Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

As a public school teacher, you learn quickly (or should) to ask questions before deciding the punishment of misbehaving students.  What you observed from a distance might be totally different than what you thought at first when you question the opponents with a mind to understand what it really going on.  It could they are on the same team but do not understand each other and need clarification of intent.  Sometimes it is misinterpreting the rules of the game they’re playing.  And sometimes one is right and one is wrong. 

As the Teacher you must ask questions so the students can say out loud what they are thinking.  This does two things.  First by saying it out loud they hear themselves expressing their true feelings.  In other words, questions teach.  Secondly, they express what they are really wanting to be and do.  The Teacher can then use the situation with more understanding to teach a life lesson.

Jesus is the Master Teacher.  His questions convict and clarify what is really going on by getting the heart of the matter.  His questions alone declare who holds the authority.

Mark 11, The Message

His Credentials

^27-28 Then when they were back in Jerusalem once again, as they were walking through the Temple, the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders came up and demanded, “Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?”

^29-30 Jesus responded, “First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I’ll present my credentials. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me.”

^31-33 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, “If we say ‘heaven,’ he’ll ask us why we didn’t believe John; if we say ‘humans,’ we’ll be up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet.” They decided to concede that round to Jesus. “We don’t know,” they said.

Jesus replied, “Then I won’t answer your question either.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Go ahead, question Jesus, the Master Teacher, Savior, and Lord all you want!  Be honest.  Be sincere.  But be ready for Him to question our motives.  (Ouch).  Jesus teaches us life lessons all day long!

Guided by God’s Holy Spirit, I think the questions He will ask us are:

• Do I really believe what God says about Himself and His Son really real?
• Do I really believe Jesus paid the price for the punishment I deserve for all my sins?
• Do I really believe Jesus died and then three days later came back to life, scars and all, to defeat death forever for all of us?
• Do I really believe Jesus then walked on earth in His risen, nail scarred body for his followers to see and touch?
• Do I really believe He is with me always, knows my every thought, knows what I need before I know I need it and helps me?
• Do I really realize the depth of love and compassion He has for me?

Pause, pray, reflect, let us examine our own hearts as we ponder our responses.

Know this:  When all is thought, said. and done; it is our behaviors that will show the true desires of our hearts.

“Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.”                  Proverbs 4:23, MSG

In other words—

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”       Proverbs 4:23, NIV

Lord,

Your are the Absolute Authority.  After ascending back to heaven, You gave your authority to us to tell your story of redemption so others will know you, too.  May we tell it, tendered by your love in us.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, remove what offends you in us, refresh and reset our souls with your new mercies for today, and restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within us.  I believe.  I really believe you.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

There was a time in my life that I will never forget.  There I was, all those years ago, with text books, notes on lectures, and other resources all around me with only a lamp light.  After teaching all day I was studying for finals for the four classes that I took to earn my Masters degree in education.  It wasn’t the learning part, I love learning—it was the overwhelming dread of the tests. I hastily threw up prayers to God asking for help to do well.

On this particular night of study, God spoke to my heart and got my attention with an answer to that quick prayer for help in a way I will never forget.  My Bible was on my nightstand untouched for a few days prior because of this overwhelming schedule in my life.  As I went over my notes about teaching theories and leadership management, God asked, “What if you studied My Word as much as you studied for your classes?”  Right there in the quiet while everyone else in my family slept, I heard God—and embraced what He said, trembling.  “Lord, you are absolutely right.  Forgive me.”

So, I closed the books, stacked the scattered notes around me and reached for my Bible—God’s Word that is my strength.  I turned to my favorite passage, Psalm 143.  As I read, my heart stopped racing, my mind filled with peace. God cleansed my heart, transformed my thinking, reset my soul to default to His will, while restoring the joy of embracing the God-life as opposed to doing life on my own.  Dread turned into confidence. 

I slept well that night. God knew I needed rest more than anything else to face the next day of teaching followed by final tests of graduate work and then drive back home to my family.  I learned to let God set the pace of my life.  I began from that night forward to begin each day with God and His Word, to write what He was telling me in a journal so I wouldn’t forget.  This passage, using Peterson’s Message, clearly shows us what God wants—our full and undivided attention.  Embrace the God-life! 

“Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you.” –Jesus

Mark 11, The Message

The Cursed Fig Tree

^12-14 As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn’t yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: “No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!” And his disciples overheard him.

^15-17 They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:

My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations;
You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.

¹⁸ The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.

¹⁹ At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.

^20-21 In the morning, walking along the road, they saw the fig tree, shriveled to a dry stick. Peter, remembering what had happened the previous day, said to him, “Rabbi, look—the fig tree you cursed is shriveled up!”

^22-25 Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or hemming and hawing—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

As we read yesterday, Jesus rode into town on a donkey colt, praised as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Then He was headed for the Temple—a place designated and built for all nations to come to pray to God—the One and Only God.  Jesus observed the carnival atmosphere during the Holy Week of celebrating Passover.  Oh how Jesus must have been repulsed by the behavior of those who turned God’s House into a business—a business of thievery!  The “den of thieves” behavior Jesus referenced was proclaimed by the prophets’ words centuries earlier.  But to now be there and see it up close must have grieved our Lord greatly over watching these sins of disobedience, dishonor, and disrespect of God right there in God’s Temple! 

