If we don’t know Him, we don’t know what love is.
–Realizing the full extent and depth of Jesus’ love for us is in direct correlation to how much we love others. What do I do with Jesus’ love?
–Jesus prayed for his disciples (and disciples to come) in the garden before willingly (doing what the Father in Heaven willed) laying down His life for us. What do I do with Jesus? I pray to Him, in gratitude and praise. I pray for others who are hurting because He prayed for me.
–When we feel abandoned, are we really? Jesus told his disciples He would have to go away for awhile but He would provide a Comforter until He came back. What do I do with Jesus? I wait with hope and peace. I listen to the Holy Spirit, a part of God and Jesus Christ as I wait and work until He comes.

This list in inexhaustible! You can add your own. Please do. Meditate on this question for yourself…”What do I do with Jesus, the Christ?” Do I behave the way I say I believe?

Matthew 27

Dear Heavenly Father, You have my attention. Jesus, you are the Son of God, the Way, Truth and Life of my soul. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for wisdom, course corrections, insight and understanding on this temporary journey here. Continue to do what you must to transform me into all you intended for me to be and to do. But, be gentle. Thank you!
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.

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TWO MEN – TWO OUTCOMES

Posted on May 19, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

The way we humans handle adversity, trials and tragedies depends on our point of reference, the center of our lives. We mess up, deny it at first, then see it for what it is and finally repent…or we stay in denial. Others see that all is lost and give up on life completely. What (or Who) deeply motivates us from the inside out has a lot to do with the outcome of our mistakes and sins.

In the next passage of God’s story of His Son’s trial, we see two men, Jesus very own disciples, who traveled with him for three years, deny Him and betray Him. Each were very sorry and remorseful for what they had done. Peter remembered Jesus and what He had said to him and cried over his sin of denial. Judas repented to the High Priest only when he saw that Jesus was going to die. The response he received from the church leaders was, “What do we care? That’s YOUR problem.” He hung himself.

Two men – Two outcomes.

Matthew 26-27, The Message
Denial in the Courtyard
69 All this time, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. One servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean.”

70 In front of everybody there, he denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

71 As he moved over toward the gate, someone else said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”

72 Again he denied it, salting his denial with an oath: “I swear, I never laid eyes on the man.”

73 Shortly after that, some bystanders approached Peter. “You’ve got to be one of them. Your accent gives you away.”

74-75 Then he got really nervous and swore. “I don’t know the man!”

Just then a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and cried and cried and cried.

Matthew 27
Thirty Silver Coins
1-2 In the first light of dawn, all the high priests and religious leaders met and put the finishing touches on their plot to kill Jesus. Then they tied him up and paraded him to Pilate, the governor.

3-4 Judas, the one who betrayed him, realized that Jesus was doomed. Overcome with remorse, he gave back the thirty silver coins to the high priests, saying, “I’ve sinned. I’ve betrayed an innocent man.”

They said, “What do we care? That’s your problem!”

5 Judas threw the silver coins into the Temple and left. Then he went out and hung himself.

6-10 The high priests picked up the silver pieces, but then didn’t know what to do with them. “It wouldn’t be right to give this—a payment for murder!—as an offering in the Temple.” They decided to get rid of it by buying the “Potter’s Field” and use it as a burial place for the homeless. That’s how the field got called “Murder Meadow,” a name that has stuck to this day. Then Jeremiah’s words became history:

They took the thirty silver pieces,
The price of the one priced by some sons of Israel,
And they purchased the potter’s field.
And so they unwittingly followed the divine instructions to the letter.

Matthew 27 Judas.jpg

Think about it…(many thoughts are here!)
–Consider the motivations of each man. Peter tried to fight for Jesus when he was arrested by drawing a sword to attack, cutting off the ear of one of the Chief Priest’s servants. Jesus told him to stand down from the fight. But Peter cannot help himself, he must see what is going to happen to Jesus, so he comes as close as he can, even to the courtyard. He even dares to come into the light of the fire to warm himself and listen. His love for Jesus has not died.
–By the way, it seems Peter is the only disciple that stuck close by to see what is going to happen next. Where are all the others?
–Then there’s Judas, who went over the line in betrayal. His motivation was money (the treasurer of the Jesus band of followers) and the power he received from information. He sold Jesus to the High Priests for 30 pieces of silver…about $600 in today’s standards…about a week’s work. He is remorseful now that he sees what evil is going to happen to Jesus, but it is too late. He believes it his problem alone, just as the Chief Priest said so his way of dealing with it is to end his life.
–Peter has back up and support from other followers…he goes back to Jesus’ followers and disciples probably to report about what is happening. Jesus taught them to stick together, to love each other, to pray and to focus on Him when times got tough. I’m sure they are distraught and confused over what is happening, but they are together.
–Judas has no support group or family to turn to.
–Scripture is fulfilled.
–When Jesus rises from the dead, Peter is the one who comes running to the tomb to see for himself.
–Later, the followers are together in one place and then Jesus shows up in their midst! Mm.
–The moment they saw Him, they worshiped Him. Some held back, afraid to risk…but we are getting ahead of the story.
–Two men – Two outcomes.

