Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

–THE PHARISEES ARE HAVING A FIT!

How do you calm someone down when they are having a fit of rage and anger?  What I have learned from being a child, parent, teacher, and servant of God’s church is this: Telling them to calm down is not the answer!  It is hard to calm down a person who is raging because what they are seeing and experiencing is throwing off their thinking and disrupting their normal lives of getting their own way.  It is difficult to almost impossible to calm down a raging person who is irrational in their moment of craziness.  There is no reasoning with them that will take place, only more rage.  A mental and emotional shift is taking place and we need to be the ones who stand by ready to love and care for them.  Be the one who prays and loves, for we have all had these emotional fits that shift our thinking and change our perspective in life. Realize that someone prayed for you.

Is there a doctor in the house, we need help!  Why, yes there is…Jesus!  Jesus points the fit-throwing Pharisees back to the Scripture—the Scripture they have read pompously and religiously in the synagogue.  However, these leaders have added laws with ways to make money off the poor among them while building more power over the people who are simply trying to survive a life in a world where the Romans are the top oppressors.  The religious teachers, priests and scribes play games of manipulation with the Romans while holding on to their power over the people of God.  When their way of life is threatened, their former belief system challenged, what do they do?  They throw a fit!  They are very human.  They refuse to see who Jesus is and why He came.

Matthew 9:1-13, The Message

Who Needs a Doctor?

^1-3 Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus’ hometown. They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, “Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins.” Some religion scholars whispered, “Why, that’s blasphemy!”

^4-8 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . .” At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, “Get up. Take your bed and go home.” And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.

⁹ Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him.

^10-11 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and misfits?”

^12-13 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” –Jesus, the Doctor of complete healing

Jesus came to bring order to the chaos of confusion about who God is and what He wants for His people.  But to get their attention, it will disrupt current thinking.  The Doctor has come into the neighborhood of humanity to listen to people while examining their hearts.  He investigates their minds and then fills their empty souls with His love and compassion.  The Doctor heals, restores, and eventually does the ultimate—Jesus will fulfill all Scripture by “carrying our sins” to the cross of punishment that should have been ours to endure. 

Jesus is the compassionate Healing Doctor who brings healing of all kinds to people of all walks of life.  If that wasn’t enough, Jesus, who did no wrong, will pay for our sins.  Camp on that thought for a moment.  Then consider this:  In that moment of time, with all the sins of the world, then and now, placed on His shoulders, God must look away from His Son.  God cannot be where sin is so He turns His face from His Son until “It is finished” and the debt paid in full.  Wow.

But the mission wasn’t complete with what man did to Jesus.  God restored Jesus with full resurrection power causing life to flow through His veins once more!  This resurrection power sent Jesus to hell and back again to defeat our real enemy, The Tempter, as well as death.  Yes, Jesus rose from death to full life to walk around in His scarred body for all His followers to see, touch and feel.  Further proof that God does what He says He will do.

Yes, Jesus is the “Doctor in the house” who came for the sick, not the healthy with healing in ways no one else could offer.  Jesus also restored our relationship with God, the ultimate goal.  He came to restore us from the sickness of sin in humanity, the sick and broken, to full health and life eternal—All because of God’s amazing 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)

The Doctor is in and waiting to see you! Don’t reject Him, run to Him and be healed and set free to live, really live!

Lord,

Thank you for this lesson that caused gratitude to well up in my heart to overflowing with praises on my lips for all you have done for me, in me and through me.  Thank you for healing and restoration! Thank you for saving my soul.  Daily I come for your cleansing, renewing, refreshing, and feeding of my heart, mind and soul and you deliver!  Thank you for restoring the joy of your salvation at work by you in me.  Thank you for deliverance from the enemy.  You are Life.  You are Hope.  You are Savior and Lord to me.  You are all I need!  I pray for those who need you to run to you now…

In Jesus Name, Amen

When Jesus shows up, everything we thought we knew about life changes.  When Jesus becomes not only our Savior but the Lord, the Master Teacher, the One and Only we trust as our Guide—life is not the same as it was before.  We have a new attitude!