So, the next day, Jesus who had the authority to do so, “turned the tables” and disrupted “business as usual” with a declaration of who God is with a cleansing of God’s place of worship and prayer to Him.

“Jesus’ condemning of the tree and clearing of the temple were both symbolic acts that illustrated the sad spiritual condition of the nation of Israel. In spite of its many privileges and opportunities, Israel was outwardly fruitless (the tree) and inwardly corrupt (the temple). It was unusual for Jesus to act in judgment, yet there comes a time when this is the only thing God can do (John 12:35–41)”.  –Warren Wiersbe, Bible Commentator

But that’s not all, I pray we do not miss the lesson of what it is like to EMBRACE the God-life of prayer which is the only way, in Jesus Name, to God’s heart.  Ask for anything in faith believing then listen for His response. Jesus teaches us to pray, “May Your will be done”, not our will and wishes, but for God’s best work in us and through us.  Embracing the God-life is trusting with obedience that God knows what He is doing.

Forgiveness opens the door to God’s Kingdom.  “Forgive us our sins AS WE FORGIVE those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6) Jesus teaches us that embracing the God-life is a life of consistent forgiveness.  Jesus closes this passage with, “And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”—Jesus

Jesus says, “Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-13, NLT

Daily, Embrace the God-life!  Because God has embraced us!

Lord,

I pray this day for everything you know I need to walk in your ways while developing your character traits by your work of salvation within me.  Give me wisdom and the power to know the difference between Your voice and the voice of the world.  “Greater are You in me than he that is in the world.” I lean on your promises. I trust you for everything because you are my everything! Cleanse my heart, renew my mind, refresh my soul, and restore the joy of your salvation.

In Jesus Name, For Your glory, Amen

“How bad is it?”  “Is it fixable?”  “Can we rebuild or is it a total loss?”  “What can be salvaged?” These are some of many questions in the minds of those who go through the aftermath of a tornado or hurricane.  People involved automatically and tearfully evaluate while seeing the damage done.  Assessing and evaluating is the highest priority for those who own the property and have suffered great loss.  Yes, insurance, officers of the law, property owners and loved ones who want to help, come to take it all in before forming a plan to save what has been destroyed.

Jesus fulfills Holy Scriptures, written centuries earlier by God’s prophets, as he rides in on a young, never ridden, colt to Jerusalem.  God already has a plan to save what has been destroyed over the years—a relationship with Him. 

Mark 11, The Message

Entering Jerusalem on a Colt

^1-3 When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘The Master needs him, and will return him right away.’”

^4-7 They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, “What are you doing untying that colt?” The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.

^8-10 The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,

Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!
Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in highest heaven!

¹¹ He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

After the storm of praises from the multitudes of people, Jesus entered the Temple to survey and assess, “to take it all in”.  He looked around to see what the religious, power-seeking leaders and teachers of The Law had allowed to happen over the years in the Temple dedicated to God. His Temple was more like a carnival than a place of prayer.  (More on this, tomorrow.)

What is happening at the time Jesus rode into Jerusalem?  Jerusalem at Passover season was the delight of the Jews and the despair of the Romans. Thousands of devout Jews from all over the world arrived in the Holy City, their hearts filled with excitement and nationalistic fervor. To say the city of crowded was an understatement! 

The population of Jerusalem more than tripled during the festival, making it necessary for the Roman military units to be on special alert. They lived with the possibility that some enthusiastic Jewish Zealot might try to kill a Roman official or incite a riot, and there was always potential for disputes among the various Jewish religious groups. The city was tense on all levels.

Because of the celebration of Passover, the Temple was the place to go for those who have made the journey. But they must deal with the less than noble “carnival types” selling what the people needed for their sacrifices at a higher cost than normal!  This is what Jesus is “taking in” on His first stop to the Temple.  How it must have grieved the Master! 

God’s Plan of Salvation

In fulfilling the words of Psalm 118:25, 26, Jesus accomplished two purposes:

(1) He declared Himself to be Israel’s King and Messiah

(2) He deliberately challenged the religious leaders.

This set in motion the official plot that led to His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. The Jewish leaders had decided not to arrest Him during the feast, but God had determined otherwise. The Lamb of God, the One and Only without sin, must die at Passover.

Jesus will be the final sacrifice for our sins.  He will trade His life for ours. 

Our Hope—Our Victory!

“Our Lord’s “triumphal entry” was nothing like that of a Roman triumphal entry, but it was a triumph just the same. He was God’s anointed King and Savior, but His conquest would be spiritual and not military. A Roman general had to kill at least five thousand enemy soldiers to merit a Triumph, but in a few weeks, the gospel would “conquer” some five thousand Jews and transform their lives (Acts 4:4). Christ’s “triumph” would be the victory of love over hatred, truth over error, and life over death.” –Warren Wiersbe, Bible Commentator

O what a Savior
O what a mighty God
No one is greater
To save our souls!

There is more to come as many of you know, but for now, stop, pause to reflect, and ask

If Jesus rode into my life today, what would He see and take in?

