Saturday, November 3, 2012
Don't waste yourself on an empty promise.
" A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse—" Mark 5:25-26
Notice how the woman here for years was only made worse and taken advantage of by the people who were supposed to have been able to help her? She spent everything she had but nothing was made better. It was only until she met Jesus and by his power was she healed.
As I meditate on this passage it's apparent how a sinful world sucks people in the same way. The adds on TV will make young woman think "buy all these products so you will look beautiful and then you will be perfect!" But does it make them truly happy and fill them up where they may have been spiritually empty?
Or what about men hooked on pornography who often take trips to the store to buy the latest DVD? Which at first may promise so much fulfilment but in the end destroy them and even rob them for their desire for God. Just like the woman they were only made worse by that which they were seeking to be made full.
Isaiah 55:2 says...
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance."
Jesus is here and ready to save you. Just as the woman in Mark 5 said “If I just touch His garments, I will get well (Mark 5:28)” You can reach out and touch him by calling out to him in prayer.
Seek first salvation and fulfillment only through Jesus. Everything else will only sap you of your strength, resources and soul.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
God is on my side
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." -Numbers 6:24-26
I've been thinking about the passage above lately. Not only is it a beautiful scripture but one thought that really sticks out to me from this is just how much more god is on our side than we even realize! That phrase "the Lord make his face to shine upon you" Is huge! In Exodus 33:20 God Said... “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” But here God is talking about letting the glory of his face shine upon those who are truly his people. It puts more perspective on what it means to be washed by the blood of Christ and when the veil in the temple that once separated the people from the most holy place being violently torn in two We now have 100 percent full access to our father in Heaven!
I've had some bad days where it felt like God isn't really all that focused on me at the moment and satan would love nothing more than for me to believe that. That's when its good to stop and think to myself, "Wait a minute! God is on my side!" And he really is! Job 35:6 helps also to put this in perspective of Gods power...
"If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?"
Just think about that. My sinful nature does not nullify Gods ability to save, it never will. All my sins all piled together in all their strength as if they were a great army can not and never will overpower God.
If you've given your heart and soul to Jesus he is closer to you than you may think!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Gods love is not passive.
“The LORD your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. -Zephaniah 3:17
The verse above has always been one to encourage me during the times when I've needed it. But more recently I've been think about how it says that God is in our midst as a "victorious warrior" that "exults over us with joy." Its overwhelming to think of how God is so extremely far from being passive about his love for us.
Did you get that??
Our God is NOT a passive God!
Every aspect of him moves, lives and is full of life and power.
Just imagine this all powerful God who not only has the power to save us but who also is willing to aggressively do what it takes to accomplish his will for us. Everything from Sending his son to die for us, raising him from the dead, moving the mountains or shifting the natural order of the universe as we know it. All the while he feels a burning love and passion for us while doing so.
The very reason he saved us and endured so much for us on the cross was so that he could have us for himself eternally as his treasured possession. God wanted us so much he defied the power of death, hell and satan to completely and fully bring to himself all who would call upon the name of Jesus to be saved.
Sometimes we may doubt and ask things such as "Does God really love me so?" "Why does he love me?" or "How could he love someone like me?"
But do we really need to have a full explanation as to why God does what he does? We will never fully understand the mystery of God while we are here on Earth.
God is not this big jerk who sits far away without giving much thought or emotion to thinking about us. We don't need to worry about needing God to give us an explanation as to why he does what he does. He already promised us what he will do for his people in his word. We can stand on it and trust it.
So again, Why or how does God even love me? Because He is God and he can. It's what he chooses to do. Period.
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. -Zephaniah 3:17
The verse above has always been one to encourage me during the times when I've needed it. But more recently I've been think about how it says that God is in our midst as a "victorious warrior" that "exults over us with joy." Its overwhelming to think of how God is so extremely far from being passive about his love for us.
Did you get that??
Our God is NOT a passive God!
Every aspect of him moves, lives and is full of life and power.
Just imagine this all powerful God who not only has the power to save us but who also is willing to aggressively do what it takes to accomplish his will for us. Everything from Sending his son to die for us, raising him from the dead, moving the mountains or shifting the natural order of the universe as we know it. All the while he feels a burning love and passion for us while doing so.
The very reason he saved us and endured so much for us on the cross was so that he could have us for himself eternally as his treasured possession. God wanted us so much he defied the power of death, hell and satan to completely and fully bring to himself all who would call upon the name of Jesus to be saved.
Sometimes we may doubt and ask things such as "Does God really love me so?" "Why does he love me?" or "How could he love someone like me?"
But do we really need to have a full explanation as to why God does what he does? We will never fully understand the mystery of God while we are here on Earth.