Some of my family members and friends often scoff at the faith I have in Jesus.  Their sarcasm can be hurtful at times, but not surprising.  Lost people trying to do life completely on their own, who think they can handle all that comes their way all by themselves, have an attitude of pride and arrogance that will bring them down eventually.  We all suffer from this sin nature, meaning that self can run the show until self fails and falls.  Until they face extreme hard times that are completely out of their control; most will reject the One who can lead them to what is real—the Way to Truth and Life forever. 

“Only when pigs fly, will I consider accepting Jesus” say lost people.

Well, guess what?!  In our next passage, pigs fly!  I’d say it’s time to reconsider the power of Jesus who loves us relentlessly, like no other human on earth, as He extends all the mercy and grace we need to do life at His best! 

Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life.  Jesus is the answer to all your questions.  Jesus causes the pigs to fly—off a cliff.

Matthew 8, The Message

The Madmen and the Pigs

^28-31 They landed in the country of the Gadarenes and were met by two madmen, victims of demons, coming out of the cemetery. The men had terrorized the region for so long that no one considered it safe to walk down that stretch of road anymore. Seeing Jesus, the madmen screamed out, “What business do you have giving us a hard time? You’re the Son of God! You weren’t supposed to show up here yet!” Off in the distance a herd of pigs was grazing and rooting. The evil spirits begged Jesus, “If you kick us out of these men, let us live in the pigs.”

^32-34 Jesus said, “Go ahead, but get out of here!” Crazed, the pigs stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned. Scared to death, the swineherds bolted. They told everyone back in town what had happened to the madmen and the pigs. Those who heard about it were angry about the drowned pigs. A mob formed and demanded that Jesus get out and not come back.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Not everyone will respond to the changes Jesus makes in our lives.  That’s okay, go with Jesus who never fails us.

This dramatic incident is most revealing. It shows what Satan does for people: robs them of sanity and self-control; fills them with fears; robs them of the joys of home and friends; and, if possible, condemns them to an eternity of judgment. It also reveals what society does for those in need: restrains them, isolates them, and threatens them, but is unable to change them. In contrast, see what Jesus Christ can do for a person whose whole life—within and without—is plagued by bondage and battle.

Public Enemy Number One:  Notice that the “demons” knew Jesus well as they were from Satan, God’s angel who was kicked out of heaven because Satan’s pride overtook him.  Satan wanted to be God.  This same arrogant attitude is pressed upon us in our fallen, sin state of mind before humbly coming to Jesus.  Every character trait Satan wants us to possess in order to destroy us, or at least distract us from God is the extreme opposite of God’s character.  (Read Galatians 5 for the difference between Godly character traits and the traits Satan.)

Know God.  Know, accept, and believe His Son, Jesus.  Know the real enemy of our existence in this world.  Choose this day whom you will serve, worship, trust and obey—it’s a matter of life or death.  Don’t wait for pigs to fly!

Lord,

Thank you for bringing my attention and focus to all that is You. Thank you for changing my life by saving my soul.  Thank you for daily cleansing my heart, renewing my mind, refreshing and feeding my soul while restoring the joy of your salvation at work within me. You are Life to me.  I am yours.  Lead me…

In Jesus Name, Amen

When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.                                                                                                   Isaiah 43:2

I remember taking swimming lessons at the public pool in my hometown as a child.  I listened intently to my instructor as he demonstrated while telling me how to use my body to push the water in one direction so I could glide on top in the opposite direction to get to the other side.  We eventually learned and practiced all the strokes of swimming—in the shallow end. 

Then he took us to the deep end of the pool.  “Jump in,” he said, “use what you have learned to dive in and swim in the deep end of the pool.”  What now, you want me to do what?  Suddenly I felt as if all the learning of previous days of practice in the shallow end completely went out the window of my mind.  Panic set it.

I looked over the deep water where I knew my feet would not securely touch the bottom while my head remained above the water and panic grew.  All the trust I had in my teacher was forgotten.  My knees were weak.  “I can’t do this” the voice in my head kept shouting.  But the teacher shouted louder, “You can do this.  I’ve taught you what to do.  Use what you have learned. It doesn’t matter how deep the water is, it’s still water and you can swim in it and on top of it.”  “AND, I’ll be there to help you if you need it.”

Matthew 8:23-27, The Message

^23-25 Then he got in the boat, his disciples with him. The next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat—and he was sound asleep! They roused him, pleading, “Master, save us! We’re going down!”

