"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Today's Reading: JOHN 15:18-17:26
Today's reading starts out with Jesus telling his disciples, "“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.(John 15:18-19)
This week was evident of that scripture. My daughter, April wanted to dress up for Halloween, so we went into one of the costume shops. Wow have times changed. Monsters, and creepy things have always been part of the Halloween culture but I was blown away by the costumes and accessories that are available now. As I looked around at the gruesomeness it dawned on me why we as a culture are no longer shocked by the events of the world. We have embraced them, glorified them, is it any wonder why we emulate them? As we made our way through the myriad of ghoul we found a small corner of the shop that had a bright colored costume. Looking up at me she pointed and asked, "How about this one...it's pretty." Pretty. In the midst of all of the disgust my daughter found something pretty. I think there is something there, that April taught me.
God can look at all the dark and decay, that was never His plan and find beauty in those who He has called out to be different. Those who have accepted the beauty that Christ has delivered to us.
Christ has taken all the darkness, all of the decay, all of the death, and has given the choice of beauty and life to those who are.....
In His Grip,
Art. .
Two relatively small details take place in today’s reading that indicates a significant change is coming. First Jesus gives a new commandment and second prophecy is fulfilled. On October 26 Josh wrote about Jesus’ command to love God and love our neighbor. Today in John 15:12&17 Jesus talks about loving each other. He even says it is a “new commandment”. It almost sounds like before this we didn’t have to love one another. Notice the love we are to have for one another isn’t to make us feel good or accepted; it is to prove to the world that we are his disciples. It is a testament to his glory.
Previously when Jesus sent the disciples out to preach they didn’t take money, a travelers bag, or anything extra. Today he tells them to take their money and a traveler’s bag. I think he is telling them that they will have to be more self-sufficient than before. These are two subtle things that indicates eminent change.
Finally Isaiah 53:12 says that “…He was numbered with the transgressors,…”. So in Luke22:35-36 Jesus tells his disciples that they needed swords. When they tell him that they have two – he tells them that was enough. I think it is obvious that two swords among all of the disciples was clearly not for insurrection. It was to fulfill prophecy by being labeled a transgressor. These are all very small details but prognosticate a very powerful eminent change.
It's interesting what Jesus does here. He lays out the greatest commandment, which is love God with all your heart and everything you got. He adds the second greatest commandment, which is love your neighbor as yourself. Then he begins to use the Pharisees as an example of the opposite of that. He talks about how they love themselves and their glorification more than anyone else, including God. He also talks about the poor widow who came and gave everything she had to love God as compared to others who only gave from their wealth. This should cause us to ask ourselves, "Who do we love the most? Is it ourselves and our glory or what we want? Or is it God and do we give him everything we have?"
Jesus was doing some awesome teachings in these chapters, but I was particularly drawn to the Discussions about Resurrection. Many struggle with the other side of their bodily death. But with Jesus’ response to the Sadducees beginning in Luke 20:35, He gives us comfort and assurance of what is to come.
He begins in verse 35 by saying “But in the age to come”; this alone tells us that there is more than just this moment in time. Jesus continues by saying “those worthy of being raised from the dead”; Jesus just told you there is more than just the grave folks, and He had been telling the people that if they accept Him as Lord and Savior that they would escape the clutches of death. Just as we all can do.
Jesus goes on to discuss that we will not marry nor be given in marriage upon resurrection (vs 35). And now the best part, He tells us in verse 36 “And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.”
Slam dunk, in your face, take that Sadducees!!!!!.l……Jesus concludes His discussion with the Sadducees in verse 37 by telling them that the dead will be raised, and that Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Jesus was quoting Exodus 3:6 when God said to Moses that “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Jesus concluded by telling them in verse 38 - “So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.” He just told us that we “are all alive to him” for all eternity, our Lord recognizes YOU and ME as his “special possession”, as we are to recognize Him as ours.
Enjoy this wonderful and beautiful day, and don’t forget to read Proverbs 25 today, blessings……………..Larry
Proverbs 25:5 – “remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.”
