Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

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

You are here, moving in our midst
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, working in this place
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, moving in our midst
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, working in this place
I worship You, I worship You

You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness My God, that is who You are…

(Way Maker by Osinachi Okoro, Sung by many!)

Mark 8, The Message

The Messiah

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?”

²⁸ “Some say ‘John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say ‘Elijah.’ Still others say ‘one of the prophets.’”

²⁹ He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”

Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”

^30-32 Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive.” He said this simply and clearly so they couldn’t miss it.

^32-33 But Peter grabbed him in protest. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. “Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works.”

^34-37 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?

³⁸ “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.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

First we worship and praise Jesus, unashamedly, for who He truly is…

You are here, touching every heart
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, healing every heart
Healing every heart
Oh, I worship You
Jesus, I worship You
You’re turning lives around
You are here, oh, turning lives around
I worship You, I worship You
You mended every heart
You are here, and You are mending every heart
I worship You, I worship You

And You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
You’re the way maker
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are…

Yes, Jesus confronts us with the same question as we daily come to Him,

“Who do YOU say I AM?” Do you really believe that what God says about Me, and what I say with what I did for you, really real?  What we say we believe will always be reflected in our behaviors.  So, will our behaviors be a reflection of Jesus Christ or those in the world? 

Will we go along with what media and other influential people tell us we must do to be liked and acceptable to them?

Who guides our decisions of what to wear and how to wear it, what to eat, how to “have it our way” in all circumstances, what to drive, what home to live in, what job to do that will give us power and pleasure along with what we do to our bodies, and how we manage the environment in which we live?

Who do our souls belong to?  Jesus clarifies simply and directly: “What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?”

Who is Jesus?  What do you say?  I ask myself this morning, am I the “fickled and unfocused” who isjust trying to get by without a thought or care about who God is and what He wants to do in me or one who unashamedly proclaims who Jesus is and what He has done for, not only me, but for the world of all kinds of people that God loves with a desire to save them from themselves and His enemy? 

God wants no one to perish but have everlasting life!  That’s who God is and why He sent His One and Only Son to earth to die for our sins at the hands of a torturous world of unbelievers so that we who believe can be saved!  This is the gospel.  THIS is real Love demonstrated for us.  THIS is what we tell others about Him!

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

Lord,

Thank you for cleansing my heart, renewing my mind, refreshing my soul by removing all that offends you and hinders our relationship—all while restoring your joy and peace of your salvation at work within me!  You are Jesus Christ, Messiah come to save us!  You are King of kings and Lord of lords.  You are my Savior and my Lord.  To you be the glory, honor, and praise forever and ever, Amen!

In Jesus Name, Lead us. Yes, and Amen!

And we’re singing…

Even when I don’t see it, You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
that is who You are

Oh, His name is above
His name is above depression
His name is above loneliness
Oh, His name is above disease
His name is above cancer
His name is above every other name

Yes, That is who You are
That is who You are
And that is who You are
Oh, I know that is who You are
That is who You are…

Thank you, dear Jesus!

Years ago, one of my tasks in full time ministry was to plan the yearly denominational event where representatives came in to praise, worship, learn, and grow in Jesus.  If attenders didn’t know Jesus, they were given an opportunity to know, accept and follow Jesus in this week-long celebration for all ages.  The work assigned to me was to make sure all ages had a safe, loving environment so that the “most was made of every opportunity”, as Paul writes, to tell the story of Jesus through special speakers, infamous musicians, comedians, and other artists.  This included securing many caring adult volunteers to help attenders feel welcome while meeting their needs.  Our goal was for all in attendance to have nothing that stands in the way of growing in Jesus.  But we are humans—not everyone “gets it.”  And we missed a detail.

As a staff we would give the attenders opportunity to evaluate their experience in efforts to improve our service to reach the intended goal of knowing and following Jesus.  Most people wrote beautiful testimonies of how God’s Spirit spoke to their hearts, taught them a new perspective of thinking, or led them to Jesus for the first time! 

But one year, there was this one evaluation that troubled me greatly.  She wrote a scathing, all caps, review of our lack of concern for hot tea drinkers.  Wait, what now?  She wrote paragraph after paragraph of the prejudice the planners had against those who drank tea and it was proven each day by not providing hot water and tea bags at the hospitality table where coffee, water and cookies were provided after each session of the event.  She spent a week with others who were seeking to learn more about how to follow Jesus and she just didn’t understand the goal.

“Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all?” Oh, Jesus, I hear you!                         

Mark 8, The Message

Contaminating Yeast

^13-15 He then left them, got back in the boat, and headed for the other side. But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn’t a crumb in the boat. Jesus warned, “Be very careful. Keep a sharp eye out for the contaminating yeast of Pharisees and the followers of Herod.”

^16-19 Meanwhile, the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard and said, “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all? Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

They said, “Twelve.”

²⁰ “And the seven loaves for the four thousand—how many bags full of leftovers did you get?”

“Seven.”

²¹ He said, “Do you still not get it?”

^22-23 They arrived at Bethsaida. Some people brought a sightless man and begged Jesus to give him a healing touch. Taking him by the hand, he led him out of the village. He put spit in the man’s eyes, laid hands on him, and asked, “Do you see anything?”

^24-26 He looked up. “I see men. They look like walking trees.” So Jesus laid hands on his eyes again. The man looked hard and realized that he had recovered perfect sight, saw everything in bright, twenty-twenty focus. Jesus sent him straight home, telling him, “Don’t enter the village.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

No one is perfect.  All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Everyone needs of a Savior and Lord to lead and navigate us through this world. 

Not everyone gets it when we get it.  Be like Jesus, who lovingly goes over it again and again and again…until that ah-ha moment when truth sinks in.

Sometimes we don’t get it!  His Holy Spirit will patiently guide us to Truth as many times as it takes until we internalize what Jesus is really saying to us with love, mercy, and grace.

Jesus’ warnings are for us to keep us from falling for evil’s temptations to sin which leads us through unnecessary pain and hurt and eventually to death unless we heed his words of compassion to us. 

Our sins hurt us and those around us.  But we sin anyway.  God knew we would and made a Way.  Jesus took our sins and carried them to a cross where they were crucified.  He died so that we may live.  He redeemed us!  He rose again three days later to prove He was indeed King of kings and Lord of lords.  This is Truth in the flesh who came down to seek and to save the lost—us! 

This is God’s demonstration of His love for us! 

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

Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all?

I cried at the words written by “tea bag” lady all those years ago as I sat in my office. What she said broke my heart—but not for me.  I cried, not because she hurt me but I wept over her inability to see, hear, or grasp the “point of all this.”  I prayed that someday she would.  God taught me to do that and gave me the power to pray this prayer.  To Him be the glory.

We are all at different stages of growth and understanding as we gather in God’s church and then be sent out to tell the world about Jesus.   So, I pause here to ask myself, am I as willing as Jesus to go over the Truth as many times as it takes to be understood? 

Do I understand Truth enough to tell it?  Does His Holy Spirit take me aside at times to ask, “Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all?” (Yes, He does!) 

None of us have arrived, but this one thing I know…I believe what God says is real.

I still don’t get all of what God is saying to me—no one can!  It’s more than we humans can wrap our brains around! But what I do know I share. I really believe all that God says to be Truth.  I believe His Son, Jesus, was born of a virgin, grew in stature from boy to adult as the Son of Man while being the Son of God.  I believe Jesus was God in flesh sent to the earth with one important mission—to save us and reconcile (reconnect) us to our Father, God.

Oh disciples—bless your hearts—I get you, I’m just like you at times!  Once I was blind, but now I see.  Once I was lost but now I’m found.  All because of Jesus.

Lord,

Thank you for your compassion even in our dullness. Thank you for cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, refreshing and feeding our souls while restoring the joy of your salvation at work within all of us seeking to learn more so we can be more—like you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

A better question to ask ourselves these days might be, “What do we expect of Jesus?”  Mankind is so fickle.  A man or woman will “try” Jesus expecting a 30-day guarantee of a miraculous, trouble free, no pain life or their investment of money/time back as they return Jesus if not fully satisfied—as they would any product.  How sad we humans are that we have fallen to this level of thinking in our world.  We demand the greatest return while investing little to no trust, faith, belief, commitment, devotion, with an unconditional deep love for Jesus.

I’ll love you—but only if you do what I say and feel what I feel and satisfy all my needs. 

I’ll help you—but only if you applaud me for helping and for sure, help me when I need you. 

I’ll give—but only if I see what is in it for me.

Is this condition of humans found only in the world—or among His followers?