²⁶ Jesus reprimanded them. “Why are you such cowards, such faint-hearts?” Then he stood up and told the wind to be silent, the sea to quiet down: “Silence!” The sea became smooth as glass.

²⁷The men rubbed their eyes, astonished. “What’s going on here? Wind and sea stand up and take notice at his command!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

I totally get you, disciples!  Even though most of you were experienced fishermen on the sea, you still panicked at the waves sweeping over the sides of the boat in the deep waters! 

We read this familiar bible story of Jesus silencing the waves and calming the seas by his word alone and we sometimes wonder why the disciples were “astonished”, amazed that He could do what they asked Him to do— “Save us!”  But then we realize we have the same response to God’s glory at work in our lives when we pass through the deep waters of overwhelming worry and anxieties over troubles we cannot control or fix.

We don’t look for trouble.  We don’t plan for trouble.  But troubles find us and unexpectedly rise up behind us, before us and all around us while we stand helpless right in the middle of these deep waters of trouble. All we feel is panic.  All we can think  to do is exactly what the disciples did instinctively—cry out in panic, “Jesus, save us,” right?!  None of us have a faith that is yet totally perfected.  Faith in God grows with each challenge we as we go through the deep waters with His promise, “I will be with you, you will not drown.”

Troubles in life are like playing the game Wackamole.  When you wack one mole of a problem down, another one pops up.  We can spend a lot of energy trying to wack at these problems or trust in Jesus to take us through the problems.

Later, after many more faith lessons, Jesus will be taken soon to complete his mission on earth to save us completely from all our sins by being nailed to a cross.  Imagine Jesus looking into the eyes of His devoted disciples to verify and reassure what they have learned as they jump into the deep end of the pool of life without His physical presence!

“Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”  John 16:33 MSG

As we go through deep waters may we be deeply at peace with the One and Only who can calm the sea with one word. 

And is it really so surprising that Jesus, God’s Son, who was with God as He created the world we live in, with merely word commands, can indeed calm the sea He Himself created?  I don’t think so.

“Let there be light, and there was light…” Genesis 1:3

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Lord,

You are life.  You are Hope.  You are indeed Light in this dark world.  You created us and know us inside and out.  You love us unconditionally.  You teach us real faith that lasts by taking us through our trials and troubles on earth.  And You are always with us as we go through it all. Thank you for saving us, growing, and maturing us as we place all our trust in you.  I believe.  You are amazing and I am yours!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

To work my way through college and at other times of my life for extra funds, I worked in the retail business.  Some days were alive with people willing to stand in long lines to purchase what we were selling.  Those very busy days that made my time at work pass quickly, sometimes missing lunch breaks without realizing that I did.  I was too busy to be hungry! That’s not like me! I loved busy days!  I felt accomplished.  I learned much more on a busy day, full of surprises and challenges, that on a “dead” day did not teach.  It is interesting that in the business world at the end of day, in our reporting, we describe business as “alive or dead.” 

Dead days are times of merely passing the time with nonessential activity that doesn’t really matter to the people we served.  As employees, we look for things to do to justify our pay or we might be sent home.  Hourly people don’t get a wage for going home!  We would clean and reorganize our work spaces for no apparent reason other than to look busy on a dead day of business.  (Kind of like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!)

Jesus stops on a very busy, alive day of serving people to make a strong point about how we go about the business of living.  Listen in as He gives a new perspective to those who think they want to follow Him…

Matthew 8:18-22, The Message

Your Business Is Life, Not Death

^18-19 When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was growing by the minute, he told his disciples to get him out of there to the other side of the lake. As they left, a religion scholar asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said.

²⁰ Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.”

²¹ Another follower said, “Master, excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have my father’s funeral to take care of.”

²² Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

FIRST GOD.  God created us in our mother’s womb.  He knew us before we were formed.  He gave us life.  (Psalm 139)  Jesus provided the Way to spiritual Life eternal through rebirth in Kingdom of God thinking and behaving.  God sent Jesus to secure our life eternal with all who believe.  (John 3:16)

So then, who we are and what we do in between rebirth and eternal life matters to God! What does our “business of living” look like?  Is it alive or dead? 