Self evaluation:
Are we repentant? Or are we in denial? Are we only sorry we got caught? Are we afraid to risk being known as a child of God? Do we have the love and support of others? What or Who is our motivation in our messes?

Dear Heavenly Father, We are human and born in sin. But we do not have to stay that way because of Jesus. Thank you for saving us, teaching us, forgiving us and guiding us out of the messes we create. We can choose the outcome of our lives and for that we are grateful. Help us to choose well for our very lives depend on it…on You.
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.

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TRUTH SENTENCED

Posted on May 18, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

When we are accused of something we did not do or say, we are shocked, disappointed, disillusioned and feel very alone at the moment, wondering how many lies and how many people did the false accuser tell. Do we fight back with statements of what the truth really is? Do we seek documentation to prove the lies and innuendos are false? Or do we go silent and wait for the truth to surface? It’s hard when someone lies about you and works hard to discredit who you are and what you do. It happens in families, churches, workplaces and anywhere else people gathered. Why? Our sinful nature is to seek self, to satisfy self and to be looking out for only self.

Lying becomes our weapon to hold on to our human power over people. If things are not going our way, we lie about others who are doing the job well, so we can look better to the boss. Selfishness and power is the root of this sin against others.

Jesus knows. He gives us the ultimate example to follow as he is accused falsely and beaten nearly to death on this way to the cross. If the Son of God went through it, you can trust he understands when we experience being falsely accused.

Jesus goes silent. (Peter is watching from a distance. The Master, is still teaching by example. The greatest class of all is in session!) There comes a point when we must go silent and wait for Truth to surface. It always does. We do not need to fight back with more accusations against the foe. Stay clean from debating irrational, power-seeking people. This is not easy but necessary to rise above it all…with silence. And wait. In the wait, keep doing the work to please God.

Matthew 26, The Message
False Charges
57-58 The gang that had seized Jesus led him before Caiaphas the Chief Priest, where the religion scholars and leaders had assembled. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Then he slipped in and mingled with the servants, watching to see how things would turn out.

59-60 The high priests, conspiring with the Jewish Council, tried to cook up charges against Jesus in order to sentence him to death. But even though many stepped up, making up one false accusation after another, nothing was believable.

60-61 Finally two men came forward with this: “He said, ‘I can tear down this Temple of God and after three days rebuild it.’”

62 The Chief Priest stood up and said, “What do you have to say to the accusation?”

63 Jesus kept silent.
Then the Chief Priest said, “I command you by the authority of the living God to say if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64 Jesus was curt: “You yourself said it. And that’s not all. Soon you’ll see it for yourself:

The Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One,
Arriving on the clouds of heaven.”
65-66 At that, the Chief Priest lost his temper, ripping his robes, yelling, “He blasphemed! Why do we need witnesses to accuse him? You all heard him blaspheme! Are you going to stand for such blasphemy?”

They all said, “Death! That seals his death sentence.”

67-68 Then they were spitting in his face and banging him around. They jeered as they slapped him: “Prophesy, Messiah: Who hit you that time?”

Matthew 26 spit

Think about it…
–Every mocking slap of our Savior stings our hearts.
–Our lesson? God knows when lies are said. His timing is best to work Truth to the surface of every situation.
–Truth is the Person of Jesus Christ.
–God understands. Jesus is our advocate.
–Live by the example of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord…by the Power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
–Be transformed by His Holy Spirit.
–Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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SCATTERED

Posted on May 17, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

There are times in the life of the believer and follower of Jesus that anxious, scattered, unfocused thoughts come, fear is felt and we feel like running away from the situation. But the Holy Spirit, powerful and a part of the Three-in-One calms us and gives us the guidance to take the right path, the strength and courage to face our fears and the situation or circumstance that brought those feelings to the surface. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms us to be and to do all that pleases God and gives Him glory. We cannot take credit for anything good that happens in our human lives. All credit goes to God.

As we read the next passage, it begins with Jesus predicting what his disciples will do when he is arrested, beaten, mocked and sentenced to die on a cross. The disciples, especially Peter, are indignant to this prediction. Peter says, “I won’t!” But then he does exactly what is predicted.