Does Jesus need to clean my house—His Temple—in which I have invited Him to dwell? 

What have I allowed to be a part of and in His Temple—My being—that is offensive to God?

Lord,

We pray the prayer of David when he realized what He had done that was not of you:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12

Yes, Jesus, assess the damage, restore what was broken.  Cleanse my heart, renew my thinking, refresh and reset my soul, and restore the joy of your salvation at work daily within me. Thank you for saving our souls! 

To you be the glory!  To you be the praise!  To you be the glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen

According to Matthew, there were two blind beggars sitting by the road (Matthew 20:29–34), and Mark gives the name of one of them— “Bartimaeus.” Both Mark and Luke (Luke 18:35–43) focus attention on him since he was the more vocal of the two. The beggars heard that Jesus of Nazareth, the Healer, was passing by; they did their best to get His attention so that they might receive His merciful help and be healed.

Matthew tells us that Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes (Matthew 20:34), and immediately they were healed. Out of gratitude to Jesus, the men joined the pilgrim band and started toward Jerusalem, following Jesus. This is the last healing miracle recorded in Mark, and it certainly fits into Mark’s “Servant” theme. We see Jesus Christ, God’s Suffering Servant, on His way to the cross, and yet He stops to serve two blind beggars! What love, what mercy, and what grace!

The blind “saw” Jesus with their hearts before seeing Jesus with they eyes.  They knew who could help them.  They knew He had the power to change their lives of begging for pennies to following Him in grateful praise.  It was their faith in the Son of David, Jesus, who could heal their blinded eyes.

Mark 10, The Message

^46-48 They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

^49-50 Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.”

They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ Jesus said, “What can I do for you?”

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

⁵² “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.”

In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

When called by Jesus, Bartimaeus jumped up to run in the direction of His voice. 

IN AN INSTANT, JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING!

Jesus pauses only long enough to ask what he really wants.  Bartimaeus responds, “I want to see.”  The blind man becomes the one who can now see instantly because Jesus saw their hearts filled with faith!  What amazing grace!  What amazing love!  What amazing faith shown to Jesus who responds with mercy—that the men cried out for as He passed by…

Think about the “cloak” Bart left behind. 

Author and theologian, Derek Sakowski, relates a perspective that is worth our thoughtful and prayerful pause:

“The cloak of Bartimaeus is so much more than a cloak. It represents a way of life for him – how he had learned to cope and survive in an existence devoid of intimacy, connection, kindness, or care. He was a beggar, yes, but (one can easily imagine) a highly manipulative and cunning beggar who knew how to take advantage of people and get what he wanted without making any actual connections or commitments.

Instead of real relationships, Bartimaeus had his cloak. It kept him warm – warm enough anyway. It wasn’t the warmth of hearth and home, but it was enough to survive and endure. More importantly, he could hide himself in his cloak, staying isolated physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I imagine that, most of the time, he did not want to be seen. Whatever scraps of pleasure he could manage to carve out for himself, he could then indulge in secretly. His cloak was perhaps the closest thing he had to a friend. His life was not one that knew much by way of nurture of soothing. In his cloak, he managed to find fleeting moments of comfort and safety.  I can only imagine, over time, how dilapidated and disgusting his cloak became. But up to that day, it had been his most loyal companion. How many times had other people betrayed him or harmed him, rejected him or abandoned him? His cloak would not do that! It was predictable, even if it was only a surrogate – even if it was providing less and less authentic comfort or warmth.

How astounding it is that Bartimaeus cries out – repeatedly – “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!” He makes himself so vulnerable. He risks more mocking and rejection.  Apparently he had decided that he had nothing more to lose. He was ready to risk it all.

It is even more remarkable to me that he leaves his cloak behind – even before Jesus heals him. He recognizes that the cloak – his loyal and faithful companion – is actually an obstacle to real connection. It has hindered him from receiving and will continue hindering if he doesn’t change his ways. More importantly, a desire so intense and deep is welling up in his heart – so strong that it overflows and overpowers his “settling” for survival. He wants to be well!  He intuits that Jesus can give him more – so much more. No doubt, he also hears the whispers of his cloak – warning him that he is making a fool of himself, gently enticing him to hide himself away once again and return to the safety of self-protection. But desire wins the day. Bartimaeus not only cries out all the louder; he actually casts aside his cloak and runs up to Jesus. He wants to see. Jesus heals him. He begins following Jesus.

As is so often the case in the Gospels, we don’t hear “the rest of the story.” I am enough of a student of human nature (including my own) to know that Bartimaeus’ following of Jesus in “The Way” was very likely NOT a linear journey, nor a “one and done” moment of salvation. Rather, it was likely a long and arduous transformational journey of conversion, including shining moments of freedom and triumph as well as plenty of other moments of stumbling and shame. We need only look at Peter and the other disciples to appreciate how long and complex the journey of conversion is.

If you are like me, I imagine that you can relate to the cloak of Bartimaeus!”

“What do you want?” Jesus asks us today.  What is the most pressing need that requires God’s mercy?  Tell Him.  He will hear you. He stands ready to listen to each one of us!

