Ofended and Amazed

Mark 6

3b They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. 4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.

This same Jesus Who calmed the storm and raised the dead was not respected at all in His “hometown” of Nazareth. Mark records that the people there were deeply offended and refused to believe in Him. Their unbelief resulted in few miracles being performed there, and in the amazement of Jesus Himself. In fact, the only times I can recall Jesus being amazed, it is at the unbelief of folks around him. I have no desire to ever amaze Jesus that way. Instead, may I continue to be amazed at His love, grace, and mercy in my life. May I also share those precious gifts with others around me at all times.

They Laughed

Mark 5

40a The crowd laughed at him.

Jesus has just told Jairus that his daughter was not dead, but asleep. This, after the report that his daughter had died came to Jairus while he and Jesus were on their way to his house. This happens right after the woman with the issue of blood touches the hem of Jesus’ garment and is instantly healed. This, after the Disciples had witnessed Jesus calm the storm with mere words. What must they have been thinking when the crowd laughed at Jesus? Were they secretly hoping that Jesus would inflict some good ole Sons of Thunder type wrath on the crowd? Were they terrified about what would happen next? The Bible doesn’t say. We do know that Jesus ignored the crowd, raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead and went on about His business. Perhaps when the crowd laughs at us because of our faith in Christ, we should follow His lead: ignore them, and go on about our business. Easier said than done, my friends.

Holy Terror

Mark 4

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Did you catch the reaction of the Disciples? After Jesus calms the storm with “mere words,” (lol, He IS the Word of God), they are TERRIFIED. I wonder if I have ever been terrified when I think of Jesus. If not, why not? This Jesus Who IS the Word of God is a friend, just like He was to His Disciples in the boat. He is ALSO God in the flesh, and as such, our friendship should not be trifled with. It is not a relationship to take casually or flippantly. I fear that I have been guilty of that attitude in the past, and I am afraid that I know way too many people who have that attitude today. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is Master. Jesus is God. To treat Him any other way is foolish. A little Holy Terror might be a good thing for us all from time to time.

Family of God

Mark 3

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. 32 There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”

33 Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34 Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. May I be found doing God’s will in my daily life. May I love the way Jesus loves. May I obey the way Jesus obeys our Heavenly Father. May I live in such a manner as to be counted worthy to be considered a brother of Jesus.

Easier Said Than Done

Psalm 37

1 Don’t worry about the wicked

or envy those who do wrong.

2 For like grass, they soon fade away.

Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

This Psalm of David reminds me of the saying, “easier said than done.” Like David, I want to remember this, and live it out daily. I love my Lord and I love His provision in my life.

Anger and Saddness

Mark 3

1 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.

5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts.

Want to know what angers and saddens Jesus? Hard hearted religious folks. When we think that we have it all together, and when our rules outweigh our compassion, we anger and sadden Jesus. May I NEVER be guilty of that again.

Spiritual Discipline

Mark 1

35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

A spiritual discipline I am still not very good at. May this be the year, when I improve my walk with Christ in this manner.

At Once

Mark 1

16 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

“At once.” Not, “in a few minutes,” or “when it is more convenient for me,” but “at once.” THAT is the proper response to the call of Christ. May I always remember this, and may I pass along that attitude to others.

Perfect Gift

Matthew 28

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

God’s Valentine’s gift to mankind is the resurrected Lord Jesus. Our Valentine’s gift to the world is to share the Gospel, baptizing people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey Christ always. There is no better gift that can be given on this or any other day.

Skills and Call

Exodus 36

1 “The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary. Let them construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the Lord has commanded.”

The LORD has gifted Ian musically, and given him a heart for ministry, but he is scared, living in denial, and running from God. Had a long conversation with him about all of this again yesterday while on our way to Kissimmee to help move Emily back on campus. I am praying that God will convict Ian so severely that Ian is miserable until he gets back in a state of obedience to God’s call on his life. I love this son of mine more than life itself, and I pray that I can be a positive influence on him. If Bezalel, Oholiab, and the skilled craftsmen had ignored their calling, the tabernacle would have been built by others, and these guys would NOT be part of God’s story. I do NOT want that fate for Ian by any stretch of the imagination!

Lasting Effects

Exodus 35

6 The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,

“Yahweh! The Lord!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
even children in the third and fourth generations.”

The Lord is slow to anger, and He is the God of compassion and mercy and forgiveness. The effects of sin remain, and those effects can linger for several generations. I pray that I can be a man of God who will not pass along the effects of the sin in his life to my kids and grandkids, and great grandkids. My desire is to be a fully committed follower of Christ. I still have lots of work to do in that area, but that IS my desire.