“Then all the disciples cut and ran.”

Confess, aren’t our first thoughts of the disciples, “how could you?” You have been with Jesus Christ, how could you deny Him? Then today, as I read, I am reminded of their humanness, their weakness, their lack of power to stand firm. They DID NOT have the Holy Spirit YET living in them to be their strength, wisdom, and tenaciousness. Jesus, their leader and teacher was taken away from them, the One they leaned on and looked upon as the only answer to life. When he was physically gone, they only had their own strength to rely on. WE are like them when we do not tap into the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us!

Matthew 26, The Message
Gethsemane
31-32 Then Jesus told them, “Before the night’s over, you’re going to fall to pieces because of what happens to me. There is a Scripture that says,

I’ll strike the shepherd;
helter-skelter the sheep will be scattered.
But after I am raised up, I, your Shepherd, will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee.”

33 Peter broke in, “Even if everyone else falls to pieces on account of you, I won’t.”

34 “Don’t be so sure,” Jesus said. “This very night, before the rooster crows up the dawn, you will deny me three times.”

35 Peter protested, “Even if I had to die with you, I would never deny you.” All the others said the same thing.

36-38 Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”

39 Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?”

40-41 When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”

42 He then left them a second time. Again he prayed, “My Father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I’m ready. Do it your way.”

43-44 When he came back, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn’t keep their eyes open. This time he let them sleep on, and went back a third time to pray, going over the same ground one last time.

45-46 When he came back the next time, he said, “Are you going to sleep on and make a night of it? My time is up, the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the hands of sinners. Get up! Let’s get going! My betrayer is here.”

With Swords and Clubs
47-49 The words were barely out of his mouth when Judas (the one from the Twelve) showed up, and with him a gang from the high priests and religious leaders brandishing swords and clubs. The betrayer had worked out a sign with them: “The one I kiss, that’s the one—seize him.” He went straight to Jesus, greeted him, “How are you, Rabbi?” and kissed him.

50-51 Jesus said, “Friend, why this charade?”

Then they came on him—grabbed him and roughed him up. One of those with Jesus pulled his sword and, taking a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant, cut off his ear.

52-54 Jesus said, “Put your sword back where it belongs. All who use swords are destroyed by swords. Don’t you realize that I am able right now to call to my Father, and twelve companies—more, if I want them—of fighting angels would be here, battle-ready? But if I did that, how would the Scriptures come true that say this is the way it has to be?”

55-56 Then Jesus addressed the mob: “What is this—coming out after me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I have been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never so much as lifted a hand against me. You’ve done it this way to confirm and fulfill the prophetic writings.”

Then all the disciples cut and ran.

Matthew 26 sheep without

Think about it…take all the time you need…
–Jesus prayed to God, the Father, “What do YOU want?” Oh, that we would pray the same prayer and do exactly what He asks, no matter what.
–Wait! We CAN, because we have the Holy Spirit in us to say yes to God!
–All scripture is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.

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THE RESCUE

Posted on May 16, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

There are days that we look back over the activities and “near misses” because of the actions of others or our own lack of focus and say, “Thank you, Lord, you saved and rescued me before I even knew I needed it.” Stop, reflect and give thanks for all those moments God stepped in and rescued you. I am.

In our next passage, we read and blissfully sigh over the last, more than significant, Passover meal Jesus shares with his closest followers. The bread, sustainer of physical life, blessed and broken to share, and representative of His Body. The cup of wine, representing the blood that will be drained from him as a sacrifice to rescue us, shared. The bread and the cup, the new covenant of forgiveness, Son of God, Lamb of God, the rescue from our sin and selfishness, are the precious, righteous actions on our way to a new day of victorious living with Jesus forever.

Matthew 26, The Message

The Bread and the Cup
26-29 During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:

Take, eat.
This is my body.
Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:

Drink this, all of you.
This is my blood,
God’s new covenant poured out for many people
for the forgiveness of sins.

“I’ll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I’ll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father.”

30 They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount Olives.

Matthew 26 rescue.jpg

Think about it…
–Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Our Rescue. Our Deliverer.
–In Jesus’ last moments on earth, He prepares His disciples for what is going to happen with the intimacy of The Passover Meal with His “family”, worship of a hymn and then in prayer with and for them at the garden.
–He is rescuing them before they know they will need it.
–Accept the rescue for there is a New Day coming!

Dear Heavenly Father, There are not enough words to tell you how much I love you and thank you for sending Jesus Christ to rescue us. May Your Holy Spirit speak for me in this hour of gratitude. In Jesus Name, Amen

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PLAYING GAMES

Posted on May 15, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

It hurts deeply when someone you have a relationship with, love, work with on projects, depend on, talk with and share your thoughts betrays you. Jesus knows how you feel.