Mark 8, The Message

A Meal for Four Thousand

^1-3 At about this same time he again found himself with a hungry crowd on his hands. He called his disciples together and said, “This crowd is breaking my heart. They have stuck with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they’ll faint along the way—some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples responded, “What do you expect us to do about it? Buy food out here in the desert?”

⁵ He asked, “How much bread do you have?”

“Seven loaves,” they said.

^6-10 So Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. After giving thanks, he took the seven bread loaves, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples so they could hand them out to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He pronounced a blessing over the fish and told his disciples to hand them out as well. The crowd ate its fill. Seven sacks of leftovers were collected. There were well over four thousand at the meal. Then he sent them home. He himself went straight to the boat with his disciples and set out for Dalmanoutha.

^11-12 When they arrived, the Pharisees came out and started in on him, badgering him to prove himself, pushing him up against the wall. Provoked, he said, “Why does this generation clamor for miraculous guarantees? If I have anything to say about it, you’ll not get so much as a hint of a guarantee.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

His disciples responded, “What do you expect us to do about it?  The prince of this world (Satan) was probably smiling when the disciples who had done this before expressed their feeling to Jesus with this question.  What were they thinking?  The disciples had fed even more people—over 5000 people with less bread and fish not too long ago on their journey with Jesus.

We in the church so quickly forget when we are tired, worn out in doing good, and just want to live life without all the interruptions of people who need us to do what Jesus asks us to be and do, right?!  We are not perfect people but we are perfectly forgiven by a Savior who understands all our “feels”.  I don’t know if you have noticed this about yourself, but I have discovered that I must put my own feeling aside or nothing of value will get accomplished in God’s Kingdom work of seeking the lost and pointing them to salvation in Jesus. 

“What do you expect us, Lord?

Confession: There are days of weariness when I sit and wonder if following what God says to be and do worth all this effort.  It is then I am quickly reminded by God’s Holy Spirit that my “feelings” which change hourly don’t have anything to do with God’s power working in and through me.  If we are too weary to care—take a nap, stop, and breathe—which sometimes is the most spiritual thing we can do when sarcasm enters into our thoughts, flows through our lips and affects how we feel along with others around us.

The disciples’ comment seems a bit sarcastic: “Buy food out here in the desert?”  But Jesus does not let their sarcasm or weariness stop Him from doing what God, His Father, has given Him to be and do.  Seven loaves of bread turned into seven baskets of leftovers!

As soon as this miracle took place they left by boat to another town to seek and to save the lost.  The badgering, arrogant Pharisees came out in full force against Him.  Show us a miracle to prove who you are was their mantra but that is not really what they are after—they want to maintain their positions and control.  Jesus isn’t having any of this human desire of seeking and answers, “Why does this generation clamor for miraculous guarantees? If I have anything to say about it, you’ll not get so much as a hint of a guarantee.”

Mm.  Is that the only thing I expect from Jesus? –A miraculous guarantee to get me out of my troubles caused by poor decisions or unfairness? 

Lord, what do you expect of me?  Well, there IS scripture that tells exactly what God expects…“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Jesus will fulfill this requirement and more as our example of living God’s way.  Jesus is the standard for believing, trusting, loving, and behaving. 

Lord,

There are so many lessons from this short passage in Mark for us to “chew on” and apply to our daily lives of thinking and behaving.  Help us, Lord to hear your voice above all other voices and follow you. When we are tired, remove the sarcasm that seeps in that offends you.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies, and restore the joy and peace which energizes us as you work out your salvation within us.

In Jesus Name, Amen

At first reading it disturbs our thinking because we have been taught that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Even non-believers know or have heard of this verse.  Is Jesus for everyone or not?  When we reread the passage, we see the compassion in Jesus for the woman who is not a Jew, not a person deemed “God’s chosen people,” but a person who has only heard of Jesus and believes strongly in His power to heal—and Jesus is impressed.

Could it be that Jesus, Son of Man guided by God, know that leaving the highly Jewish populated area to travel into Tyre and the Ten Towns, regions mostly populated of Gentiles would solidify God’s proclamation that He loved and provided for everyone who believes?   

Mark 7, The Message

^24-26 From there Jesus set out for the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house there where he didn’t think he would be found, but he couldn’t escape notice. He was barely inside when a woman who had a disturbed daughter heard where he was. She came and knelt at his feet, begging for help. The woman was Greek, Syro-Phoenician by birth. She asked him to cure her daughter.

²⁷ He said, “Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there’s any left over, the dogs get it.”