Our faith in Jesus changes everything!

Lord,

You know our hearts—sometimes better than we do!  You know exactly what we need but you want us to say it in faith, believing that you are already at work for us.  So, that’s what we will do all day long as we trust in you.  We pray.  You work. 

Thank you for always being with us. Thank you for noticing what each one of us are coping with while providing help because of your relentless love, undeserving mercy, and powerful grace. There is no one like you! 

So, all my hope, trust, and faith are completely in You.  You are life to me.  I love you with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul.  Jesus, have mercy on us all so that we may see your glory at work today and stop to give you praise!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus,
to reach out and touch him, and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.

As a young child, caught in the act of peer pressure in behaving badly, my mom and dad sat me down and proceeded to deliver the punishment with the words many of us grew up with in our childhood: “If they decided to jump off a bridge, would you do it, too?!”  The first of many times I would hear this growing up, put fear into my being!

This question was not asked to be answered by me; but a definite way to tell me I am not to be that way in this family who follows Jesus.  This statement/question was usually followed up with a sermon of strong focus on: “Do not follow others into bad behavior—do what you know to be right and good.”  This kind of behavior of following the crowd is not going to be in your best interest.  Be different.

Two young disciples of Jesus are caught up in the world of power-seeking for a moment in their growing and learning.  With a little success under their belts in their followership of Jesus, their new hearts’ desires are to have greater positions with Jesus in the Kingdom of God! And why not?  That’s how the world around them displays power—in rank and position—so others will know how important they are.  Isn’t that how it works?

Mark 10, The Message

The Highest Places of Honor

³⁵ James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came up to him. “Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us.”

³⁶ “What is it? I’ll see what I can do.”

³⁷ “Arrange it,” they said, “so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory—one of us at your right, the other at your left.”

³⁸ Jesus said, “You have no idea what you’re asking. Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink, of being baptized in the baptism I’m about to be plunged into?”

^39-40 “Sure,” they said. “Why not?”

Jesus said, “Come to think of it, you will drink the cup I drink, and be baptized in my baptism. But as to awarding places of honor, that’s not my business. There are other arrangements for that.”

^41-45 When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John. Jesus got them together to settle things down. “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around,” he said, “and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

James and John need an attitude adjustment with a heart checkup.  Jesus, our Great Physician, is quick to diagnose with a remedy for healing.  “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around,” he said, “and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.  Be different that the world!

Jesus was His followers Supreme Example, (and for us who believe) who had a desire to be like Him.  “I came to serve, not to be served—and then give away my life in exchange for many who area held hostage.”  This is different that what the world says and does.  Most of disciples will internalize this message and do great miracles and deliver powerful message in Jesus Name later, after Jesus goes back to His Father in heaven.  But for now, Jesus uses James and John’s foolish request as a teachable moment. Jesus helps them to see the difference between seeking Him and seeking what the world seeks.  He points out the differences.  World thinking seeks position and power so they can be on top and in control over others?  Well, “it’s NOT going to be that way with you.”  Jesus then shows them with His own life. 

Lesson learned—except for Judas.

Our response? 

If we truly believe in Jesus and want to follow in His steps to be like Him, we will seek to serve, not to be served. We will not be of the world but go into all the world and tell the Good News to the hostages held by sin that they too can be freed from the bondage, free to love, free to serve with freedom to tell others!  

Oh Lord,

This wanting it all, to lord over all, is an age-old problem that began with Satan who wanted not just to be like you but want to be You! But You changed everything, dear Jesus, when you gave your life in exchange for ours!  You defeated once and for all the real enemy—the prince of this world. 

Thank you for not only saving our souls but giving us power to live differently—to be more like you—which is different that how the world teaches us to be.  Help me to be more and more like you and less like my nature that tends to follow the crowd because it’s easier. 

Be our strength and wisdom to be different.  Give us the right words to say to make a difference in this world by telling your story for your glory so others will also know how to escape and follow you.  May our new life of service be pleasing to you—even today.  This world is not our home, we are only travelers on our way to You.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

As I was putting away supplies after Sunday School class before the worship service began, I saw a little girl frantically run by the door.  She was on her way to the bathroom.  Not having quite mastered all the skills of potty training, she was doing her best to take down her overalls in order to make it on time.  I asked if I could help her.  Because I knew her well, had cared for her and brother often, she accepted my help.  She almost made it.  I was encouraging her but she sadly said, “I’ll never be good at this and I’ll never be a big gurl.”  Toddlers try so hard to do good and be good.

Sometimes we adults act like toddlers when we think that doing all the right things, attending many church meetings, volunteering for everything, and going to church every time the doors are opened is the way to be considered “good” and will earn us a place in God’s Kingdom.  However, it is not.  Wait, what?!

Mark 10, The Message

To Enter God’s Kingdom

¹⁷ As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”

^18-19 Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.”

²⁰ He said, “Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!”

²¹ Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.”

²² The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

^23-25 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.”

²⁶ That got their attention. “Then who has any chance at all?” they asked.

²⁷ Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.”

²⁸ Peter tried another angle: “We left everything and followed you.”

^29-31 Jesus said, “Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first.”