Jesus says life depends on who you seek first, listen to and then decide to follow at all costs—before doing anything of significance each day. God brings life.  Jesus IS Life.  Anything else brings dead living, just marking time, merely keeping busy to look busy to others, until you physically die.  Well, that’s no way to live, says Jesus!

GO TELL.  Jesus will share with us the “end game” of the business of living at the end of Matthew’s reporting.  Here is a glimpse:

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

“Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”  Matthew 28:5-7, MSG

No matter what is occupying your mind, no matter what activity you are involved in at the moment, no matter what your feelings are that distract you—When God shows us; Do what God says.

There’s much more in Matthew but this is enough for now.  

STAY ALIVE.  Seek God first, the rest of life will follow.  Come alive in Christ, Paul writes—

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4, NIV

^“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  Ephesians 2:10, NIV

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8, NIV

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ—“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” Romans 5:17 Life is a gift from God given while we were still in sin!  What amazing love this is!

“…so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21, NIV

GLORIOUS DAYS ARE ALIVE IN JESUS DAYS!

Sing with me, “Glorious Day” written by Jason Ingram, Jonathan Smith, Kristian Stanfill, Sean Curran—

I was buried beneath my shame

Who could carry that kind of weight

It was my tomb

Till I met You

I was breathing, but not alive

All my failures I tried to hide

It was my tomb

Till I met You

You called my name

And I ran out of that grave

Out of the darkness

Into Your glorious day

Now Your mercy has saved my soul

Now Your freedom is all I know

The old made new

Jesus, when I met You

You called my name

And I ran out of that grave

Out of the darkness

Into Your glorious day

I needed rescue

My sin was heavy

But chains break at the weight of Your glory

I needed shelter

I was an orphan

But You call me a citizen of heaven

When I was broken

You were my healing

Your love is the air that I’m breathing

I have a future

My eyes are open

You called my name

And I ran out of that grave

Out of the darkness

Into Your glorious day!

Lord,

Thank you for saving my soul, bringing real Life from dead living!

In Jesus Name, Amen

I have gone to all kinds of pastor/youth-worker conferences where the best-known speakers, effective in their own ministries, are called in to give people on the “front lines” of ministry encouragement and help with more ways of doing ministry to consider. Those that helped me the most were the humbled men and women who told of how God turned things around for them because of their faith and trust in Him, not necessarily by their methods. These people filled my hungry soul again with who God is and what HE can do in and through us—more than those who boasted of their best, “highly effective habits”, as leaders of their organization called church.  However, one can glean from all of them when you ask God to teach you through whoever the speaker is in front of you.  God is amazing like that.

Add outstanding leaders of worship of God to this mix along with relating to those between sessions who do what you do and understand the highs and lows of ministry, we are highly encouraged and challenged on this mountain top where no one is calling upon us to address issues of “great importance” for a few days. We are free to learn, grow in faith, regain complete trust in God we love.  We confess all our past mistakes in judgement and missteps in ministry—all sins at the altar of forgiveness by Jesus.  We are renewed and refreshed, ready to go back to the world we serve.  We are overflowing with excitement and new energy as we realize once more that with God in the lead, nothing is impossible with Him.

What we learn from the mountain top:  God must lead, we must follow.

What we apply from the learning will be evident in the doing.  BE then DO. 

Jesus is our Perfect example who showed us how to love people on and off the mountain.  Jesus comes down the mountain smiling, “with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears;” then, without hesitation it seems, He is caring for those who need Him most.  Jesus heals, restores, and “carries our diseases”—doing everything exactly the way the prophets said He would.  He follows the leading of His Father, God.

Matthew 8:1-17, The Message

^1-2 Jesus came down the mountain with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears. Then a leper appeared and dropped to his knees before Jesus, praying, “Master, if you want to, you can heal my body.”

^3-4 Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone. Jesus said, “Don’t talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.”

^5-6 As Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, “Master, my servant is sick. He can’t walk. He’s in terrible pain.”

⁷ Jesus said, “I’ll come and heal him.”

^8-9 “Oh, no,” said the captain. “I don’t want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I’m a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

^10-12 Taken aback, Jesus said, “I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works. This man is the vanguard of many outsiders who will soon be coming from all directions—streaming in from the east, pouring in from the west, sitting down at God’s kingdom banquet alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.”