God is not this big jerk who sits far away without giving much thought or emotion to thinking about us. We don't need to worry about needing God to give us an explanation as to why he does what he does. He already promised us what he will do for his people in his word. We can stand on it and trust it.
So again, Why or how does God even love me? Because He is God and he can. It's what he chooses to do. Period.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Study Do Teach I.E. Know Follow Lead
"...for the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel." -Ezra 7:9-10
Have you ever had a verse of scripture jump out at you that you felt you could claim as a foundational life verse? This was definitely one of those for me!
Ezra had the good hand of God upon him! Why? Because his first set his Heart to study the Law of the Lord and once he learned it he did it, but not only did he do it but he taught it as well! God blessed him for this! The Study, Do, Teach pattern makes perfect sense and is in just the right order. After all how can you practice Gods laws if you don't first know them? And what credibility do you have to teach it if you don't follow them? If you mix up the priorities the whole thing just breaks down. Just like the saying "Don't put the cart before the horse."
Just like how can I tell someone what Jesus is like if I don't first take the time to get to know him myself? And How can I expect anyone to follow him if I'm not doing so myself?
In this respect think of the pattern of being a disciple maker as... Know Jesus, Follow Jesus, Lead others to Jesus.
Try it out!
Have you ever had a verse of scripture jump out at you that you felt you could claim as a foundational life verse? This was definitely one of those for me!
Ezra had the good hand of God upon him! Why? Because his first set his Heart to study the Law of the Lord and once he learned it he did it, but not only did he do it but he taught it as well! God blessed him for this! The Study, Do, Teach pattern makes perfect sense and is in just the right order. After all how can you practice Gods laws if you don't first know them? And what credibility do you have to teach it if you don't follow them? If you mix up the priorities the whole thing just breaks down. Just like the saying "Don't put the cart before the horse."
Just like how can I tell someone what Jesus is like if I don't first take the time to get to know him myself? And How can I expect anyone to follow him if I'm not doing so myself?
In this respect think of the pattern of being a disciple maker as... Know Jesus, Follow Jesus, Lead others to Jesus.
Try it out!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Sharing the love of Jesus with the Muslim people part 2
A couple weeks ago I met some Muslim guys at a local coffee shop and ended up having a great conversation about Jesus with them. I was able to open up the New Testament and share some scriptures with them and saw some conviction on their faces in the process. I've found as I meet Muslims here and there they are normally very open to talking about Jesus.
A few people have asked me "Where do you start when talking to Muslims?" or "How do I share Jesus in a way they will listen?"
I've found it extremely helpful to be able to quote the Quran as a bridge. In the same sense that Paul used pagan quotes as a bridge to share Christ with the men of Athens...
"For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." -Acts 17:23
A couple Quranic passages I've found to be helpful are first Surah 3:45...
"Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;"
I like to follow that up with the question "Who better is there to intercede for us with God than Jesus who is nearest of all people to God?"
Be sure to give them time to express their thoughts and be respectful. This is important.
Second in Surah 37 it speaks about Abraham and the sacrifice of his son. After God stops Abraham from killing his son Surah 37:107 says...
"And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice"
The Arabic word for "momentous" or "mighty" as some English translations put it means "limitless." I will ask them "What could this limitless sacrifice be?" Only something that is God himself could be "limitless" or "eternal" therefore this is your open door to speak about Christ as the lamb of God. Follow this up by sharing John 1:1 and John 1:14 explaining the context of what this means.
I would encourage anyone to do far more research on this topic but just wanted share a few things to get people thinking.
As you encounter Muslims don't be afraid to befriend them and engage them in conversation. Jesus died for them just like us. Tell them about his love!
A few people have asked me "Where do you start when talking to Muslims?" or "How do I share Jesus in a way they will listen?"
I've found it extremely helpful to be able to quote the Quran as a bridge. In the same sense that Paul used pagan quotes as a bridge to share Christ with the men of Athens...
"For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." -Acts 17:23
A couple Quranic passages I've found to be helpful are first Surah 3:45...
"Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;"
I like to follow that up with the question "Who better is there to intercede for us with God than Jesus who is nearest of all people to God?"
Be sure to give them time to express their thoughts and be respectful. This is important.
Second in Surah 37 it speaks about Abraham and the sacrifice of his son. After God stops Abraham from killing his son Surah 37:107 says...
"And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice"
The Arabic word for "momentous" or "mighty" as some English translations put it means "limitless." I will ask them "What could this limitless sacrifice be?" Only something that is God himself could be "limitless" or "eternal" therefore this is your open door to speak about Christ as the lamb of God. Follow this up by sharing John 1:1 and John 1:14 explaining the context of what this means.
I would encourage anyone to do far more research on this topic but just wanted share a few things to get people thinking.
As you encounter Muslims don't be afraid to befriend them and engage them in conversation. Jesus died for them just like us. Tell them about his love!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Waist deep in the crap right where God wants me.