²⁸ She said, “Of course, Master. But don’t dogs under the table get scraps dropped by the children?”

^29-30 Jesus was impressed. “You’re right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone.” She went home and found her daughter relaxed on the bed, the torment gone for good.

^31-35 Then he left the region of Tyre, went through Sidon back to Galilee Lake and over to the district of the Ten Towns. Some people brought a man who could neither hear nor speak and asked Jesus to lay a healing hand on him. He took the man off by himself, put his fingers in the man’s ears and some spit on the man’s tongue. Then Jesus looked up in prayer, groaned mightily, and commanded, “Ephphatha!—Open up!” And it happened. The man’s hearing was clear and his speech plain—just like that.

^36-37 Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, beside themselves with excitement. “He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus performed miracles as He ministered to the Gentiles in the region of Tyre and Sidon. This is the only recorded instance of our Lord actually leaving Palestine. He was practicing what He had just taught the disciples: There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, for all are sinners and need the Savior.

Against all odds…There was resistance in this story of the Gentile woman. It must have seemed to her like everything was against her. First, her nationality was against her: She was a Gentile, and Jesus was a Jew. Besides that, she was a woman, and society in that day was dominated by the men. Satan was against her, for one of his demons had taken control in her daughter’s life. The disciples were against her; they wanted Jesus to send her away and let Him (and them) have some rest. For a time, it looked as though even Jesus was against her! It was not an easy situation, and yet she triumphed because of her great faith.

Her reply revealed that faith had triumphed. She did not deny the special place of the “children” (Jews) in God’s plan, nor did she want to usurp it. All she wanted were a few crumbs of blessing from the table, for, after all, “salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:22). It must have made Jesus’ heart rejoice when she took His very words and used them as a basis for her plea! She accepted her place, she believed His Word, and she persisted in her plea, and Jesus not only met her need, but commended her for her faith!

Warren Wiersbe helps us to understand the culture and times with his commentary:  “The region of “Ten Towns” was also Gentile territory, but before Jesus left the region, the people were glorifying the God of Israel (Matthew 15:30, 31). The man they brought to Jesus was handicapped both by deafness and an impediment in his speech, and Jesus healed him. This miracle is recorded only by Mark and would have been especially appreciated by his Roman readers, since this region was like a “Rome away from Rome.”

“Jesus’ word “Ephphatha” is an Aramaic word that means “be opened, be released.” The man did not hear Jesus speak, but the creation heard the command of the Creator, and the man was healed. Both the tongue and the ears functioned normally again.”

I don’t know about you, but my response to this passage is joy unspeakable and full of glory!  I am rejoicing that God is for everyone one of His created!  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost without God—everyone! 

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13, NIV

“In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises.”  Galatians 3:28, MSG

I’m standing on the promises of God! 

Lord,

You are God and we are not.  I trust in you, dear Jesus.  I lean on the Your Holy Spirit for wisdom, insight and understanding that goes beyond my own.  Thank you for balancing the scales that are skewed by the world of prejudice, judgement, jealousy, position seeking, arrogance, and pride.  You love each individual in the world who believes and follows in Your ways.  EVERY person no matter where we come from or who we associate with before knowing you, is welcomed into your Kingdom to grow in an intimate relationship with you through the work of the cross.  The cross indeed was the final word and work of salvation for all!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I want to love like you love me—with no conditions.  Help us, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen

And we’re singing and praising…

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Verse 2
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God…

“If the godly give in to the wicked, it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring.” Proverbs 25:26, NLT

• Is Jesus really the “air” we breathe?
• Is Jesus the “water” we drink to sustain life?
• Is Jesus the “food” we eat as daily manna for our hungry souls?
• Am I polluting the air with ungodly talk for others to hear?
• Am I polluting the living water by adding to what Jesus has said—with my own opinions?
• Am I polluting His Word, (our daily manna), with man-made, “churchy” rules of behavior that have little to nothing to do with salvation and living like Jesus?

These are questions I ask as the enemy of the world continually tries to pollute my air, water, and food spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Jesus is telling the people around him (and we who are reading now) where the source of real pollution can be found. Jesus does not mince words but spells out the Truth very clearly: polluters are frauds who use God and people to gain what they want for themselves.  In the process they pollute (adding what is impure) what God provides for His people that is pure and holy!  