¹³ Then Jesus turned to the captain and said, “Go. What you believed could happen has happened.” At that moment his servant became well.

^14-15 By this time they were in front of Peter’s house. On entering, Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law sick in bed, burning up with fever. He touched her hand and the fever was gone. No sooner was she up on her feet than she was fixing dinner for him.

^16-17 That evening a lot of demon-afflicted people were brought to him. He relieved the inwardly tormented. He cured the bodily ill. He fulfilled Isaiah’s well-known revelation:

He took our illnesses,
He carried our diseases.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Faith leads people to Jesus. 

Jesus is impressed by real faith in Him. 

Jesus heals and restores.

Do we really believe in who God is and what He says about Himself and His Son, Jesus really real?  Our behaviors will reflect the depth of our faith in Him.

For me, the most startling words by Jesus in middle of His ministry to a leper, a servant of a Roman soldier, Peter’s mom, and the demon possessed are; “those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.”

We need to consistently check our hearts, minds, and souls.  Do a faith check today.  I don’t want to be caught out in the cold, do you? I want the faith of the Centurion that Jesus saw as real faith: “What you believed could happen has happened.” 

Lord,

I’m listening and learning from you in the quiet of this first hour of the day.  You never disappoint.  Our daily “manna” time together is of mountain top proportions and fills my hungry and thirsty soul.  But now the day must begin and tasks accomplished.  I know that you will lead me through the shallow to deep waters, through good times and the not so good times. 

Thank you, Lord.  I believe.  I know that nothing is impossible when you are leading and guiding me.  You are my life.  I believe what you say.  I am eternally grateful for all you have done, what you are doing now and what you will do in my life.  Thank you for allowing me to be an “insider to grace” while knowing what lies ahead for me—a home with You forever.  You are my blessed assurance, my hope of things to come but not yet seen now.  Help me live by faith.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Nothing is more irritating in my little world as forgetting a password to an account so I can simply pay a bill or research information!  I could be a loyal customer for years but if I don’t know (forgot) the password—I’m out of luck and no longer exist.  I am “dead” to them unless I know the way in.  Why make it so hard?  I know you are going to tell me, “it’s a security protection for me”, but if I just want to pay my bill, let me.  And, by the way, who’s going to want in to pay it for me?  Seriously, if someone wants to pay my bills—let them in!

The tech world is now run by passwords and with double security checks!  They ask questions that force me to remember my childhood playmate from first grade or who made me mad in the church nursery as an infant.  Life gets even harder when what I thought was my password is no longer is the way to get in! Sometimes our bank will tighten up their security by no longer accepting my password, requiring me to come up with an entirely new password that is original, unique only to me, never been used, unforgettable, and must contain about a thousand characters!  Ugh.

This and other irritations of life come from being too busy, too much in a hurry, seeking all that is crazy and mostly insignificant.  We don’t allow ourselves any margin for error in our lives.  This song, “Breathe,” convicts me this morning:

Alarm clock screaming bare feet hit the floor
It’s off to the races everybody out the door
I’m feeling like I’m falling behind, it’s a crazy life

Ninety miles an hour going fast as I can
Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand
So much to do in so little time, it’s a crazy life
It’s ready, set, go it’s another wild day
When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel you say just

Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe

Third cup of joe just to get me through the day
Want to make the most of time but I feel it slip away
I wonder if there’s something more to this crazy life
I’m busy, busy, busy, and it’s no surprise to see
That I only have time for me, me, me
There’s gotta be something more to this crazy life
I’m hanging on tight to another wild day
When it starts to fall apart in my heart I hear you say just

Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need

Is to take it in, fill your lungs
The peace of God that overcomes
Just breathe (just breathe)
let your weary spirit rest
Lay down what’s good and find what’s best
Just breathe (just breathe)

Just breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe
Just breathe

Source: LyricFind, Songwriters: Jonathan Smith / Jonny Diaz / Tony Wood

No passwords with God, knowing Jesus is seriously to Way to God!  Then do what God says!

Matthew 7:13-29, The Message

Being and Doing

^13-14 “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

^15-20 “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.

^21-23 “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doingwhat my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our super-spiritual projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

^24-25 “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

^26-27 “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

^28-29 When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Be before Doing.  Be still before God, let go of our will, so we can hear the will of God.  Then do it! 

