Mark 4:39 "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm."
Jesus and his disciples are in a boat on the sea of Galilee. A storm comes upon them while Jesus is sleeping in the back of the boat. The disciples begin to freak out so they wake Jesus up. Jesus stands up, and calmly orders the the waves to be still. And just like that the waters became calm.
I serve a God who commands the sea-and not in the same way Poseidon does! Jesus can take control of any circumstance at any given time. He can even control mother earth with a word. If he can do that, my worries and concerns and troubles are NBD! I need to trust in Jesus in all circumstances from the little to the big. I need to constantly remember, he controls the storms.
Dear Jesus, help me remember daily that you are in control and there is nothing you can't handle! Amen.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Disreptuable Sinners
Mark 2:15 "Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus' followers.)
Jesus and his disciples are eating a meal at Levi's house. Jesus is in the home of a tax collector and many other "disreputable sinners" are joining them. This was a big no-no at the time for religious leaders. But apparently this was commonplace for Jesus so much so that Mark tells is that many people of "this kind" followed Jesus and were part if his posse!
Jesus came for the sick, the lost, and the hurting. I need to keep that in mind. I sometimes find myself hanging with the nice Christian folks and I loose sight of who Jesus wants me to be hanging with. He wants me to be with sinners. He doesn't care how it looks! How can I be like Jesus today and hang with sinners? Well am I at junior high camp all week...
Dear Jesus, help me hang with your crowd today. Amen.
Jesus and his disciples are eating a meal at Levi's house. Jesus is in the home of a tax collector and many other "disreputable sinners" are joining them. This was a big no-no at the time for religious leaders. But apparently this was commonplace for Jesus so much so that Mark tells is that many people of "this kind" followed Jesus and were part if his posse!
Jesus came for the sick, the lost, and the hurting. I need to keep that in mind. I sometimes find myself hanging with the nice Christian folks and I loose sight of who Jesus wants me to be hanging with. He wants me to be with sinners. He doesn't care how it looks! How can I be like Jesus today and hang with sinners? Well am I at junior high camp all week...
Dear Jesus, help me hang with your crowd today. Amen.
Monday, June 10, 2013
While the Cat's Away
Matthew 24: 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."
Jesus' followers ask him about the last days. He tells them that no one knows when this will occur or when he will return again. He instructs them to keep watch and be prepared for that time.
Many people like to look busy when the boss is around. When they know he is gone or on vacation they tend to relax and may not work as hard. As the saying goes, "when the cat's away, the mice will play." Am I too often playing thinking the cat is away? Jesus wants me living for him regardless of whether he returns tomorrow or in a thousand years. I certainly don't want to be like a slacker employee and be caught wasting company time when the boss returns. How can I be productive today? How can I share the gospel today? How can I be busy and not just look busy?
Dear Jesus, help me be busy for you today. Amen.
Jesus' followers ask him about the last days. He tells them that no one knows when this will occur or when he will return again. He instructs them to keep watch and be prepared for that time.
Many people like to look busy when the boss is around. When they know he is gone or on vacation they tend to relax and may not work as hard. As the saying goes, "when the cat's away, the mice will play." Am I too often playing thinking the cat is away? Jesus wants me living for him regardless of whether he returns tomorrow or in a thousand years. I certainly don't want to be like a slacker employee and be caught wasting company time when the boss returns. How can I be productive today? How can I share the gospel today? How can I be busy and not just look busy?
Dear Jesus, help me be busy for you today. Amen.
Friday, June 07, 2013
Shine
Philippians 2:15 "You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. "
Paul writes a beautiful letter to the Christians in Philippi and here encourages them to live clean and innocent lives. He tells them they are to stand out in a culture that was full of darkness and sin. They are to shine brightly for Jesus in this dark world. Their lives and actions should stick out and be very different from the world around them.
Some say the Bible is an ancient book and is out of touch with our modern day and has nothing of value for us in 2013. I think Philippians 2:15 says otherwise. Nearly 2,000 years after Paul wrote this letter we certainly still live in a world full of darkness. Turn on the TV for five minutes and you quickly realize how dark this world can be. That's not new. That's not surprising to any of us. The world can be a very dark place. So Paul begs us to not join the darkness but instead let our lives "shine brightly." I am to shine brightly for Jesus and be a contrast to the world around me. People should see in me love, joy, peace, and hope and be attracted to that-much like a moth to a flame. So how am I doing in the shining brightly department? Do I shine or do I blend into the gloominess and darkness around me? Do I attract or repel others? Today I need to put a smile on my face, put a hop in my step and shine! Today I need to shine for Jesus!