^32-34 Back on the road, they set out for Jerusalem. Jesus had a head start on them, and they were following, puzzled and not just a little afraid. He took the Twelve and began again to go over what to expect next. “Listen to me carefully. We’re on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Romans, who will mock and spit on him, give him the third degree, and kill him. After three days he will rise alive.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Working hard in an effort to earn our way into God’s Kingdom, on our terms, breeds boasting and arrogance within us and feeds our egos.  This is not of God.  Earning “points for goodness” is not how God works.  Blessed are those who know this!  Blessed are those who know they need God, the only One who is truly Good. There is nothing we can do to be good enough compared to the goodness of God. It is in the being with God who makes us holy unto Him. 

God looks at the heart as our true measure of devotion to Him.

Is Jesus telling us that all the things we do will never be good enough?  Absolutely not.  He is warning us that focusing exclusively on doing good things can get in the way of what God wants to be and can stand in the way and actually block our view of God!  We who are told excessively and consistently from infant to adult to “be good” and “do your best” progresses at times to “be the best—better than all the others.” It is then that we digress to being good as if our goodness was the goal.  It is not.  A heart fully committed to God, believing in His Son, trusting in His plan and obeying what He says is the goal. God is good.  Follow what He says because He is good. 

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

We followers can get so easily wrapped up in the busyness of doing good that we become no good to anyone.  We begin to tire easily when just “doing good for goodness’s sake” becomes our mantra and habit.  This way of life leads to pride, especially when we are doing good craving for the attention, applause, and recognition.  I’m pretty sure that’s what the rich man who followed all the commandments to the letter thought he was going to hear from Jesus— “what a good man you are”!  But that’s not want he heard!  Jesus knew what was standing between the young man and God—his wealth.

BELIEVE, BE STILL BEFORE GOD, THEN DO—IN THAT ORDER

James says, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” James 2:14-17, NLT 

In other words, our faith in God leads the actions of our belief in God!  It’s all about God!  Our love and devotion to God leads us to do what God asks…be of good service in Jesus Name for His Glory! 

Lord,

Don’t let us become so busy doing that we forget being with you.  As one who makes lists to accomplish, I pray that your agenda, your will be done, in every detail of my life every day.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen!

We are about to read the passage that prickles the hair on the backs of those who have experienced divorce.  I am praying for you and I hope you will keep reading.  I’ve watched as men and women grieve in the pain of separating “what no man (or woman) should have torn apart” in vows originally said. Divorce is wildly acceptable in our culture today but full of hurt and devastation. But guess what this malady was also rampant in Moses’ day.  But there was a definite difference in how it all played out.  Women were not considered in the separation—just let behind. Men treated them as property to be discarded. 

So, Moses asked God what to do about the situation of selfish men leaving their wives in destitution with no means of survival. As a temporary solution and concession, a “certificate of divorce” was created for this act of whim and selfishness of men.  It also became a way to protect the woman left without means of support and freed them to marry again.  Down through the generations, it became a matter of “legality” and a concession for men to walk away from what God intended for good. 

It seems mankind continually seeks “loopholes” to avoid complete obedience to God.  This is just one more way.  The hurt that causes bitterness grieves God as He watches those who go through it and are affected by divorces of relationships.

Perspective: God’s Word tells us clearly “God hates divorce” but do we realize why? (Malachi 2:16) God hates and grieves over what clearly hurts us deeply in ways that affect families forever.  I was told from a grieving divorced woman that death of a family member is final and though we mourn it is a little easier to move forward than in a divorce situation where the hurt plays out repeatedly as it affects our children and their children.  So yes, God hates what hurts us deeply and affects our relationships with each other forever. 

Marriage takes work—daily and forever! This work pays off exponentially!  Since marriage is God’s work of “art” in two people who love each other, God helps us in the work of perfecting His love in both the man and the woman who love Him.  Realize also that God designed man and woman to be different—on purpose—not just for reproducing and not to produce quarrels over our differences, but to bond a man and a woman with His strength, power, and wisdom to face the challenges of life on earth together while doubling their contribution in this world.  God’s Word also points out that because of our differences, “two become better than one!”  (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

Mark 10, The Message

^1-2 From there he went to the area of Judea across the Jordan. A crowd of people, as was so often the case, went along, and he, as he so often did, taught them. Pharisees came up, intending to give him a hard time. They asked, “Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ Jesus said, “What did Moses command?”

⁴ They answered, “Moses gave permission to fill out a certificate of dismissal and divorce her.”

^5-9 Jesus said, “Moses wrote this command only as a concession to your hardhearted ways. In the original creation, God made male and female to be together. Because of this, a man leaves father and mother, and in marriage he becomes one flesh with a woman—no longer two individuals, but forming a new unity. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.”

^10-12 When they were back home, the disciples brought it up again. Jesus gave it to them straight: “A man who divorces his wife so he can marry someone else commits adultery against her. And a woman who divorces her husband so she can marry someone else commits adultery.”

* * *

^13-16 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Marriage is a work of art by God’s design.  I pray for all who are married to let God do in our marriages what He wants—for what He wants is always best!  If you don’t know what that is—Pray, ask God, He will tell us!  He would rather we face our difference with His wisdom and help as opposed to seeking a certificate of divorce that causes pain forever.