For they loved human praise more than the praise of God. John 37:43
Today's reading;
JOHN 12:37-50
MARK 11:12-14
MATTHEW 21:18-22
MARK 11:15-19
MATTHEW 21:12-17
LUKE 19:45-48
MARK 11:20-33
MATTHEW 21:23-27
LUKE 20:1-8
A few weeks ago I attended a showing of Acquire the Fire"s "Surge" at Harkins Theater with several members of GBF's youth group. One of the main topics of the movie was asking students who they were trying to impress, or hang with, in other words the question being asked was "Who is your audience?"
I'll be honest the question struck a chord with me as well. I don't believe it is just a teenager's problem. It's a problem at the workplace, in your social group, and as the Pharisee's showed, in our churches. For the above scripture was from John 12:42-43, "Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God."
How often do we sit dormant as lies are said over and over until they become believable? Adolf Hitler is quoted as saying, "The greater the lie, the greater the chance that it will be believed." A lie so propagated that 6 million Jews were murdered because a lie was believed. Have you ever wondered why the Koran is protected, that secular beliefs can be given as fact, what used to be called Darwin's theory of evolution, is now touted as fact. but the moment you bring up the Bible, creation, or a belief in Jesus Christ these beliefs are ridiculed, equated as believing in fairy tales and/or labeled, a hater. Are we remaining silent for the same reasons as the Pharisee's. Are we afraid of being mocked? I am not advocating that we make as scene in the classroom or the workplace, but rather that we not let the beliefs of others dictate what we believe and how we act. We serve one God, we have an audience of one. Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33. "“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven."
The opening scripture today says, " But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him." (John 12:37) What miraculous signs have we seen? Look around they are there if you look! How many lives have been changed? Marriages saved? Illnesses cured? Peace given in the most difficult times? Everyone has a choice to make whether to believe in the miraculous signs of Jesus, or like those recorded in the book of John, to dismiss them.
As for me, if you would have told me 5 years ago I would be doing what I am today, I'd have called you crazy. But here I am, proof that Christ changes lives, and in that proof that Jesus Christ lives.
Are you living proof that lives change....
In His Grip,
Art
But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15 New Living Translation (NLT)
Luke 12:34 says “Wherever your treasure is, the desires of your heart will also be.” Assuming the inverse is also true, those things you have a passion for are those things you value. Consider listing what you enjoy most and you will have a list of your treasures. You will also have identified where your heart is. Now, do the things listed work for or against Jesus? Because Luke 11:23 Jesus says “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” So being neutral is not an option. Before you revise your list to include more “religious activities” and “good deeds”, think about Jesus’ warning about hypocrisy. Luke 12:1,3 “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees – their hypocrisy…Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light…” So the real challenge is learning how to store your treasures in heaven. It starts with Jesus tells us to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give everything you need.”
I feel shortchanged because the passage in John was cut short before the healing of Lazarus. I guess we will just have to wait 'till tomorrow to see how powerful Jesus is and that it doesn't strain him at all to raise someone from the dead. Anyway, I'd like to focus in on Luke 17:7-10. Jesus strips away any sense of entitlement we may be feeling at times. For example, we may feel like we deserve a pat on the back when we do something nice for someone, or we may feel like we deserve something else when we do things right for a long time. Jesus basically says that when you do the right things, aren't you just doing what you're supposed to. He even puts in there that we are supposed to just say that we are unworthy servants. I think it is healthy to never forget where you came from. Meaning, never forget that we were sinners and enemies of God, deserving punishment of death. When you remember that, you realize that you don't deserve anything but death. Then all these blessings that we get are incredible, merciful, gracious gifts from God. We can then say, "Wow, you are so gracious God because I don't deserve this at all." Let me conclude with Thomas' example when he said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Jesus wanted to go back to Judea and the disciples were trying to stop him because they thought that all the people would kill him there. Jesus was still going to go, with or without them. Thomas realized that a servant follows his master, even if it means dying. Let us follow Jesus in the same way: dying to our selfishness and any accolades we may desire in order to serve Jesus in a manner that he is worthy of.
Last night I hosted our semi-annual Advisory Board at AWC to discuss our Automotive Program. One of the highlights of this particular meeting was sharing all of the equipment and facility upgrades that the program has received due to a grant. Needless to say, it has transformed not only our facility, but the program as well.