...And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “ It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” -Mark 2:17
A couple days before I started working with college students I asked God to give me a few guys I could get fired up to really know Jesus and have a strong passion to get out there and spread the Gospel. Not long after God answered that prayer and I met a bunch of them who wanted to have a weekly Bible study. However over the next week or so I started to notice a lot of issues that I didn't like. Some of them had some spiritual ideas that were just odd and not at all Biblical. Some of them had no people skills or self confidence. Some just didn't strike me as being dedicated. So I started to doubt I had the right group and asked God if there was another set of people he had for me to focus on, after all this couldn't be it right? So I prayed about it and God said to me...
"Jim, this is who I've given you to work with."
So I worked with them. They started to grow in faith and maturity. But before I saw a lot of major results It took longer than a few hours. It didn't even take weeks or months but rather it took years!
Going back about six years ago when I was still in Iraq. I remember rushing over to the combat support hospital to see some people I knew who just got blown up by a car bomb. If you have ever been inside a combat support hospital you know what I mean when I say it looks a bit like a butcher shop for humans. There were guys with shrapnel in their eyes and face. Guys with third degree burns all over their bodies. Guys with there insides on the outside. Now just imagine for a second that the medics in this place had prayed something like "Lord these casualties are just too much for me and this couldn't possible be who you want me to work with. Could I leave this place right now to go treat people with head aches and sore throats instead?"
When Matthew 9:36 says, "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." It means Jesus saw a spiritual battlefield full of people who were going to die and go to hell without being treated by receiving eternal life through him. He saw people whose lives had been torn apart by satan and needed help!
In Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20 when Jesus says "makes disciples" and "teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" he really meant to get waist deep down in the crap and get your hands dirty.
There is no rock star status in doing the Lords work.
If you are looking for people who are already "up to standard" you are missing the point and really you may just be coping out of doing the Lords work. If you want God to use you to change the world then focus on where the change is needed. Ministry is not about taking already perfect people and transferring them from one Bible study to another or from one church to another but rather bringing life and hope to the dead.
Do you dislike where God has you? Pray about it. God may want to keep you there for a while!
A couple days before I started working with college students I asked God to give me a few guys I could get fired up to really know Jesus and have a strong passion to get out there and spread the Gospel. Not long after God answered that prayer and I met a bunch of them who wanted to have a weekly Bible study. However over the next week or so I started to notice a lot of issues that I didn't like. Some of them had some spiritual ideas that were just odd and not at all Biblical. Some of them had no people skills or self confidence. Some just didn't strike me as being dedicated. So I started to doubt I had the right group and asked God if there was another set of people he had for me to focus on, after all this couldn't be it right? So I prayed about it and God said to me...
"Jim, this is who I've given you to work with."
So I worked with them. They started to grow in faith and maturity. But before I saw a lot of major results It took longer than a few hours. It didn't even take weeks or months but rather it took years!
Going back about six years ago when I was still in Iraq. I remember rushing over to the combat support hospital to see some people I knew who just got blown up by a car bomb. If you have ever been inside a combat support hospital you know what I mean when I say it looks a bit like a butcher shop for humans. There were guys with shrapnel in their eyes and face. Guys with third degree burns all over their bodies. Guys with there insides on the outside. Now just imagine for a second that the medics in this place had prayed something like "Lord these casualties are just too much for me and this couldn't possible be who you want me to work with. Could I leave this place right now to go treat people with head aches and sore throats instead?"
When Matthew 9:36 says, "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." It means Jesus saw a spiritual battlefield full of people who were going to die and go to hell without being treated by receiving eternal life through him. He saw people whose lives had been torn apart by satan and needed help!
In Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20 when Jesus says "makes disciples" and "teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" he really meant to get waist deep down in the crap and get your hands dirty.
There is no rock star status in doing the Lords work.
If you are looking for people who are already "up to standard" you are missing the point and really you may just be coping out of doing the Lords work. If you want God to use you to change the world then focus on where the change is needed. Ministry is not about taking already perfect people and transferring them from one Bible study to another or from one church to another but rather bringing life and hope to the dead.
Do you dislike where God has you? Pray about it. God may want to keep you there for a while!
Monday, September 19, 2011
"Who is this in the picture?"
This last weekend my friend Fernando showed some of his art work he has done while working on his art degree at Manchester Community college. Its always great to fellowship with him because Fernando is not only very talented but he also loves the Lord.
He did this one picture of Jesus' face on pieces of cardboard which his teacher liked so much that it was entered into several different art shows. At each art show one thing Fernando tells me people kept asking him was "Who is this in the picture?" Which led to many chances for my friend to tell people about the Lord!
What a great way to use his talents to bring glory to God.
Awesome!
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