If hopelessness overwhelms, seek forgiveness for failed relationships. He is the God who heals!  God sees us, knows what we need, knows what we are going though and knows we are not perfect.  God offers perfect and complete forgiveness through Jesus.  Jesus restores hope and heals our broken hearts.  There is nothing that we have done that He won’t forgive.  God loves us and wants to help us.  God tells us He even delights in all the details of our lives, so tell Him!  (Psalm 37:23) There is no one like our God!

Parents who brought their children to Jesus are to be commended for their dedication to Jesus.  The disciples missed it, but we who are parents do not miss what the parents were doing.  We do the same as we strive to consistently bring our children to the One who saves us all for eternity. Childlike faith that trusts God completely—without seeking “loopholes” to disobey, which is childish—is what God seeks from all of us.  Jesus said it and I believe it!

Trust God.  Here’s why—

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”  Isaiah 41:13

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  John 3:16-17

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.” Isaiah 54:4

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  I Corinthians 13:1-7, ESV

“So we know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love.  God is love. Everyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them. If God’s love is made perfect in us, we can be without fear on the day when God judges the world. We will be without fear, because in this world we are like Jesus.Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love takes away fear. It is his punishment that makes a person fear. So his love is not made perfect in the one who has fear.  We love because God first loved us.” 1 John 4:16-19

Lord,

I praying in gratitude over these promises and help for direction!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen!

We all want to be first, be the best, be the star of the show, and be chose to lead the group.  Being first means we can do what we want and not be told what to do by anyone else. Being first is what we seek above all else because we think that is the most honored place to be.  And isn’t that what we are seeking most—respect and honor as well as one who is important?  It’s so elementary.

I have spoken about this flaw in our being often in this blog.  As a first grade teacher, I groaned and signed as first graders fought wildly to be the first in line to go anywhere!  What a display of basic human nature!  Do we teach our children that or do they come by it naturally?  Either way, it’s not pretty or pleasing to God.

We see it even in Jesus’ disciples, those who walk with Him each day.  His followers who left home to follow Jesus watch Him pray to God, work tirelessly to serve others while relating to people with a tender love they have never encountered.  They watch Jesus as He consistently looks up as if getting a nod from God before doing anything significant as He listens for His Father’s response with direction. Yes, these disciples, who are human, but are learning and transforming, as they watch the Son of Man/Son of God be guided by God, who is greater still and Who gives His Son the power to heal the numbers of people who will stand in line for hours just for His touch of love that heals all wounds and disabilities.  Their minds are blown by Jesus who serves.

However, while Jesus displays the ultimate way to be a Servant, what do they do?  They argue about who will be first, who will lead the group, and who desires the honor of being the greatest disciple ever!  They even complain to Jesus about another group who are doing good but not in their group. Wait, what?!  Yes, and I am sorry to say, we still do this regularly in God’s church today—subtly and arrogantly at times.  Sigh.

Mark 9, The Message

³³ They came to Capernaum. When he was safe at home, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the road?”

³⁴ The silence was deafening—they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest.

³⁵ He sat down and summoned the Twelve. “So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.”

^36-37 He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me.”

* * *

³⁸ John spoke up, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn’t in our group.”

^39-41 Jesus wasn’t pleased. “Don’t stop him. No one can use my name to do something good and powerful, and in the next breath slam me. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally. Why, anyone by just giving you a cup of water in my name is on our side. Count on it that God will notice.

⁴² “On the other hand, if you give one of these simple, childlike believers a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck.

^43-48 “If your hand or your foot gets in God’s way, chop it off and throw it away. You’re better off maimed or lame and alive than the proud owner of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You’re better off one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell.

^49-50 “Everyone’s going through a refining fire sooner or later, but you’ll be well-preserved, protected from the eternal flames. Be preservatives yourselves. Preserve the peace.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23 NIV

This is a familiar verse, but let’s back it up and read what comes before and after this verse—

“Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:

There’s nobody living right, not even one,
    nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God.
They’ve all taken the wrong turn;
    they’ve all wandered down blind alleys.
No one’s living right;
    I can’t find a single one.
Their throats are gaping graves,
    their tongues slick as mudslides.
Every word they speak is tinged with poison.
    They open their mouths and pollute the air.
They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year,
    litter the land with heartbreak and ruin,
Don’t know the first thing about living with others.
    They never give God the time of day.

This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin.” Romans 3:9-20, MSG

And then Paul explains further that Jews and Gentiles (everyone else not born a Jew), who are in the same boat, have a Way out—Jesus!  Only Jesus can save us!

“The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.”  Romans 3:21-26, MSG

Believe and be saved!  We cannot save ourselves even though we think we can if we are arrogant and push others out of our way, work hard enough to earn it or are boastful enough, thinking God owes us.  Yikes!  Don’t play that game!  No, instead we lay down this “wanting to be first and best” in our human nature and put on the new nature of Jesus—who served.  (See Philippians 2) We are only redeemed by the One who died in our place for our sins. What Jesus did set us free and made us right with God.  Only Jesus.