Periods of Absence

Exodus 32

1 When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”

When I see long periods in my life when I am not staying in touch with the Word of God, it makes me sad. Sad because I am allowing the stuff of this world to crowd out that which is most important. It makes me mad. Mad because I KNOW better, and yet I find myself falling into that trap once again. When I finally awaken from my spiritual slumber, it makes me glad. Glad because I do know what has happened, and I can remedy this situation. Glad because my Lord eagerly awaits my return, and our conversation. May I NEVER allow a period of absence to lead me into idolatry like the children of Israel did. May I be more determined than ever to no longer allow a period of absence in my life. God is with me, whether I acknowledge His presence or not, so I might as well just acknowledge it, and enjoy deep conversation with Him every day.

What Joy

Psalm 32

1 Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

That is the joy I feel every day. Because of Christ, my disobedience is forgiven and my sin is out of God’s sight. Because of Jesus, I will live in a way to bring glory and honor to my Lord every day. To do any less would be to live the life of a foolish ingrate.

The Lord's Supper

Matthew 26

26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Each Lord’s Day, we commemorate the Lord’s Supper by eating the bread, drinking the cup and proclaiming the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I don’t want to ever take this special time in the corporate celebration service for granted. This meal is central to my belief as a follower of Christ. May my life be lived in such a manner as to bring Christ glory always. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I will proclaim this Truth always.

Sheep and Goats

Matthew 25

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

On Judgment Day, Jesus will separate those who claim to follow Him from those who truly have followed Him. The criteria being used on that day? Obedience. Those who have genuinely lived their lives in such a manner as to bring glory and honor to Jesus. How is that done? By treating the “least of these” with whom we come in contact with the love of Christ. It won’t be based on building buildings, singing songs, attending studies, or listening to sermons. It will be based on putting feet on prayers, and serving others in the name of Christ.

Keep Watch

Matthew 25

13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.”

Jesus just finished telling the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom foolishly did not have enough oil in their lamps, and thus missed the wedding party. All to bring Him to this point: keep watch! Jesus is going to return to collect His Bride, the church. So many people who think that they will be in that wedding party will be left outside the door because their lamps won’t have any oil. They believe they can be “good people” without obeying Scripture. They believe that Jesus will overlook their shortcomings (read SIN). This is NOT what Scriptures plainly teach. Help me, O Lord, to dispel such foolishness.

Trading My Sorrows

Psalm 30

4 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

I’m trading my sorrows. I’m trading my shame. I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord. Those are more than lyrics to me, those are my marching orders for this day and every day. My the Lord be praised, and may my life be one of joy in Jesus, no matter what life throws at me!

Why We Exist

Psalm 29

1 Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings;

honor the Lord for his glory and strength.

2 Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

Let me be clear. I believe that it is the responsibility, or the job if you will, of everything in the universe to BRING GLORY TO GOD. To do any less is to deny who we are and why we truly exist in the first place.

Source of Strength

Psalm 28

8 The Lord gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.

Our strength can ONLY come from the Lord. Thursday, I received the sad news that David Bompart dies from his wounds after being shot in Haiti while serving on a mission trip. I grieve for his wife Nicolle and her family. I also grieve for Cliff and Jane Keller who have returned to Vero after being able to retrieve the remains of their daughter Crystal, who died in a train-car collision last week. Father, protect both of these dear families as they deal with the grief of losing loved ones. May they all look to You always as the source of strength, comfort, and love that You are.

Prime Directive

Matthew 22

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Here we see the Prime Directive as laid out by Jesus. In the sci-fi show “Star Trek,” the Prime Directive stated that Starfleet personnel were not to interfere with the development of alien societies or cultures. The Prime Directive of Jesus is exactly the opposite. We are to love God with everything we have, and to love people like God loves them. That DOES mean we will interfere in the cultural and societal development of those around us. We are to help them turn from sin towards God (repentance) so they can learn to love Him as much as we do. We are to do so in a manner that reflects the love of our heavenly Father. May I follow the Prime Directive of Jesus daily.

True Rebels Follow Christ

Proverbs 6

20 My son, obey your father’s commands,
and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, their counsel will lead you.
When you sleep, they will protect you.
When you wake up, they will advise you.
23 For their command is a lamp
and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
is the way to life.

Wait. You mean obeying your parents is pleasing to the Lord? Huh. You mean obeying your parents can lead you to a better way of life? Seriously? This is SO counter-cultural. Oh yeah, the true rebels in society are those who do NOT follow the crowd, but follow God. Count me among the latter, please.

Toughen Me Up, Lord

Exodus 13

17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.

As a 21st Century American, I am not immune to the “microwave mentality” of wanting what I want and wanting it right now if not sooner. Patience is not a hallmark of our society, nor of me as an individual. God knows, in His infinite wisdom, that patience and stress are necessary to toughen us up. Make no mistake about it, we are in a battle. Not against flesh and blood, but agains the spiritual forces of evil. I am so glad that the Creator of the Universe, Who is the Lover of my soul, does NOT give me what I want (or need) instantly, but often has me travel the “long way around,” so that I can be significantly toughened up for the battle ahead. May I always be ready for the battle, for it looms large every day of my life.