Mark 7, The Message

The Source of Your Pollution

^1-4 The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. They noticed that some of his disciples weren’t being careful with ritual washings before meals. The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they’d give jugs and pots and pans).

⁵ The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, “Why do your disciples brush off the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?”

^6-8 Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact:

These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
    but their heart isn’t in it.
They act like they are worshiping me,
    but they don’t mean it.
They just use me as a cover
    for teaching whatever suits their fancy,
Ditching God’s command
    and taking up the latest fads.”

^9-13 He went on, “Well, good for you. You get rid of God’s command so you won’t be inconvenienced in following the religious fashions! Moses said, ‘Respect your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.’ But you weasel out of that by saying that it’s perfectly acceptable to say to father or mother, ‘Gift! What I owed you I’ve given as a gift to God,’ thus relieving yourselves of obligation to father or mother. You scratch out God’s Word and scrawl a whim in its place. You do a lot of things like this.”

^14-15 Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Listen now, all of you—take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit—that’s the real pollution.”

¹⁷ When he was back home after being with the crowd, his disciples said, “We don’t get it. Put it in plain language.”

^18-19 Jesus said, “Are you being willfully stupid? Don’t you see that what you swallow can’t contaminate you? It doesn’t enter your heart but your stomach, works its way through the intestines, and is finally flushed.” (That took care of dietary quibbling; Jesus was saying that all foods are fit to eat.)

^20-23 He went on: “It’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God is pure, holy, faithful to His promises, loving, merciful and full of grace.  He is all that is right and true.  God never changes.  He can be found faithful in all these ways.

Whatever we believe will be reflected in our behaviors.  What goes in come out.  But Jesus says what comes out can pollute another person’s life as well.  Life is not just about us.  Who we are and what we do affects others around us.  Are we polluters or promoters of the Living Water (Jesus)?

The Pharisees were the source of pollution that muddied the “Living Waters” that gave life.  They polluted the lives of God’s people by using God and His Law to suit their arrogant whims and desires for power.  The created rituals based first on cleanliness, that later evolved into more about ceremonial compliance with punishment. They were dressed up in finery and put on a big show for the paupers of the community.  They felt they had a right to do whatever hearts desired—sin and sin pollutes everything it touches.

Our Response:  Pray for repentance of times that we were the pollutant for others.  David wrote a prayer that perfectly fits:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit” Psalm 51:10-12 (NRSV)

Need more? Here is a few more words of prayer from God’s Word to clean up what pollutes our hearts:

• God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8, NLT).
• Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. (Psalm 24:4, NLT).
• Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23, NLT).
• Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. (James 4:8, NLT).
• You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. (1 Peter 1:22, NLT).
• “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. (John 14:1, NLT).

There are even more scriptures to avoid pollution, but we get the picture, right?  Our enemy pollutes what God has deemed pure and holy.  God will cleanse us of all sin that has polluted our lives when we repent in Jesus Name. 

Go to the Source and Eternal Sustainer of Life! –Jesus!

I Am The Bread Of Life (John 6:35)

I Am The Light Of The World (John 8:12)

I Am The Gate For The Sheep (John 10:7)

I Am The Good Shepherd (John 10:11)

I Am The Resurrection And The Life (John 11:25)

I Am The Way The Truth And The Life (John 14:6)

I Am The True Vine (John 15:1)

Believe and be made whole and holy before God in Jesus Name.

Lord,

Thank you for these thoughts that cause us to pause and reflect on what we are allowing to pollute our beings!  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh, and feed our souls, and restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within us.

In Jesus Name, For your Glory, Amen!

Creation is truly a place of wonder and beauty to me.  I love road trips over majestic mountains.  I marvel in the valleys where rich soil causes growth.  It gives me peace and enjoyment to walk through beautiful gardens that produce every color imaginable along with combinations of color in the leaves and flowering bushes.  I love being by the waters of rushing streams, flowing rivers, lakes, and seas held back in sheltered areas between rising mountains.  Most of all, I could sit and watch the ocean for long periods of time to watch in amazement the creation power on display as the waves recede and then crash on the shore. 

God’s creation as always fascinated me in every detail! In fact, I was that kid who marveled over the veins in falling leaves as I held them under a microscope.  I loved rocks of all kinds and had a collection that categorized them.  Later, I would marvel and wonder how God stitched humans together from the dust of His created earth, “in His own image,” in the intricate, detailed way He did so our bodies could function in this world in sustaining ways if we took care of ourselves. (See Psalm 139) Every cell of our being was made by our Creator with a specific function to give us life!  What a mighty, creative, powerful God we have!  There is no one like our God!