“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:26-28, NLT

Our response?

• Be different.
• Be like Jesus.
• Be a servant who loves Jesus and others.
• Believe, then be last in line and first to serve so others may know Him, too.

Lord,

Thank you for your supreme example of how to serve, not seeking to be served.  Thank you for teaching us how to run from the temptation to seek first place as we become servants guided by you. Thank you for saving our souls and making us right with you.  Continue to daily cleanse our hearts, remove all that offends and saddens you, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us to make us more like you.  I love you, Lord.  I’m yours.  All of me.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

And we’re singing…Old hymn (1898) with timeless truth…We can only live for Jesus by His power living in us…we have nothing to boast about but Christ in us!

Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load?
Let Him have His way with thee.

His power can make you what you ought to be;
His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free;
His love can fill your soul, and you will see
’Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

We use the word if many times each day.  If I get to it, then I’ll do it.  If you do this then I can do that.  If food is bought a meal can be made.  If money comes in then bills can be paid.  If becomes a bargaining chip and is a weak prayer that all will be well if… 

We are all ‘iffers.” Admit it.  We need more confidence in the One with whom we believe and commune with daily.

Here is the story of a loving parent who cares for his son who has truly debilitating problems that affect the quality of life for both father and son.  The boy’s issues keep the father on high alert for his son who could hurt himself at any time, day or night.  Demons have also taken over the boy with the goal of ending his life tragically.  This parent must be tired, stressed, and full of constant worry.  Then he hears of a healer with followers who might be of help to his son.  He takes the boy to him but only a few disciples are there.

This father is in dire need so he turns to the disciples. The disciples go through the motions they think Jesus would do but healing does not happen.  And the father’s prayer over the years of watching over his boy hasn’t been with much confidence, but the answer is, and the result reminds us:

The power is not in the prayer; it’s in the One who hears it.

The father of this boy prayed out of desperation. His son was deaf with epileptic seizures, and demon-possessed since childhood.  This evil spirit prodded the boy to throw himself into fires and water to harm himself.  Imagine the pain of the father who watched his boy go through this daily. While other boys run and play, his boy suffers greatly.  While others were teaching their sons an occupation, he was just trying to keep his son alive. He was desperate and tired, and his prayer reflects both;

“If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”

How many times has the if word slipped into our prayers of desperation? 

Mark 9, The Message

There Are No Ifs

^14-16 When they came back down the mountain to the other disciples, they saw a huge crowd around them, and the religion scholars cross-examining them. As soon as the people in the crowd saw Jesus, admiring excitement stirred them. They ran and greeted him. He asked, “What’s going on? What’s all the commotion?”

^17-18 A man out of the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought my mute son, made speechless by a demon, to you. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and goes stiff as a board. I told your disciples, hoping they could deliver him, but they couldn’t.”

^19-20 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” They brought him. When the demon saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a seizure, causing him to writhe on the ground and foam at the mouth.

^21-22 He asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been going on?”

“Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”

²³ Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”

²⁴ No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”

^25-27 Seeing that the crowd was forming fast, Jesus gave the vile spirit its marching orders: “Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you—Out of him, and stay out!” Screaming, and with much thrashing about, it left. The boy was pale as a corpse, so people started saying, “He’s dead.” But Jesus, taking his hand, raised him. The boy stood up.

²⁸ After arriving back home, his disciples cornered Jesus and asked, “Why couldn’t we throw the demon out?”

²⁹ He answered, “There is no way to get rid of this kind of demon except by prayer.”

^30-32 Leaving there, they went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know their whereabouts, for he wanted to teach his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him. Three days after his murder, he will rise, alive.” They didn’t know what he was talking about, but were afraid to ask him about it.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God is God.  We are not God.  We all worry over that which we cannot fix which leads to our doubts.  Yes, this is not the best way to think but we go there when stressed.  However, God knows us well.  God created us.  He knows exactly what we need when we need it.  Jesus’ lesson on using the word “if” when asking for help teaches not only the man with his son but also informs his disciples around him as well as the crowd looking on who are wondering what will happen next! 

But take heart!  This is only the beginning of teaching all of us to pray with confidence minus the doubts of “if;” taught by Jesus himself to those who want to grow in our faith!

Max Lucado writes;

“One word would have made a lot of difference. Instead of if, what if he’d said since? “Since you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us.” But that’s not what he said. He said if. The Greek is even more emphatic. The tense implies doubt. It’s as if the man were saying, “This one’s probably out of your league, but if you can . . .”  More meek than might. More timid than towering. More like a crippled lamb coming to a shepherd than a proud lion roaring in the jungle. If his prayer sounds like yours, then don’t be discouraged, for that’s where prayer begins.  It begins as a yearning. An honest appeal. Ordinary people staring at Mount Everest. No pretense. No boasting. No posturing. Just prayer. Feeble prayer, but prayer nonetheless.” 

At first read, we may only notice Jesus’ reprimand and miss the lesson of trust and assurance.  Though the man used the word if—Jesus healed his son.  Though the disciples didn’t heal the son, Jesus continued to teach them because of his love for them.  Everyone watching saw the power of the One to whom our prayers are directed.  Jesus teaches a different way of talking to God with confidence.  Lesson learned.

“Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”  Maybe we should add this cry for help to our feeble prayers caused by desperation.

And remember— The power is not in the prayer; it’s in the One who hears it.

Avoid going through the motions of others who we have watched pray.  Avoid wondering if we are saying it right.  Have the confidence to know that God hears and looks at the heart of the one talking to Him with knowing what we really need and delivers us.

Since you know, Lord, we believe in what you think is best! 

One word changes our perspective.  Praying in Jesus Name, trusting He hears us, changes everything!

Lord,

Hallowed is your Name.  May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus Name,  Amen

A visit from a loved one is so special! The arrival of someone you care about is such a joyful experience.  We always plan fun activities with this dear friend or family member who we haven’t seen in ages as they prepare to come.  Excitement builds as we prepare a place for them to stay in our home so we do all we can to make their stay special.  We clean out the closets, spruce up and decorate that part of our home where they will stay.  We fill the fridge with good eats that we know they love. And we cancel everything else in our schedules so we can sit and enjoy each other without interruptions.  It is a joy to please those we care about and serve them in ways we know will please them.  It’s not about us, it’s about them.

What if we knew when the arrival of Jesus was going to happen, in all His glory ready to display the Kingdom of God?  

Are we ready? 

Are plans being made to please Him now and then when He comes? 

Are we ready and willing to serve “in the wait”?

Is our excitement building? 

Are we anticipating Him with “joy unspeakable and full of glory”? (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Yesterday we read this as a precursor to Jesus driving the point home about our “soul trading.”

“Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “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 saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

“If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels.”  Mark 8:34-38

Mark 9, The Message

Then he drove it home by saying, “This isn’t pie in the sky by and by. Some of you who are standing here are going to see it happen, see the kingdom of God arrive in full force.”

In a Light-Radiant Cloud

^2-4 Six days later, three of them did see it. Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. His clothes shimmered, glistening white, whiter than any bleach could make them. Elijah, along with Moses, came into view, in deep conversation with Jesus.

^5-6 Peter interrupted, “Rabbi, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking, stunned as they all were by what they were seeing.

⁷ Just then a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and from deep in the cloud, a voice: “This is my Son, marked by my love. Listen to him.”

⁸ The next minute the disciples were looking around, rubbing their eyes, seeing nothing but Jesus, only Jesus.

^9-10 Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. “Don’t tell a soul what you saw. After the Son of Man rises from the dead, you’re free to talk.” They puzzled over that, wondering what on earth “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ Meanwhile they were asking, “Why do the religion scholars say that Elijah has to come first?”

^12-13 Jesus replied, “Elijah does come first and get everything ready for the coming of the Son of Man. They treated this Elijah like dirt, much like they will treat the Son of Man, who will, according to Scripture, suffer terribly and be kicked around contemptibly.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus’ three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, got a foretaste of the arrival of the Kingdom of God in “full force” of glory and power—a glimpse of what it means to be transformed from this life to our forever Kingdom life.  Wow!  Pause to take it all in!

Peter, still learning, interrupts the majesty of the moment—just like that student in class who is asks questions or offers comments before all the instructions are given.

But God interrupts Peter!  It’s almost as if God is saying to Peter, “Quiet, listen to your Teacher!  “This is my Son, marked by my love. Listen to him.”

Who is a Peter?  I am!  I don’t know about you, but God must interrupt me with thoughts of higher, heavenly thinking more often that I care to admit.  God’s Holy Spirit calls me to truly “be still,” let go of self, to gain more of God so I can know Him intimately.  (Psalm 46:10) God interrupts my agenda to remind me of His ultimate purpose and plan.  God loves me enough, more than enough, to interrupt and remind me that His plans are “not meant to harm me but to prosper me” in my relationship with Him and with others. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Oh, how I love God/Jesus/Holy Spirit even more when He does this because this helps to remind me of His promise to always be with me.  My puny plans cannot come close to the glory and power of what He wants to do in me and though me.  Like Peter, it took me a while to learn to “listen to Him”!

The three closest to Jesus, after seeing the transfiguration of the Son of Man as the Son of God, still did not understand what “rising from the dead” meant—but they will.  And because of their passionate testimony of Jesus while passing on the Truth about Jesus death and resurrection—we do!  Or we should.  This is what Peter will preach (and write in a letter) later—

“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.

I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation”. 1 Peter 1:3-9, MSG

Jesus rising from the dead is the victory over death, enabling all who believe in Him to have eternal life.  Jesus is our Hope!  Jesus’ work on earth changes everything for us for eternity!  And Jesus is coming back! 

Are we planning and preparing for the Great Arrival of the One who loves us most? That will be the Day!

Lord,

You restore hope in us as we read this passage today!  Your Word and Spirit living in us remind us who we are in you, why you came, what you did on earth to make a Way—the only Way to reconcile us in relationship with You, God, the Father.  Help us to love like you love us.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies for today, interrupt as often as needed, remove what offends you in us, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us.  Now, I’m ready for your arrival!

In Jesus Name, For your Glory, Amen