To be before doing means talking with God first.  Jesus taught us how to talk to God in pray in this same powerful sermon on the mountainside. 

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”                          (Matthew 6:9-13, NIV, emphasis mine)

Breathe in God’s Holy Spirit with each breath we take.  Listen to our Helper who leads us to take a beat in our efforts to manage our lives to get to know God better so we can do life His way for our best! 

Read Psalm 46:10-11, slowly, and take all the time needed to just breathe.

“He (God) says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.’

The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Let’s break down what God is saying to us—

• Be still and know that I am God.
• Be still and know.
• Be still.
• Be.

The password is BE then DO.  You’re welcome.

Lord,

I’m taking deep breaths physically right now in order to let go and be still before you.  I am emptying my mind of today’s agenda so I can hear your plan.  I am being before doing anything which I am learning actually saves time and effort on my part.  Doing what you say after being with you brings peace and joy in the doing.  Thank you, Lord, for lessons in what we really need—to be at your feet with eyes fixed on you.  Help me to breathe.

In Jesus Name, Amen

It is the first day of school.  The students run in with eagerness, ready to reunite with all their friends.  As I former teacher, I remember every first day of school.  Their adrenalin at extreme levels packed them with excitement.  First day meant unprovoked giggling and laughter while supplies fell out from overpacked backpacks. 

Most teachers, like myself, are also excited to meet our new students!  But we are also challenged because it is a day of explaining the procedures that will guide the success of being in the class to learn and grow in knowledge together.  It is “the behavior plan” that will help all students work alongside each other for optimum learning.  They are called “the rules” for the year.  The rules will bring order to chaos that would ensue without a guide to help them learn in a designated space with many others. 

Yes, this is the first day activity after assigning seats and putting supplies away.  “One, two three, eyes on me,” says the teacher as she/he begins the lesson on expected behavior so all will go well in the learning process.

Jesus, our Master Teacher, the Master of all great teaching methods for optimum learning, gives his followers a guide for behavior on the mountain top that day that simplified what they had been told.  This guide came from the heart of God so that life will go well as followers learn and grow in God’s ways. 

Matthew 7:1-12, The Message

A Simple Guide for Behavior

^1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

⁶ “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.

^7-11 “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

¹² “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God’s guide is designed to keep our eyes on Him, learn how He works, how he loves, along with how He treats those He loves so we can grow up, consistently maturing with the holy traits of His character.  As we love Him back, we realize the depth of love He has for us which enables us to go deeper in our love for each other. 

God’s love is amazing.  “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, NIV)  God also sent His Son, Jesus to teach us how to live here with each other before we spend eternity with Him where He is.

Jesus’ teaching is masterful and incredibly genius!  Read and we will notice that the same “rules for the classroom” are wonderfully articulated as a simple guide for living a life that please God and protects us from each other while providing for our basic needs. 

Love God.  Love Each Other.  These two great commandments are at the root of the “rules” for living.  Without the love of God in our hearts, the rules are only rules.  With the love of God in our hearts we see the reason for the rules that guide us in our intimate, ever growing relationship with God and for others.

The students in my classroom didn’t always follow the rules, shocking I know, but after the consequences were dealt with, the apologies given; the students were given a fresh start with forgiveness. The past was put behind them; a new day before them.  I learned that from Jesus!   Jesus, the Master Teacher, was my “go to” as my guide for my own behavior.

Lord,

You are Life.  You have all the answers for living life well.  I run to you when perplexed over problems, overwhelmed with overthinking, and confused about certain circumstances that rise up to bring me down and distract me from you.  Thank you for the greatest sermon on earth that explains how to live in ways that please you most and protects us from each other.  Now give me the courage and wisdom to live it daily.  May your love lead my behaviors.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“You are my strength when I am weak, You are the treasure that I seek…”

During the pandemic of covid we all did it.  We stocked up on toilet paper!  We bought more than we needed because everyone else was stockpiling it for unknown reasons other than “just in case.”  In case of what?  I really never understood why toilet paper became such an “issue of tissues” of great proportion, a “clear and present danger” if we didn’t stockpile this national treasure in our homes!  Our FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) was on high alert!  “All we like sheep…”