Dear Jesus, help me shine for you in this dark world. Amen.
Paul writes a beautiful letter to the Christians in Philippi and here encourages them to live clean and innocent lives. He tells them they are to stand out in a culture that was full of darkness and sin. They are to shine brightly for Jesus in this dark world. Their lives and actions should stick out and be very different from the world around them.
Some say the Bible is an ancient book and is out of touch with our modern day and has nothing of value for us in 2013. I think Philippians 2:15 says otherwise. Nearly 2,000 years after Paul wrote this letter we certainly still live in a world full of darkness. Turn on the TV for five minutes and you quickly realize how dark this world can be. That's not new. That's not surprising to any of us. The world can be a very dark place. So Paul begs us to not join the darkness but instead let our lives "shine brightly." I am to shine brightly for Jesus and be a contrast to the world around me. People should see in me love, joy, peace, and hope and be attracted to that-much like a moth to a flame. So how am I doing in the shining brightly department? Do I shine or do I blend into the gloominess and darkness around me? Do I attract or repel others? Today I need to put a smile on my face, put a hop in my step and shine! Today I need to shine for Jesus!
Dear Jesus, help me shine for you in this dark world. Amen.
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Brood of Vipers
Matthew 23:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?"
You gotta like Jesus. In Matthew 23 he goes off on the Pharisees and religious leaders. He calls them names like hypocrites and snakes and threatens them with hell! He holds nothing back and let's them have it. He calls them on their hypocrisy and false teaching. For a moment the Birkenstock wearing, hippie Jesus takes a back seat to Mark Driscoll's UFC, kick yo @!# Jesus.
As much fun as it is to see Jesus this way, his words are meant for me as well. I am a "religious leader." I teach people the ways of God. These words of Jesus haunt me as much as they entertain me. Am I a hypocrite? Am I a blind guide? Do I wash the outside of my cup but on the inside am I full of dirt and filth? I have to daily assess myself, my motives, and my actions and completely rely on Jesus to lead me. I pray I never hear Jesus speak to me this way.
Dear Jesus, help me follow you closely and never end up a snake. Amen.
You gotta like Jesus. In Matthew 23 he goes off on the Pharisees and religious leaders. He calls them names like hypocrites and snakes and threatens them with hell! He holds nothing back and let's them have it. He calls them on their hypocrisy and false teaching. For a moment the Birkenstock wearing, hippie Jesus takes a back seat to Mark Driscoll's UFC, kick yo @!# Jesus.
As much fun as it is to see Jesus this way, his words are meant for me as well. I am a "religious leader." I teach people the ways of God. These words of Jesus haunt me as much as they entertain me. Am I a hypocrite? Am I a blind guide? Do I wash the outside of my cup but on the inside am I full of dirt and filth? I have to daily assess myself, my motives, and my actions and completely rely on Jesus to lead me. I pray I never hear Jesus speak to me this way.
Dear Jesus, help me follow you closely and never end up a snake. Amen.
Monday, June 03, 2013
A Lesson on Forgiveness
Matthew 18: 33 "Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?"
Peter asks Jesus how many times he should offer forgiveness to someone. Peter suggests 7 times as prescribed by the Old Testament law, but Jesus tells Peter to actually forgive a person 77 times, a number which really meant a "number without a number." Essentially Jesus tells peter to always forgive and continue forgiving. Jesus then tells the parable of the unmerciful servant. In the story a servant is forgiven his debts by his king, but then turns around and demands his debtors pay him back immediately. The king finds out and punishes the man for not having mercy after he had been given so much mercy.
I have been forgiven by God. I have been forgiven over and over again. So who am I to not forgive others? I should always forgive, no matter what the situation. I should never hold a grudge, or be bitter or resentful. Today I need to have a merciful and forgiving heart.
Dear Jesus, help me forgive as you have forgiven me. Amen.
Peter asks Jesus how many times he should offer forgiveness to someone. Peter suggests 7 times as prescribed by the Old Testament law, but Jesus tells Peter to actually forgive a person 77 times, a number which really meant a "number without a number." Essentially Jesus tells peter to always forgive and continue forgiving. Jesus then tells the parable of the unmerciful servant. In the story a servant is forgiven his debts by his king, but then turns around and demands his debtors pay him back immediately. The king finds out and punishes the man for not having mercy after he had been given so much mercy.
I have been forgiven by God. I have been forgiven over and over again. So who am I to not forgive others? I should always forgive, no matter what the situation. I should never hold a grudge, or be bitter or resentful. Today I need to have a merciful and forgiving heart.
Dear Jesus, help me forgive as you have forgiven me. Amen.
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