And yet, in all His work He still has time to watch over His created, knows when we are in trouble and need His help…

Mark 6, The Message

Walking on the Sea

^45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.

^47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared to death.

^50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.

^53-56 They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at the landing. As soon as they got out of the boat, word got around fast. People ran this way and that, bringing their sick on stretchers to where they heard he was. Wherever he went, village or town or country crossroads, they brought their sick to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his coat—that’s all. And whoever touched him became well.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

As Mark sticks to the facts, we will, too:

• Jesus is Son of Man and Son of God.  Pause to realize this truth.

• Jesus sends his tired disciples on ahead so He can dismiss the crowd and then go be with His Father in prayer. 

• Jesus prays.  We learn that prayer always precedes the power of God at work through Jesus!  Prayer to God, asking what HE wants in and through us give creation power to do what He asks to do. BE with God first.

• Jesus saw and knew His beloved were in trouble so He immediately went to them to helped them in their struggle against the stormy waters.  Jesus knows when we are in trouble and will help us in our “storms and rough waters” when we call to Him in prayer in Jesus Name!

• Jesus, present at Creation, had creation power as the Son of God. Jesus calmly walks on the sea as if it were just a rough road.  God’s Son was given the power to feed thousands, heal the sick, AND have power over all of creation!  Yes, read that again—this is Who Jesus is!  God in flesh come to save us!

• Jesus provides help and comfort.  Perplexed and downright scared by watching the power of Jesus walking on the sea, the cried out to Him.  Jesus, who embodies peace, not like the world offers in cheap ways, but real peace and calm in a storm, says, “Courage! Don’t be afraid”.  Jesus is the God of all comfort and peace that is offered to us right in the middle of our storms.  He will see us through it until all is calm once more in our every day, go to work lives.  Yes, there is no one like our God!

God’s work continues through His Son, Jesus who has the power that created the world with a few words.  People were healed who came to Him and merely touched Him.

The power of creation is only equaled to the resurrection power God will display when Jesus rises from death to live—in victory of the enemy of evil and darkness.  When we believe, we are given that power within us as we live our lives in trust and obedience to God!  Mm, read that again and let it soak in.

Pause to reflect…

How does the death and resurrection power of Jesus Christ affect your life?

• The resurrection power of Jesus Christ is a truly amazing and awe-inspiring. It is the power that brought Him back to life after His crucifixion, and it is the same power that we have access to as His followers. This power is not just a theoretical concept, but something that we can experience in our lives today.

• The resurrection power that we have through Jesus gives us the ability to overcome sin and temptation, to find hope and joy even in difficult circumstances, and to live with the assurance that we will one day be raised to new life with Christ.

• The resurrection power of Jesus is a source of strength, comfort, and hope that we can rely on every day, and it is a reminder that with God, all things are possible.

Need more proof?

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 1:19-20

But wait, there’s more…

“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, ESV

Do we realized the profound truth that although God loves the whole world generally, He also loves us personally and individually so much that Jesus died for each of us as if there was only one of us?

God didn’t wait for us to clean up our lives and become perfect. God already knew that is an impossibility and so He planned long ago to pour out His grace on our lives by sending His only Son to die on the cross. We do not deserve such grace and we certainly can never earn it. All we must do is believe that Jesus is Who He said He is and learn to live in resurrection power.

Do you really believe what God says really real?  Our behaviors will reflect what we believe.

“Courage!  It’s Me!  Don’t be afraid!” –Jesus

Lord,

There is NO ONE like you!  You saved us then equipped us with Your Power living in us to help us renew our minds as you cleanse our hearts!  You give us new mercies daily to refresh our souls where you abide with us.  You see our struggles and provide a way through them all.  You give us comfort, joy and peace as you continually work your salvation into the depths of our being—all because of your great love for us.  To You be the glory, honor, and praise for all that is good, right, and holy.

In Jesus Name, Amen.  Yes!

If you are full or part time, or a volunteer who serves God’s people lovingly and selflessly who have needs and more needs, you identify with the beginning of Mark’s story well.  “Come off by yourselves—let’s take a break and get a little rest,” says Jesus their leader and master teacher.  So, the disciples get in a boat to try to do that but they are met with even more people with a need to know the Savior and Jesus is not going to turn seekers away.  And we won’t either!