As I was touring some of the attendees, one of the first stops was the engine and transmission labs. A board member from Phoenix really caught my ear when we entered this area with this comment – “You can sure tell that someone’s been giving their tithe.” That comment immediately made me start thinking of faith, and how important it is in our daily lives.
As Christians, we are identified by our faith in the one and living God, and our belief and faith in a savior that gave His all for us. A faith that tells us that we will one day be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that there is a heaven that is free from disease, free from hate, free from hurt, free from starvation, of loneliness or despair. Yes, we are to live our lives based on a belief system that tells us that “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
In our reading today, John 10:14-15 (The Good Shepherd) really came to light. We can always rest assured in our faith as we look toward our savior for guidance and protection. He certainly knows you, and likewise, we know His voice, His calling, His love and His conviction upon our hearts and our minds for He tells us – “I am the good shepherd, I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father, So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.” Keep the Faith, and have a blessed weekend………Larry
Take some time to read all of the Proverbs 18 today. Remember there are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs – a chapter for each day of the month.
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ Luke 13:7
Jesus never said following Him would be easy, but He did say we wouldn't be alone. The common denominator of today's reading is division. From the faithful servant who is always prepared for his master's return, from the one who is not. Division between families, friends, leaders and followers was foretold by Jesus. Take a look at your life are there divisions? If not, why?
Winston Churchill once said, " You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." Standing for what you believe in will cause division in your life. IT HAS TOO; otherwise you aren't standing and if you aren't standing, you are simply taking up space.
I know that seems harsh in today's feel good idea of Christianity. A belief that for many has tried to smooth the sharp edges and divisions that Christ said would be there, by adopting the attitude of coexistence; that there are no absolutes. That's not what Jesus said. John 14:6 reads,
"Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
can come to the Father except through me"
Pretty straight forward and no deviation.. There will be divisions between you and loved ones because of your beliefs, but in the midst of those divisions, there will be peace.
In John 16:33 Jesus says,
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart,
because I have overcome the world.”
Speaking for myself, I know that there are people who disagree with me. There are those who downright dislike me because of my beliefs and for what I stand for, and I am alright with that. I am trying to remember that I have an audience of one. If I please Christ, then my wife will be loved, my family protected, my daughter taught about the ways of the Lord and the Word of God lifted up in thought and action. That is not to say that I am perfect, far from it, only forgiven.
There is no longer time to sugar coat the issues or dull the sometimes painful truth. It is time to look yourself in the mirror and ask if you are bearing fruit or simply taking up space. For the fruitbearers ask Christ what else can be done.
If you are in the latter group, It's time to take root. Luke 13:8-9 reads, " “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer". If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Sometimes it's painful,
In His Grip,
Art
I don't know why but this passage on the healing of the blind man (MARK 8:22-26) hit me in a new way today. I had always read through it and said, "Wow that's great! A blind man got healed!" However, this time I actually read through it and thought about what actually happened here. When they bring the blind man to Jesus, he doesn't heal him right then and there. Jesus leads him out of the village by the hand. Picture that for a second. This walk probably took a long time and I'm sure the whole time, the blind man is thinking, "What is going on? Where are we going?" Then Jesus spits either on the blind man's eyes or on his hands and then puts it on the blind man's eyes. It seems like he really spit on his eyes, then touched him, but I just can't picture that happening. Anyways, he asked the blind man if he could see and he responded with, "Kinda." Then Jesus touched his eyes again and he could see clearly. Then he tells him to not go into the village and tell anyone, but to go straight to his house. This leaves me asking, "Why did Jesus not just heal him on the spot in the village? Why did he lead him outside the village and then spit on his face? Why did Jesus touch his eyes twice to then heal him completely?" Lastly, "Why did he tell him to not go back into the village?"Jesus could have healed him instantly without doing anything and it's not like he screwed up and had to finish the healing. So this is making me not only have all these questions but also wonder what what God is trying to teach us from all this. So what I would like to do is open this up for discussion on this blog. If you have any ideas, please share them on this blog and we will learn from each other.
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