We are disillusioned at the very least when a close friend and coworker uses you to get to ahead in the world, leaving you behind in the dust of the work. Jesus knows and understands.

When we play games in life, being someone we are not, using all the right words but our motivation is for self alone, Jesus knows. There are many forms of betrayal and Judas used them all. Then he hung himself. The phrase, “give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves” comes to mind. Jesus knows our hearts. We can play games with others, but we cannot fool Jesus.

Matthew 26, The Message
The Traitor
17 On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare your Passover meal?”

18-19 He said, “Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and say, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your house.’” The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions to the letter, and prepared the Passover meal.

20-21 After sunset, he and the Twelve were sitting around the table. During the meal, he said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators.”

22 They were stunned, and then began to ask, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it, Master?”

23-24 Jesus answered, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!”

25 Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?”

Jesus said, “Don’t play games with me, Judas.”

Matthew 26 betrayal

What do we learn?
–Soon after Jesus tells Judas, do what you have planning to do, Judas leaves the table where the important Passover Meal was being significantly consumed with Jesus at the Head of the Table.
–The gospel of John tells us Jesus washed the feet of the disciples before this meal. Think about it. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer!
–How do we feel about our betrayers? Do we wash their feet (serve them) with love and compassion as Jesus did? Do we pray for them?
–“Don’t play games with me, Judas?” In the gospel of John, “Go do what you planned to do.” Scripture fulfilled. Jesus knows and understands our problems with betrayal of others to us. He will help us to love and pray for them instead of trying to get even. Leave them to God.

We know the rest of the story…Truth wins.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your example of relating to betrayers in our lives. Because of evil in this world, we must be alert, focused on You, knowing that Your Truth will win in the end. Help us to not be betrayers of what you have taught us to others. I don’t want to be the one just “playing games” in my walk with You. Help us to be honest. Help us to remember to pray for our enemies who betray us while standing firm in our faith in You.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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SIGNIFICANCE

Posted on May 14, 2017 by randscallawayffm

Matthew – Fulfilled.

I am a mom and I care deeply for my children. I am a teacher and I care deeply for other people’s children. As moms who care deeply, we will do weird things at times (at least weird to our children and the rest of the world), to protect and guard our children from all kinds of danger or evil. We are proactive from our own previous experiences and reactive from gut feelings, intuition. We don’t always think before we act, we just act. We are not thinking of ourselves, we are thinking of our children who we love with our total being. God gave us that kind of love because He loves like that and instills and grows that love in us when we receive and follow Him in an intimate, ever growing relationship.

There was a woman who cared deeply and did a weird thing in front of everyone. She showed her intimate love for Jesus. Others were appalled. Jesus called it significant. Oh, how I love this story that brings tears to my eyes at this moment just picturing this woman coming into a room of important men, a place where she was not invited to be, bending low, breaking open the seal her clay jar of expensive perfume that one saves for their own burial and pouring all of it over her Lord.

Meanwhile, Judas, whose had enough, leaves the room and plans his betrayal of Jesus! See the contrast??? Money and power versus intimate relationship with the Savior and Lord.

Matthew 26, The Message

Anointed for Burial
26 1-2 When Jesus finished saying these things, he told his disciples, “You know that Passover comes in two days. That’s when the Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.”

3-5 At that very moment, the party of high priests and religious leaders was meeting in the chambers of the Chief Priest named Caiaphas, conspiring to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him. They agreed that it should not be done during Passover Week. “We don’t want a riot on our hands,” they said.

6-9 When Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper, a woman came up to him as he was eating dinner and anointed him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. “That’s criminal! This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor.”

10-13 When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. “Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial. You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.”

14-16 That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests and said, “What will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They settled on thirty silver pieces. He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.

Matthew 26 woman of significance

Think about it…
–Like the woman, I act first then sometimes get into trouble with others. I find myself apologizing often. Jesus sees our hearts and will help us get through those awkward moments. Again, tearfully, I read and feel His compassion when he says to the disgusted onlookers, “Why are you giving this woman a hard time?” She has just done something wonderfully significant for me.”
–WOW! The woman was risking it all to show how much she loved Jesus. She was not seeking significance, but she found it in Christ.
–Jesus adds, “You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.”
–The woman was a prophet and didn’t know it. Intuition? I don’t think so. It’s more. It’s saying yes to God with nothing held back.

This believer and follower is remembering and praising God for her example and Jesus reaction to her.

Thank you, Lord. May I be all that pleases you with nothing held back.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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