Confession.  One day I was really tired from teaching first graders this particular day.  It was a hectic day with all that goes into a day of teaching little ones where anything and everything could happen.  I was so pressed for time; I didn’t have a spare moment to eat that day.  So, the weakness only grew.  Later in the day, I got a call from Randy, my pastor husband, who related that one of our members had emergency open heart surgery. He said we need to go see him as soon as I finished the school day, “I’ll pick you up.”  After school, we rushed to the hospital.  I don’t always do well with hospitals—it’s mental thing.  But our dear friend was there, and I pushed through and did what it takes to serve him who has suffered trauma and surgery.  Also, this friend came to church every other week but had yet to accept Jesus as Savior.

The surgery was a success.  He was in a VA hospital ward with others recovery from illnesses and surgeries.  He had a tray of unfinished food before him.  He welcomed us with smiles.  That relieved Randy and I.  Suddenly, my phobia, lack of eating or resting kicked in.  I knew I might pass out, but didn’t want to do so in front of our friend—in a hospital ward!  I prayed I would not and held tightly to the rail on the side of his bed.  Randy, who knows me well, knew what was happening.  He told our friend we probably should go so he could rest without telling him what I was feeling.  Good, we were about to leave. I knew if I left the room, breathed deeply, I would be okay.

However, it was THIS day that our friend asked us to pray with him.  He had never asked before.  Of course, we are going to turn back around and pray it through with him.  What a glorious day for we had been praying for him to receive Jesus for years!  Randy prayed, I held on to the side bar once more.  At the end of the prayer, I passed out.  I woke to a young doctor learning over me on the floor beside our friend’s bed with my blood pressure being taken.  It was so embarrassing for me, but it greatly affected our friend who later came to Jesus!  Worth it!

Surprise!! Great things happen when God is in control even when we lose control. Rest will come but not when you planned.  I learned a great lesson that day!  When Jesus calls out to us to come away with Him, do it!  Our rest times are refreshing and keeps us fit spiritually but also physically, mentally, and emotionally.  We must take time to be with God and ask what He wants for his “yoke is lighter and an easier fit.”  We must lay down our burdens of unfitting yokes we place upon ourselves—all the way down!  We must take time to take care of our bodies because our bodies house the “temple” in which God’s Holy Spirit abides in us as He leads us.  Taking time even in small doses through the day with “Lead me, Jesus” prepares us for the next great adventure with God! 

Mark 6, The Message

Supper for Five Thousand

^30-31 The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught. Jesus said, “Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat.

^32-34 So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.

^35-36 When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.”

³⁷ Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.”

They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”

³⁸ But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.”

That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.”

^39-44 Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at the supper.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Where Jesus leads—Follow!  For He knows what is best always.

Jesus provides glorious surprises along our journey when we follow Him.

Jesus calls us to rest and when He does, we must do it.  He knows exactly what we need when we need it most.

God continues to invite us to join Him in His work of “feeding” people with Truth.

Remember, in this story the disciples were hungry, too!  They were fed along with the 5000 plus people gathered there!

God continually asks, “What do you have?”  We tell Him.  He says, that is enough.

Give of your best to the Master…

In Jesus Name, Amen

And we’re singing…

Give of your best to the Master;
Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you will be given;
God His beloved Son gave;
Gratefully seeking to serve Him,
Give Him the best that you have.

Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth;
Clad in salvation’s full armor,
Join in the battle for truth.

Every story has a “back story.”  Here is the Truth of how God demonstrated His love for us through the pregnancies of Elizabeth and Mary.

“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.  He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:11-17

 ^“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”  Luke 1:26-45

TWO COUSINS SENT BY GOD TO BRING THE WORLD TO THEIR KNEES!

One was John, son of a priest and his wife. 

The other one was Jesus, the son of God, born to a virgin and a carpenter.

Yes, John was the earthly cousin of Jesus.  He was born of Elizabeth who was a cousin of Mary.  From before John was born, God gave him purpose and a deep sense of compassion for the lost living in sin without God.  It didn’t matter who you were or what you did, John wanted to bring you to God in repentance to God.  There was no hint of making the message pretty and palatable, John spoke Truth with power and passion from God.  John lived a minimalist lifestyle in the dessert by a river who prepared the path for Jesus, God’s Son.  Jesus would pick up where John left off with the message and same ministry of seeking and saving the lost.  There were differences in the way the two men ministered; but both had the same central focus and mission.  The lost can be saved through repentance of sin to God.  The lost can be found and be known as children of God who live God’s Kingdom ways.

Most were drawn to this passion and power of delivery of what God wants from all of us—to turn back to Him, repent and be saved forever—but others chose to say no even though they were enticed by God’s message, to live until death with a guilty conscience.  Herod was one of them.

Mark 6, The Message

The Death of John

¹⁴ King Herod heard of all this, for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips. He said, “This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead—that’s why he’s able to work miracles!”

¹⁵ Others said, “No, it’s Elijah.”

Others said, “He’s a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets.”

¹⁶ But Herod wouldn’t budge: “It’s John, sure enough. I cut off his head, and now he’s back, alive.”

^17-20 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias “adultery.” Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him, but didn’t dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt—and yet he couldn’t stay away. Something in John kept pulling him back.

^21-22 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias’s daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She charmed Herod and the guests.

^22-23 The king said to the girl, “Ask me anything. I’ll give you anything you want.” Carried away, he kept on, “I swear, I’ll split my kingdom with you if you say so!”

²⁴ She went back to her mother and said, “What should I ask for?”

“Ask for the head of John the Baptizer.”

²⁵ Excited, she ran back to the king and said, “I want the head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!”

^26-29 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. The king sent the executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John’s head. He went, cut off John’s head, brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and got the body and gave it a decent burial.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God created each one of us with a purpose and plan because of His love for us:

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

John led the world to God, then to Jesus, God Son, who would save us forever.

Believe, repent of sins, and be saved and made whole!  As redeemed people devoted to follow Jesus, we are guilt free!  We are free to live in His Presence as He abides in us.  We are free to love like He loves.  We are free to grow in His character—with the help of His Holy Spirit.  We are free and ready to live in expectant hope of life forever with Him!  Yes, repentance of sins to One without sin who paid our debt of sin for us sets us all free!

No more guilty conscience but a life abundant and free!  What does this mean?  We are not perfect, but we are perfectly forgiven.  If we fall or begin to stray, and we will, because God’s love never stops and never gives up on us, His Holy Spirit convicts us so we can get right back on the path again.

Don’t live in guilt—it’s a miserable place to hang out—just ask Herod who died in guilt.

Lord,

Thank you for different slant of perspective on a familiar story.  Thank you for the thoughts you put in our minds to keep us from falling back into the old habits of our old life. Thank you for pulling us back in with the power and wisdom of your Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of the redeemed.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh and fill our souls of your new mercies fresh every morning and restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work with us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Jesus is all we really need to do what He as given us power and authority to do.

Mark 6, The Message

The Twelve

^7-8 Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions:

^8-9 “Don’t think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.

¹⁰ “And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.

¹¹ “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”

^12-13 Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

I wonder.  I pray for us today who do everything and anything to get the attention of the lost today.  I wonder if it is God who gets the attention of the lost and our obedience to God to listen and tell the story when God brings people to Himself is what is needed most? 

Jesus teaches his band of fishermen, tax collectors, farmers, and a treasurer to keep it simple. Look over the steps of their training before He sends them out into the world:

1.  Jesus calls.  Jesus sends in pairs.  This fosters comradery and help for each other.  “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.”  Ecclesiastes 4:9
2. Jesus gives them what they need most:  His authority (In His Name) and His power to overcome the evil one who will oppose them in various ways to discredit or destroy their ministry.  This is a precursor for the Great Commission  the disciples will receive later as Jesus ascends into heaven!  “Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 Paul reemphasizes this commission for us later; “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
3. Jesus instructs:
   1. Keep it simple.
   1. YOU are all the equipment you need.
   1. Be content wherever you are.
   1. Quietly withdraw if they don’t hear and receive the message
4. God’s glory was evident—they were filled with His words—preaching with joyful urgency of radical life change—all in Jesus Name for His glory!
5. Demons were sent packing!

Yes, I wonder if we have made the message too complicated?  I wonder if we are adding what we like but is not needed to tell His story for His glory in  His Name?

Today, I will pray Paul’s prayer that he prayed while in a prison because of preaching Jesus.  Prison does not stop Paul.  He simply carries on the work God gave him to be and do while chained in his dark cell.  He asks others to pray for him as well:

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Colossians 4:2-6

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

Jesus, YOU are all I need.  Abide in me as I live for you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.