I wonder if God and his angels were tearfully laughing over what mankind was thinking and doing during this challenging time in our world when we all could have pulled together—in His Name for His glory?  But I also wonder how His heart must have grieved over souls without Jesus who lost their lives while we were busy buying toilet paper and arguing? I wonder how God felt when we who said we were believers who could withstand anything that life would give us because of our faith in God, began to argue and cause division over stupid stuff?  Mask or no mask?  Hoard before others can get what they need?  Close or not to close public places?  And the list goes on and on and still does…

No matter what we think about the stupid stuff, it just doesn’t matter in the end.  The real issue was and is, the condition of our hearts showing what we treasure most—our way or God’s way.  Yikes.

Jesus preaches a better way to live a life of God-worship!  Put down the toilet paper and cling to the lasting treasures of God’s relentless love, tremendous mercies that are fresh with each new day, along with His gifts of grace.  Stockpile the peace that passes all understanding that Jesus provides for us on earth that follows us to heaven!  Pile up wisdom that God generously gives when we ask and use it now to live life to the full!  Store up the eternal joy that fills our souls and transfers to heaven without losing anything in the passage. 

“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

Matthew 6:19-34, The Message

A Life of God-Worship

^19-21 “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

^22-23 “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!

²⁴ “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.

^25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

^27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

^30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

³⁴ “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

FOCUS ON GOD!  I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty silly about buying toilet paper.  Every time I look at a roll of it, I think about how foolish mankind was (and is) and thank God for saving me and teaching me through uncertain times with His blessed assurance. 

FOMO?  Not a chance, if we believe in Jesus and what He has done to save us!  Don’t miss out on the saving grace of Jesus Christ!  He is the treasure that we seek!  His character traits become what we seek as we grow to be like the One who saved us from all our sins!

INVEST!  All the treasures that we should invest in, take inventory of, and stockpile in our hearts, minds and souls grow significantly and exponentially as God does His special work in us.  These are the treasures that transfer to heaven:

“…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”  Galatians 5:22-26

People are drawn to the One who invested His life in us by laying down His life for us.

May our lives tell the story of the glory of our One who died and rose again, “the pearl of great price”, the Hope of heaven, the Savior and Lord of our lives—all because of His love for His created.  He is the treasure that I seek…

In Jesus Name, Amen

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all

Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord to give up I’d be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name
Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name

Taking my sin my cross my shame
Rising again I bless your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down you pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all

Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name
Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name

Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name
Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name

Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name
Jesus Lamb of God worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name

Source: LyricFind Songwriter: Dennis Jernigan

• Sometimes we wait until problems and circumstances overwhelm us before we pray to Father God who is standing by to help.
• Sometimes we wait to pray until we feel we have the “right words” to say to Him.
• Sometimes we wait until our bitterness becomes less predominant in our thoughts before we pray.
• Sometimes we wait until we feel better about ourselves before we pray.
• Sometimes we wait until our angry subsides over being wronged before we pray.
• Sometimes we wait until we can be honest about our sins before we pray—as if God didn’t know.
• And sometimes we pray out loud, in public, at church, and don’t mean a word we say.

I have learned to pray no matter what, on all occasions, because it is God who is waiting on us to talk with Him simply and humbly so He can tell us how problems can be solved, how life can be better by making us better with renewed minds, cleansed hearts, refreshed souls with restored joy that is eternal.  The words don’t matter as much as the heart does.  Jesus said…

Matthew 6:5-18, The Message

Pray with Simplicity

⁵ “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for fifteen minutes of fame! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

⁶ “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

^7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
    as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
    Yes. Yes. Yes.

^14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

^16-18 “When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don’t make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won’t make you a saint. If you ‘go into training’ inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn’t require attention-getting devices. He won’t overlook what you are doing; he’ll reward you well.

Lord,

Hallowed is Your Name.  Great are you, Lord.  May Your Kingdom come and dwell in my thoughts.  May Your Will be done in every detail of my life today.  Give us this day a time to rejoice and a time to reflect on who we really need—You.  Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who hurt and offend us.  Lead us not into temptations to take care of matters on our own, to fight back, or to get even but deliver us from evil and evil’s schemes to distract and destroy us.  Nothing is too hard for you.  We can do nothing of significance without you.  Come, Lord Jesus, and abide in us as we abide in you.  To you be all the glory, honor, and praise forever and ever, Amen!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

There are many things that we do, as believers and not yet believers, that must break the heart of God as he looks over the earth seeking those who are completely committed to Him.  One of those heartbreaking behaviors is “acting as it” we know it all as do only what it takes to look good in front of others but wouldn’t lift a finger unless we have an audience.  I have known people on the job who only smile, get up from their chair to do the work with you, when they hear the boss come walking down the hall.  They “act as it” they have been doing it all along and boast of all they have done with how hard it was to do it!  When the boss leaves, they return to their complaining perch while you finish the tasks assigned.  Sigh.

I have known people who do good but must have a photo of themselves doing good in order to get the applause of those they so desperately want to impress.  Sigh.

I will never forget a profound experience I had as a new first grade teacher.  I was asked by my church family, who I thought could use some help at Christmas—the “needy family” we could help as a project.  At first, I didn’t feel comfortable with the words they used, but I did know a family who could use the help. I loved this family and I loved teaching their little boy who was such a great helper to me in our first grade classroom.  He was always quietly eager to help, not like the other kids who shouted, “I want to help” until I told them what the task involved.  Daniel would humbly do whatever I asked him to do—without complaining!  He was rare kid and I loved his beautiful attitude.  I knew of some his circumstances at home and I did want to help.

However, before giving the name of this family to the church, I first asked the mom if we could help because I highly respected Daniel’s family.  It was a few days before Christmas when churches and other benevolent organizations pick the “needy” to help because, well, it’s Christmas!  They may have good intentions at first but then these good intentions turn into public photo shoots to display their “goodness.”  Sigh. 

This is why I approached the family first.  I found out they had been burned with good intentions of an organization who gave with strings attached along with humiliation.  This organizations would give only if the news media was there at the “giving” so pictures could be made, the family interviewed, and a story about how good the giving organization was to bestow gifts at Christmas to this “needy” family going through a rough patch. Sigh.

I was appalled at hearing about her family’s previous experience.  I told her our church, which I was a part of, would not treat them in this manner.  I told her we would come only to leave the gifts for you and your husband to give to your family as you see fit.  No photos.  No applause.  We only want to help because I love your little boy so much and I highly respect the young gentleman you are raising to be a good citizen of our classroom.  She then accepted the help only when she felt the love behind it.  Love is the key.

Matthew records the message Jesus gives to people who want to learn who God is and how to please Him.  Playacting is not one of those ways.  “Acting as if” breaks the heart of God and cheapens the giving.

Matthew 6:1-4, The Message

The World Is Not a Stage

“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.

^2-4 “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Be like Daniel, my former first grader, who had the gift of giving, who knew how to please his teacher with his humble attitude and willingness to obey because we loved and respected each other.

Let Love lead. God’s Love in us must lead our actions and behaviors that flow from pure hearts.

Help without thinking about applause with rewards. 

Be a helper who obeys God’s promptings to help because He knows who needs it most at just the right time.

Do what God’s Holy Spirit says at the right time, in the right place, in the right Spirit without a thought to what you will receive in return.  This is the definition of a true disciple of Jesus.

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”  Colossians 3:17, NLT

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23) We all experience and fall for the temptation of pride.  We must run from the temptation of doing good only for the applause of those we want to impress on earth.  The sin of pride is prompted by the evil one who was kicked out of heaven for possessing this very character flaw.  Satan still wants all the glory.  So, run from pride that seeks applause every time you help someone.  “Pride goes before a fall” is one the most quoted Proverbs for a reason.  (Proverb 16:18)

And no photos, please!  The only picture of us necessary is the one God sees. God sees our hearts and knows our motivations.  Be still and know God, let go of self-righteousness, and look up for His help to be better at doing good deeds to benefit others—prompted by His Holy Spirit. 

Being comes before doing any good work in Jesus Name.  Jesus spent quiet time with His Father in Heaven before doing…who are we to think we don’t need direction from the same Father?

“That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.”  Matthew 6:4, MSG

Lord,

Thank you for teaching us to keep our motivations in sync with Your Holy Spirit.  Forgive us when we go off the grid of your love, mercy, and grace and do only what pleases our selfish desires.  Be our wisdom and strength for today. 

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen