Good Morning: Tell them06 Mar 2009
'...I TRY TO FIND COMMON GROUND WITH HIM SO THAT HE WILL LET ME TELL HIM ABOUT CHRIST...' 1 CORINTHIANS 9:22
Josh McDowell writes 'An executive 'head hunter' who goes out and hires corporate executives for other firms once told me, 'When I get an executive I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed. Then when I think I've got him relaxed I lean over, look him square in the eye and say - what's the purpose in your life?' It's amazing how top executives fall apart on that question.' Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed with my feet up on my desk talking about football. Then I leaned over and said - what's the purpose in your life, Bob? Without blinking an eye he said 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless.'
There are basically five reasons why we don't share our faith more often, and not one of them will hold up when we stand before Christ:
1) We think it's the preacher's job
2) We aren't sure of our salvation
3) We fear being rejected
4) We've never taken responsibility for learning how
5) Our love for Christ has grown cold. But not Paul: he said, '...whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him'. Can you say that?
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday - March 5th
Good Morning:
'May you have the peace that defies understanding today.'
Invest what God's given you04 Mar 2009
'"TO ONE HE GAVE FIVE TALENTS, TO ANOTHER TWO, AND TO ANOTHER ONE..."' MATTHEW 25:15
In Jesus' story, the first two servants '"...went and traded..."' They pondered their options, crunched the numbers, took the plunge, and dared to fail. And their Master said '"Well done, good and faithful servant..."' (v.21). Here Jesus points us to the day when the '...earth and all its works [will be] exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment' (2 Peter 3:10). What's the point? Dare to take great risks for God! Not foolish risks, but prayed-over, well-considered risks in response to faith. The only mistake - is not to risk making a mistake.
And how about the third servant? '"I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground..."'(v.25). The first two invested theirs; he buried his. The first two went out on a limb; he hugged the trunk. He made the most tragic and common mistake of giftedness. He failed to benefit the Master with his talent. Some invest their talents and give God credit. Others misuse them and give God grief. Some honour Him with fruit. Others insult Him with excuses. How did the Master feel about it? '"Get rid of this 'play-it-safe' who won't go out on a limb"' (Matthew 25:29). Fear is the opposite of faith. And, 'without faith it is impossible to please [God]...' (Hebrews 11:6). Bottom line: step out in faith; He won't let you down. Take a risk; He won't let you fail. Even if you fail several times on your way to success, God invites you to dream of the day when you'll feel His hand on your shoulder saying, '"Well done, good and faithful servant!"' (Matthew 25:21).
Blessings,
Pastor J.
'May you have the peace that defies understanding today.'
Invest what God's given you04 Mar 2009
'"TO ONE HE GAVE FIVE TALENTS, TO ANOTHER TWO, AND TO ANOTHER ONE..."' MATTHEW 25:15
In Jesus' story, the first two servants '"...went and traded..."' They pondered their options, crunched the numbers, took the plunge, and dared to fail. And their Master said '"Well done, good and faithful servant..."' (v.21). Here Jesus points us to the day when the '...earth and all its works [will be] exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment' (2 Peter 3:10). What's the point? Dare to take great risks for God! Not foolish risks, but prayed-over, well-considered risks in response to faith. The only mistake - is not to risk making a mistake.
And how about the third servant? '"I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground..."'(v.25). The first two invested theirs; he buried his. The first two went out on a limb; he hugged the trunk. He made the most tragic and common mistake of giftedness. He failed to benefit the Master with his talent. Some invest their talents and give God credit. Others misuse them and give God grief. Some honour Him with fruit. Others insult Him with excuses. How did the Master feel about it? '"Get rid of this 'play-it-safe' who won't go out on a limb"' (Matthew 25:29). Fear is the opposite of faith. And, 'without faith it is impossible to please [God]...' (Hebrews 11:6). Bottom line: step out in faith; He won't let you down. Take a risk; He won't let you fail. Even if you fail several times on your way to success, God invites you to dream of the day when you'll feel His hand on your shoulder saying, '"Well done, good and faithful servant!"' (Matthew 25:21).
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Monday - March 2nd
Good Morning:
Attention worrywarts!02 Mar 2009
''GIVE...YOUR WORRIES...TO GOD...' 1 PETER 5:7
A lady whose friend was a chronic worrier said to her one day, 'Do you realise that 80% of the things you worry about never happen?'
Jesus said, '"...don't get worked up about what may...happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever...come[s] up..."' (Matthew 6:34 ). Worry doesn't rid tomorrow of its sorrows, it just robs today of its joy. Plus when you make a mountain out of a molehill you end up having to climb it. A salesman who usually drove an old car and wore outdated clothes turned up at his office one day in a designer suit, driving a BMW. 'What happened'? his colleague asked. 'Remember how I used to worry about everything'? he said, 'Well, I hired a team of professional worriers; now I tell them my problems and they do all my worrying while I go out and sell'. 'How much do they charge'? his friend asked. '$5,000 a week,' he replied. 'How can you afford that?' his colleague asked. Smiling he replied, 'That's their worry, not mine!'
Wouldn't you like to have somebody to handle all your worries? You do; His name is Jesus, and He said, '"If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens...I will give you rest"' (Matthew 11:28). God promised, '"...as your day so shall your strength...be"' (Deuteronomy 33:25). That's because He only gives us today's strength for today's needs. Remember, it's impossible to wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time. So instead of wasting today worrying about tomorrow, 'Give...your worries...to God...' (1 Peter 5:7), and get busy living the life He gave you to enjoy!
Blessings
Pastor J.
Attention worrywarts!02 Mar 2009
''GIVE...YOUR WORRIES...TO GOD...' 1 PETER 5:7
A lady whose friend was a chronic worrier said to her one day, 'Do you realise that 80% of the things you worry about never happen?'
Jesus said, '"...don't get worked up about what may...happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever...come[s] up..."' (Matthew 6:34 ). Worry doesn't rid tomorrow of its sorrows, it just robs today of its joy. Plus when you make a mountain out of a molehill you end up having to climb it. A salesman who usually drove an old car and wore outdated clothes turned up at his office one day in a designer suit, driving a BMW. 'What happened'? his colleague asked. 'Remember how I used to worry about everything'? he said, 'Well, I hired a team of professional worriers; now I tell them my problems and they do all my worrying while I go out and sell'. 'How much do they charge'? his friend asked. '$5,000 a week,' he replied. 'How can you afford that?' his colleague asked. Smiling he replied, 'That's their worry, not mine!'
Wouldn't you like to have somebody to handle all your worries? You do; His name is Jesus, and He said, '"If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens...I will give you rest"' (Matthew 11:28). God promised, '"...as your day so shall your strength...be"' (Deuteronomy 33:25). That's because He only gives us today's strength for today's needs. Remember, it's impossible to wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time. So instead of wasting today worrying about tomorrow, 'Give...your worries...to God...' (1 Peter 5:7), and get busy living the life He gave you to enjoy!
Blessings
Pastor J.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday - February 25th
Good Morning:
How to fight so everybody wins (1)25 Feb 2009
'...watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.' Galatians 5:15
Healthy relationships aren't conflict free; they're conflict resolving. The problem is: we fight for victories instead of fighting for solutions. The result is: one wins, one loses, and the relationship suffers! Here are some practical insights for fighting so that the relationship wins:
1) Differences are inevitable, normal, and potentially beneficial. They're inevitable, because relationships bring together very different people. They're normal, because all relationships, including great ones, experience them. They're potentially beneficial, because handled effectively, relationships grow through them.
2) Here are three conflict handling styles:
a) the avoid style. These are the 'don't want to rock the boat' and 'let sleeping dogs lie' people. They fear confrontation, so they bury their feelings, not realizing they're buried alive and will rise again down the road. They go from clam-up, to build-up, to blow-up, inviting physical and emotional illness. Meanwhile offences accumulate, unaddressed issues multiply, and unfinished business erodes the relationship
b) the attack style. These are the 'get them before they get you' people; ruthless fighters who refuse to give in, they inflict terminal wounds on each other. The Bible says, 'If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.' Attack begets counterattack, both sides 'dig in' and nothing gets resolved
c) the approach-assert style. These are the 'no price is too high for a good relationship' people. They're sensitive to the feelings of others, yet insist on dealing directly with important issues. They avoid blaming, confront the issue, not the individual, and invite others to partner with them in solving the problem and saving the relationship!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
How to fight so everybody wins (1)25 Feb 2009
'...watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.' Galatians 5:15
Healthy relationships aren't conflict free; they're conflict resolving. The problem is: we fight for victories instead of fighting for solutions. The result is: one wins, one loses, and the relationship suffers! Here are some practical insights for fighting so that the relationship wins:
1) Differences are inevitable, normal, and potentially beneficial. They're inevitable, because relationships bring together very different people. They're normal, because all relationships, including great ones, experience them. They're potentially beneficial, because handled effectively, relationships grow through them.
2) Here are three conflict handling styles:
a) the avoid style. These are the 'don't want to rock the boat' and 'let sleeping dogs lie' people. They fear confrontation, so they bury their feelings, not realizing they're buried alive and will rise again down the road. They go from clam-up, to build-up, to blow-up, inviting physical and emotional illness. Meanwhile offences accumulate, unaddressed issues multiply, and unfinished business erodes the relationship
b) the attack style. These are the 'get them before they get you' people; ruthless fighters who refuse to give in, they inflict terminal wounds on each other. The Bible says, 'If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.' Attack begets counterattack, both sides 'dig in' and nothing gets resolved
c) the approach-assert style. These are the 'no price is too high for a good relationship' people. They're sensitive to the feelings of others, yet insist on dealing directly with important issues. They avoid blaming, confront the issue, not the individual, and invite others to partner with them in solving the problem and saving the relationship!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday - February 24th
Good Morning:
Walking sticks and bedpans! 24 Feb 2009
'The Lord said..."What is that in your hand?"' EXODUS 4:2
'The Lord said..."What is that in your hand?"' EXODUS 4:2 NIV One of the biggest mistakes we make is comparing ourselves with someone else and concluding that because we don't have their particular talents, we 'don't have what it takes.' One day God said to Moses, 'What is that in your hand?' Moses replied, 'A rod' (Exodus 4:2). Just a walking stick, no big deal. Really? God used it to dry up the Red Sea!
Understand this: God can take something you've had all your life and thought was of little importance, and use it to accomplish great things. But that only happens when you are willing to acknowledge its potential, and place it in His hands.
There's an hilarious story about a couple of nuns who worked in a hospital, who ran out of petrol while driving to work one morning. A service station was nearby but they had no gas container. Suddenly, one of them remembered a bedpan in the boot of their car. The petrol was put into the pan and they carried it very carefully back to the car. As the nuns were pouring the petrol from the bedpan into the fuel tank, two men were driving by. Staring in disbelief, one said to the other, 'Now, Fred, that's what I call faith!' It appeared to be foolish. The trouble was, those doubters just didn't 'know the truth.' And were they surprised when those two nuns went past them on the road! The Bible says, 'Without faith it is impossible to please God' (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). It takes faith to see walking sticks and bedpans as 'the tools needed to do the job!' But when you give God what you've got, amazing things happen in your life!
So true!!!
Pastor J.
Walking sticks and bedpans! 24 Feb 2009
'The Lord said..."What is that in your hand?"' EXODUS 4:2
'The Lord said..."What is that in your hand?"' EXODUS 4:2 NIV One of the biggest mistakes we make is comparing ourselves with someone else and concluding that because we don't have their particular talents, we 'don't have what it takes.' One day God said to Moses, 'What is that in your hand?' Moses replied, 'A rod' (Exodus 4:2). Just a walking stick, no big deal. Really? God used it to dry up the Red Sea!
Understand this: God can take something you've had all your life and thought was of little importance, and use it to accomplish great things. But that only happens when you are willing to acknowledge its potential, and place it in His hands.
There's an hilarious story about a couple of nuns who worked in a hospital, who ran out of petrol while driving to work one morning. A service station was nearby but they had no gas container. Suddenly, one of them remembered a bedpan in the boot of their car. The petrol was put into the pan and they carried it very carefully back to the car. As the nuns were pouring the petrol from the bedpan into the fuel tank, two men were driving by. Staring in disbelief, one said to the other, 'Now, Fred, that's what I call faith!' It appeared to be foolish. The trouble was, those doubters just didn't 'know the truth.' And were they surprised when those two nuns went past them on the road! The Bible says, 'Without faith it is impossible to please God' (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). It takes faith to see walking sticks and bedpans as 'the tools needed to do the job!' But when you give God what you've got, amazing things happen in your life!
So true!!!
Pastor J.
Monday - February 23rd
Learn to live like Jesus 23 Feb 2009
'"...learn from me...and you will find rest for your souls."' Matthew 11:29
You'll notice that unlike us, Jesus didn't suffer from the fear of failure. That's because He never entertained the thought that He couldn't do something His Father had already assured Him He could. And He didn't suffer from a fear of lack either. Even though He lived a simple life He was responsible for supporting Himself and a team of others. How did He do it? He prayed a lot, and stayed in sync with His heavenly Father. Consequently He knew how to catch fish when they weren't biting, or find tax money in a fish's mouth when He needed it (yes, Jesus paid His taxes!). Now God may not provide for you in similar fashion, but He's promised to take care of you (1 Peter 5:7).
Today Jesus is saying to you, '"Come to me...learn from me...and you will find rest for your souls [emotions and mind]..."' (v.28-29) Stress is brought on by our need to know everything ahead of time; to be in control. Even after we pray and supposedly turn the situation over to God, we develop a 'backup plan' in case He doesn't handle things the way we think He should. Do you do that? You don't put your money into a bank then stay awake all night worrying about it, do you? Have at least that much confidence in God. Each time you begin the downward spiral of 'How? What? When? Where?' stop and give it back to God. Not the little God of your understanding, but the big God whose track record speaks for itself, whose faithfulness never fails, and who has earned the right to ask you, '"Is any thing too hard for [me]?..."' (Genesis 18:14). In other words; learn how to live like Jesus.
Peace,
Pastor J.
'"...learn from me...and you will find rest for your souls."' Matthew 11:29
You'll notice that unlike us, Jesus didn't suffer from the fear of failure. That's because He never entertained the thought that He couldn't do something His Father had already assured Him He could. And He didn't suffer from a fear of lack either. Even though He lived a simple life He was responsible for supporting Himself and a team of others. How did He do it? He prayed a lot, and stayed in sync with His heavenly Father. Consequently He knew how to catch fish when they weren't biting, or find tax money in a fish's mouth when He needed it (yes, Jesus paid His taxes!). Now God may not provide for you in similar fashion, but He's promised to take care of you (1 Peter 5:7).
Today Jesus is saying to you, '"Come to me...learn from me...and you will find rest for your souls [emotions and mind]..."' (v.28-29) Stress is brought on by our need to know everything ahead of time; to be in control. Even after we pray and supposedly turn the situation over to God, we develop a 'backup plan' in case He doesn't handle things the way we think He should. Do you do that? You don't put your money into a bank then stay awake all night worrying about it, do you? Have at least that much confidence in God. Each time you begin the downward spiral of 'How? What? When? Where?' stop and give it back to God. Not the little God of your understanding, but the big God whose track record speaks for itself, whose faithfulness never fails, and who has earned the right to ask you, '"Is any thing too hard for [me]?..."' (Genesis 18:14). In other words; learn how to live like Jesus.
Peace,
Pastor J.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday - February 20th
Good Morning:
It's time to get away 20 Feb 2009
'..."Come aside...and rest a while"...' Mark 6:31
Luke records: 'He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent"' (Luke 4:42-43).
Examine the life of Christ: the control He exercised, the criticism He evoked, the communion He enjoyed with God, then follow His example! Jesus said no to good things, so that he could say yes to the right things. That's not easy. God may want you to leave where you are, but you're staying; or He may want you to stay, but you're leaving. How can you know? Get away from the crowd and meet with Jesus in a deserted place. This word 'deserted' doesn't mean desolate, just quiet; a place to think, to pray, to hear from God, to refuel and re-chart your course. Hell hates to see you stop!
Richard Foster points out that in contemporary society the devil majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in 'muchness' and 'manyness,' he will be satisfied. He implants taxi meters in our brains. We hear the relentless tick, tick, tick telling us to hurry, hurry, hurry, time is money, resulting in this roaring blur called the human race. But Jesus stands against the tide saying, '"Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"' (Matthew 11:28). Will you come? Will you follow the One who often '...withdrew ...into the wilderness, and prayed' (Luke 5:16). A thousand voices will tell you not to. Ignore them!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
It's time to get away 20 Feb 2009
'..."Come aside...and rest a while"...' Mark 6:31
Luke records: 'He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent"' (Luke 4:42-43).
Examine the life of Christ: the control He exercised, the criticism He evoked, the communion He enjoyed with God, then follow His example! Jesus said no to good things, so that he could say yes to the right things. That's not easy. God may want you to leave where you are, but you're staying; or He may want you to stay, but you're leaving. How can you know? Get away from the crowd and meet with Jesus in a deserted place. This word 'deserted' doesn't mean desolate, just quiet; a place to think, to pray, to hear from God, to refuel and re-chart your course. Hell hates to see you stop!
Richard Foster points out that in contemporary society the devil majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in 'muchness' and 'manyness,' he will be satisfied. He implants taxi meters in our brains. We hear the relentless tick, tick, tick telling us to hurry, hurry, hurry, time is money, resulting in this roaring blur called the human race. But Jesus stands against the tide saying, '"Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"' (Matthew 11:28). Will you come? Will you follow the One who often '...withdrew ...into the wilderness, and prayed' (Luke 5:16). A thousand voices will tell you not to. Ignore them!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Thursday - February 19th
How long will this attack last? 19 Feb 2009
'...having done all...stand.' Ephesians 6:13
The size of the prize determines the severity of the fight. The enemy knows your vulnerabilities and he'll push you to your limits. When he does, remember: 'Blessed is the man who endures...when he has been approved, he will receive the crown...' (James 1:12).
'Approved' means victory qualifies you for greater things. 'Endures' means your staying power is being tested. So, 'having done all...stand.' You say, 'How long will this attack last?' The prince of darkness hindered Daniel's prayers for twenty-one days (Daniel 10:13). Goliath defied the armies of Israel forty days and nights (1 Samuel 17).
Your enemy is relentless; you must be, too. When it comes to prayer, your persistence overcomes his resistance. 'You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise' (Hebrews 10:36). David didn't get into trouble with Bathsheba until he left the battlefield. It's the safest place to be. So stay there, keep fighting and God will come to your aid. When Joshua needed extra time to defeat his enemies, the sun stood still. God was saying, 'As long as the sun doesn't go down you won't go down either, for the same power that's holding it up is holding you up.'
Isn't that great? Jesus healed people in different ways. Some He spoke to, others He touched. One day He told ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priest. And the Bible says: '...as they went, they were cleansed' (Luke 17:14). They were probably wondering, 'When will it happen? How will it happen?' Faith doesn't demand details, it just keeps moving obediently forward, believing God for the right result!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
'...having done all...stand.' Ephesians 6:13
The size of the prize determines the severity of the fight. The enemy knows your vulnerabilities and he'll push you to your limits. When he does, remember: 'Blessed is the man who endures...when he has been approved, he will receive the crown...' (James 1:12).
'Approved' means victory qualifies you for greater things. 'Endures' means your staying power is being tested. So, 'having done all...stand.' You say, 'How long will this attack last?' The prince of darkness hindered Daniel's prayers for twenty-one days (Daniel 10:13). Goliath defied the armies of Israel forty days and nights (1 Samuel 17).
Your enemy is relentless; you must be, too. When it comes to prayer, your persistence overcomes his resistance. 'You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise' (Hebrews 10:36). David didn't get into trouble with Bathsheba until he left the battlefield. It's the safest place to be. So stay there, keep fighting and God will come to your aid. When Joshua needed extra time to defeat his enemies, the sun stood still. God was saying, 'As long as the sun doesn't go down you won't go down either, for the same power that's holding it up is holding you up.'
Isn't that great? Jesus healed people in different ways. Some He spoke to, others He touched. One day He told ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priest. And the Bible says: '...as they went, they were cleansed' (Luke 17:14). They were probably wondering, 'When will it happen? How will it happen?' Faith doesn't demand details, it just keeps moving obediently forward, believing God for the right result!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Wednesday - February 18th
Good Morning All:
Need more strength? Wait on God!18 Feb 2009
'...they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength...' Isaiah 40:31
God usually doesn't tell us how He will answer our prayers, or even when. But He does promise those who wait on Him one thing - strength. The word 'wait' in this Scripture pictures a Hebrew word used in the making of rope. Every rope starts out as a thread, and every strand added just increases its strength. So each time you wait on the Lord you add another thread to the rope; you get a little stronger, a little more able to cope.
Do you feel like you're just hanging on by a thread today? Spend more time in God's presence and God's Word, and watch your thread turn into a rope. But waiting is not always passive, sometimes it's active, like waiting on a customer, seeing that his or her needs are met. In this case, waiting is not so much a position as it is a focus. The Bible says, 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee...' (Isaiah 26:3). Whether it's sitting prayerfully in His presence or actively carrying out His will, you have God's assurance that your strength will be renewed.
If you're at the end of your rope today, grab hold of these three promises:
1) 'Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart;
wait, I say, on the Lord' (Psalm 27:14).
2) '...wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him' (Psalm 62:5 ).
3) '...as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters...so our eyes
look to the Lord our God...' (Psalm 123:2). Do you need more strength? Wait
on God!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Need more strength? Wait on God!18 Feb 2009
'...they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength...' Isaiah 40:31
God usually doesn't tell us how He will answer our prayers, or even when. But He does promise those who wait on Him one thing - strength. The word 'wait' in this Scripture pictures a Hebrew word used in the making of rope. Every rope starts out as a thread, and every strand added just increases its strength. So each time you wait on the Lord you add another thread to the rope; you get a little stronger, a little more able to cope.
Do you feel like you're just hanging on by a thread today? Spend more time in God's presence and God's Word, and watch your thread turn into a rope. But waiting is not always passive, sometimes it's active, like waiting on a customer, seeing that his or her needs are met. In this case, waiting is not so much a position as it is a focus. The Bible says, 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee...' (Isaiah 26:3). Whether it's sitting prayerfully in His presence or actively carrying out His will, you have God's assurance that your strength will be renewed.
If you're at the end of your rope today, grab hold of these three promises:
1) 'Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart;
wait, I say, on the Lord' (Psalm 27:14).
2) '...wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him' (Psalm 62:5 ).
3) '...as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters...so our eyes
look to the Lord our God...' (Psalm 123:2). Do you need more strength? Wait
on God!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tuesday - February 17th
Good Morning:
The grace to do it!17 Feb 2009
'...pray for those who mistreat you.' Luke 6:28
There's no way to go through life without being hurt. But if you think what the person who hurt you did was bad, wait until you see what bitterness will do. It will extend your pain, infect your attitude, control your moods and cause you to lose friends. Few things are worse than a person who only wants to talk about 'what they did to me.' Get rid of the score cards. Burn them! If you know where they're hidden you haven't let them go yet.
Jesus said, '...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...' (Matthew 6:14-15). 'But you don't know what I've been through.' No, but in reading the Scriptures you'll discover what Jesus went through. Would you like to compare notes? His family thought He was mad. Some of those He healed called for His death. Even His disciples bailed out when the going got tough. Then add to that the weight of carrying the sins of the whole world, and you've more than reason to harbour bitterness.
But instead He preached forgiveness - from a cross! And His Word to you today is: 'Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him, who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back' (Luke 6:28-30 NKJV). You say, 'That's hard to do.' Yes, but God will give you the grace to do it!
Grace,
Pastor J.
The grace to do it!17 Feb 2009
'...pray for those who mistreat you.' Luke 6:28
There's no way to go through life without being hurt. But if you think what the person who hurt you did was bad, wait until you see what bitterness will do. It will extend your pain, infect your attitude, control your moods and cause you to lose friends. Few things are worse than a person who only wants to talk about 'what they did to me.' Get rid of the score cards. Burn them! If you know where they're hidden you haven't let them go yet.
Jesus said, '...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...' (Matthew 6:14-15). 'But you don't know what I've been through.' No, but in reading the Scriptures you'll discover what Jesus went through. Would you like to compare notes? His family thought He was mad. Some of those He healed called for His death. Even His disciples bailed out when the going got tough. Then add to that the weight of carrying the sins of the whole world, and you've more than reason to harbour bitterness.
But instead He preached forgiveness - from a cross! And His Word to you today is: 'Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him, who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back' (Luke 6:28-30 NKJV). You say, 'That's hard to do.' Yes, but God will give you the grace to do it!
Grace,
Pastor J.
Monday - February 17th
Good Afternoon:
I want each of your to have this extraction from yesterday's message. I feel that each of us and a few others will need to hold on to the Word of God this week.
"Giving Up--Never An Option"
Matthew 9:20-22 Galatians 6:1-10
1. The Big Picture: In Matthew 9 a woman had been struggling with health problems for 12 years. She had tried one thing after another to get well. She had spent much money on doctors but still wasn’t any better. She kept searching for answers and went to where Jesus was healing people. She thought “if I can just touch the hem of his garment, I will be healed.” Actually this was a pagan custom, but she did it in hopes that she would be well. She did what she knew to do. Sometimes we even refuse to do that. She pressed through the crowd, determined to get to Jesus. She finally reached out just enough to touch the hem. Jesus knew she was there and he said, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you.” What direction might her life have taken if she had said, “things will always be this way. I will never get any better?” But she reached out in hope and in faith that in spite of all of her past failures and disappointments--things could still change for her. And they did.
Paul said to the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
As Christians--give up is never an option because Jesus is with us throughout life’s journey in spite of difficulties and problems. We need to look forward far enough to see the big picture and the overall goal we are pressing toward. Otherwise the day to day struggles get us discouraged and we are tempted to give up.
Hebrews 12:1,2 tells us to “throw off every thing that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We realize that Jesus paved the way before us and that he also experienced lots of difficulties on the way. Yet he had a firm vision of the end product in mind and He didn’t give up or check out before the time.
Don’t allow yourself to become fatigued in doing good because at the right time you will harvest a crop if you don’t give up. Don’t let the daily problems overwhelm you to the point of giving up. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
2. Quitting Points:
Sometimes we don’t think of quitting even when things are at their toughest. Other times there are quitting points that cause us to give up and fade right off the map.
These quitting points could come in many forms. Maybe we faced embarrassment in front of our friends in the third grade and this has developed into a quitting point even to this day. People laughed at us then, and we won’t let that happen again. We just drop off the team. Maybe we played a piano solo in a recital years ago and we really messed up. The quitting point comes to us that says, “I don’t have any musical talent anyway so I won’t take any more lessons. I just can’t get it.”
Others say I can’t live a Christian life and I don’t want to be a hypocrite so I just won’t try anymore. We quit on God when we do that. Jesus did not quit on God. In Luke 22 before going to the cross He agonized but “an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.”
What is your quitting point? We must learn to recognize these things and avoid letting the devil trap us in them. What things happen time after time to cause you to check out? It could be fear of failing, feeling as if you are going to look stupid in front of your friends, telling yourself you just can’t do it, being so tired out from being overwhelmed day after day, or any number of things. You don’t have to let these quitting points cause you to be defeated.
3. Standing Up On the Inside: When things look overwhelming to you, ask the Lord to give you the strength and power you need to keep on going. The disciples in the early church had many quitting points. They didn’t quit because they had been given the power of the Holy Spirit. This was a promise that Jesus had given them before He went to the cross. Without the power of the Holy Spirit they would have given up under the pressures and the persecution. They were persistent because they had their eyes fixed on Jesus and the big picture. They were empowered and equipped with the Holy Spirit.
Remember:Persistence is said to be like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when YOU get tired. You quit when the gorilla gets tired.
The woman who needed healing in Matthew persisted until she received healing. What do you need from the Lord today and you have been just on the verge of giving up? Giving up is never an option. Allow the Lord to put something inside you that will give you new strength to bounce back in spite of difficulties and discouragement. Allow His Holy Spirit to fill you with power. Use the armor of God when things try to defeat you. Ephesians 6:10 says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Remember the balloon man who kept being knocked over and bouncing back. His strength came from within.
As Christians that’s what the Lord helps us to do on the inside. To STAND UP.
Become strong in Christ’s grace even when your faith seems to be faltering.
1. Have your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus and on the big picture rather than your day to day difficulties.
2. Know the quitting points and resist falling into these traps.
3. Be strengthened on the inside by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
I want each of your to have this extraction from yesterday's message. I feel that each of us and a few others will need to hold on to the Word of God this week.
"Giving Up--Never An Option"
Matthew 9:20-22 Galatians 6:1-10
1. The Big Picture: In Matthew 9 a woman had been struggling with health problems for 12 years. She had tried one thing after another to get well. She had spent much money on doctors but still wasn’t any better. She kept searching for answers and went to where Jesus was healing people. She thought “if I can just touch the hem of his garment, I will be healed.” Actually this was a pagan custom, but she did it in hopes that she would be well. She did what she knew to do. Sometimes we even refuse to do that. She pressed through the crowd, determined to get to Jesus. She finally reached out just enough to touch the hem. Jesus knew she was there and he said, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you.” What direction might her life have taken if she had said, “things will always be this way. I will never get any better?” But she reached out in hope and in faith that in spite of all of her past failures and disappointments--things could still change for her. And they did.
Paul said to the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
As Christians--give up is never an option because Jesus is with us throughout life’s journey in spite of difficulties and problems. We need to look forward far enough to see the big picture and the overall goal we are pressing toward. Otherwise the day to day struggles get us discouraged and we are tempted to give up.
Hebrews 12:1,2 tells us to “throw off every thing that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We realize that Jesus paved the way before us and that he also experienced lots of difficulties on the way. Yet he had a firm vision of the end product in mind and He didn’t give up or check out before the time.
Don’t allow yourself to become fatigued in doing good because at the right time you will harvest a crop if you don’t give up. Don’t let the daily problems overwhelm you to the point of giving up. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
2. Quitting Points:
Sometimes we don’t think of quitting even when things are at their toughest. Other times there are quitting points that cause us to give up and fade right off the map.
These quitting points could come in many forms. Maybe we faced embarrassment in front of our friends in the third grade and this has developed into a quitting point even to this day. People laughed at us then, and we won’t let that happen again. We just drop off the team. Maybe we played a piano solo in a recital years ago and we really messed up. The quitting point comes to us that says, “I don’t have any musical talent anyway so I won’t take any more lessons. I just can’t get it.”
Others say I can’t live a Christian life and I don’t want to be a hypocrite so I just won’t try anymore. We quit on God when we do that. Jesus did not quit on God. In Luke 22 before going to the cross He agonized but “an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.”
What is your quitting point? We must learn to recognize these things and avoid letting the devil trap us in them. What things happen time after time to cause you to check out? It could be fear of failing, feeling as if you are going to look stupid in front of your friends, telling yourself you just can’t do it, being so tired out from being overwhelmed day after day, or any number of things. You don’t have to let these quitting points cause you to be defeated.
3. Standing Up On the Inside: When things look overwhelming to you, ask the Lord to give you the strength and power you need to keep on going. The disciples in the early church had many quitting points. They didn’t quit because they had been given the power of the Holy Spirit. This was a promise that Jesus had given them before He went to the cross. Without the power of the Holy Spirit they would have given up under the pressures and the persecution. They were persistent because they had their eyes fixed on Jesus and the big picture. They were empowered and equipped with the Holy Spirit.
Remember:Persistence is said to be like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when YOU get tired. You quit when the gorilla gets tired.
The woman who needed healing in Matthew persisted until she received healing. What do you need from the Lord today and you have been just on the verge of giving up? Giving up is never an option. Allow the Lord to put something inside you that will give you new strength to bounce back in spite of difficulties and discouragement. Allow His Holy Spirit to fill you with power. Use the armor of God when things try to defeat you. Ephesians 6:10 says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Remember the balloon man who kept being knocked over and bouncing back. His strength came from within.
As Christians that’s what the Lord helps us to do on the inside. To STAND UP.
Become strong in Christ’s grace even when your faith seems to be faltering.
1. Have your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus and on the big picture rather than your day to day difficulties.
2. Know the quitting points and resist falling into these traps.
3. Be strengthened on the inside by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday - February 13th
Good Morning: Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday (where applicable)
Free to be quiet13 Feb 2009
'...He opened not his mouth...' Isaiah 53:7
Sometimes it's wise to wait, to say, 'I don't have the answer right now but I'll think about it, pray, and get back to you.' Your need to rescue someone, or impress them and make points, will come back to bite you. The Bible says, 'A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly' (Proverbs 12:23 NIV). Allow wisdom to determine your response, not ego! When people are anxious for answers they'll pressure you into speaking before you have all the facts or have taken time to pray and consider the situation. If you ask Him, God will tell you what to say and when to say it. His promise is: '"I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand..."' (Isaiah 51:16 NIV). Ego says, 'Don't just stand there, say something.' Wisdom says,
'Don't just say something, stand there!' Quietly ask God for insight. One insight from Him can settle things in a hurry. Someone else's need to know shouldn't determine your need to speak. When Jesus stood before Pilate in judgment He said, 'Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?' (Matthew 26:53 NIV). Yet the Bible says, 'He opened not his mouth.' When He was brought before Pilate, Jesus just stood there and said nothing. That's because He was not on trial, Pilate was. Jesus knew His destiny, and most importantly, He knew His Father intimately. And when you know God, you can face anything with confidence; and be free to be quiet. What a wonderful place to be!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Free to be quiet13 Feb 2009
'...He opened not his mouth...' Isaiah 53:7
Sometimes it's wise to wait, to say, 'I don't have the answer right now but I'll think about it, pray, and get back to you.' Your need to rescue someone, or impress them and make points, will come back to bite you. The Bible says, 'A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly' (Proverbs 12:23 NIV). Allow wisdom to determine your response, not ego! When people are anxious for answers they'll pressure you into speaking before you have all the facts or have taken time to pray and consider the situation. If you ask Him, God will tell you what to say and when to say it. His promise is: '"I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand..."' (Isaiah 51:16 NIV). Ego says, 'Don't just stand there, say something.' Wisdom says,
'Don't just say something, stand there!' Quietly ask God for insight. One insight from Him can settle things in a hurry. Someone else's need to know shouldn't determine your need to speak. When Jesus stood before Pilate in judgment He said, 'Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?' (Matthew 26:53 NIV). Yet the Bible says, 'He opened not his mouth.' When He was brought before Pilate, Jesus just stood there and said nothing. That's because He was not on trial, Pilate was. Jesus knew His destiny, and most importantly, He knew His Father intimately. And when you know God, you can face anything with confidence; and be free to be quiet. What a wonderful place to be!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday - February 12th
Good Afternoon:
Your record is cancelled!
'...He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code...that was against us...he took it away, nailing it to the cross.' Colossians 2:13-14
How would you like to have a list of all your sins and shortcomings made public? Not a pleasant thought, eh? Does such a list even exist? It does, and it's a lengthy one. It details all the bad decisions you've made, the hateful acts, the unforgiving attitudes, the prejudices, the greed, the lust, the lies; the Bible says God has recorded them all. But you've never seen the list, have you? No, and neither has anybody else. That's because He forgave all our sins and cancelled the record of the charges against us. Knowing full well that the price for our sins was death, 'Christ died...once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God' (1 Peter 3:18).
Christ both 'forgave' and 'cancelled the written code...that was against us...' Jesus set aside His divine robes and put on our sin-stained garments of shame: the shame of hanging naked before His friends and family; the shame of failure where it seemed for a while that satan was the winner and Jesus the loser; the shame of our transgressions as 'He...bore our sins in his body...so...we might...live for righteousness' (1 Peter 2:24).
Is there a limit to His love? If there is, David the adulterer never found it. Nor Paul the persecutor. Nor Peter the liar. Nor the thief on the cross. And you won't find it either. When Jesus cried from the cross, 'It is finished,' God wrote 'Paid for in full' over every sin you'd commit - from the womb to the tomb!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Your record is cancelled!
'...He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code...that was against us...he took it away, nailing it to the cross.' Colossians 2:13-14
How would you like to have a list of all your sins and shortcomings made public? Not a pleasant thought, eh? Does such a list even exist? It does, and it's a lengthy one. It details all the bad decisions you've made, the hateful acts, the unforgiving attitudes, the prejudices, the greed, the lust, the lies; the Bible says God has recorded them all. But you've never seen the list, have you? No, and neither has anybody else. That's because He forgave all our sins and cancelled the record of the charges against us. Knowing full well that the price for our sins was death, 'Christ died...once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God' (1 Peter 3:18).
Christ both 'forgave' and 'cancelled the written code...that was against us...' Jesus set aside His divine robes and put on our sin-stained garments of shame: the shame of hanging naked before His friends and family; the shame of failure where it seemed for a while that satan was the winner and Jesus the loser; the shame of our transgressions as 'He...bore our sins in his body...so...we might...live for righteousness' (1 Peter 2:24).
Is there a limit to His love? If there is, David the adulterer never found it. Nor Paul the persecutor. Nor Peter the liar. Nor the thief on the cross. And you won't find it either. When Jesus cried from the cross, 'It is finished,' God wrote 'Paid for in full' over every sin you'd commit - from the womb to the tomb!
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday - February 11th
Good Morning:
Keep your peace10 Mar 2009
'The wisdom that is from above is...peaceable...' James 3:17
Have you ever got into an argument before church and felt like a hypocrite during the entire service? Understand this: the enemy knows that God's Word can only be 'sown in peace' (James 3:18), so he will do everything he can to keep you from receiving it and being blessed by it. That's why you must do whatever it takes to keep your peace. There's power in peace! If the devil can't get you upset he has no power over you. He only gains control when you 'lose it.' He plans to get you upset in order to steal your peace, confuse you and make you run in circles. Don't let him. James writes, 'The wisdom that is from above is...peaceable.' In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases this Scripture: 'Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterised by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoys its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour' (v. 17-18). Notice, getting along with others can be 'hard work.' So next time you get worked up about some issue, ask yourself, 'What's the enemy trying to do here? If I give in to these emotions what will the result be?' When you're stressed out you lose your joy, and when you lose your joy you lose your strength because '...the joy of the Lord is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10). So today, pray, exercise self-control, and keep your peace.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Keep your peace10 Mar 2009
'The wisdom that is from above is...peaceable...' James 3:17
Have you ever got into an argument before church and felt like a hypocrite during the entire service? Understand this: the enemy knows that God's Word can only be 'sown in peace' (James 3:18), so he will do everything he can to keep you from receiving it and being blessed by it. That's why you must do whatever it takes to keep your peace. There's power in peace! If the devil can't get you upset he has no power over you. He only gains control when you 'lose it.' He plans to get you upset in order to steal your peace, confuse you and make you run in circles. Don't let him. James writes, 'The wisdom that is from above is...peaceable.' In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases this Scripture: 'Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterised by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoys its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour' (v. 17-18). Notice, getting along with others can be 'hard work.' So next time you get worked up about some issue, ask yourself, 'What's the enemy trying to do here? If I give in to these emotions what will the result be?' When you're stressed out you lose your joy, and when you lose your joy you lose your strength because '...the joy of the Lord is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10). So today, pray, exercise self-control, and keep your peace.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tuesday - February 10th
Good Morning:
Dear Lord, thank you for another day. We need you to be in charge of our lives today because You take better care of us and You always know what is ahead. Lead us and let us not be tempted to put our will before Yours. Amen
Why you need the church10 Feb 2009
'The...many parts...form one body...' 1 Corinthians 12:12
There is a wonderful story about Jimmy Durante, one of the truly great entertainers. He was asked to do a show for World War II veterans. He told them he was very busy, but if they wouldn't mind him doing one short monologue and leaving immediately for his next appointment, he'd go. They agreed. But when Jimmy got on stage he went through the short monologue, then stayed, and stayed. Soon he'd been on stage 15, 20, then 30 minutes. Finally he took a last bow and left. Backstage someone stopped him and said 'I thought you had to go after a few minutes. What happened?' Jimmy answered, 'you can see for yourself if you look on the front row.' In the front row were two veterans, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that's exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully. That's a picture of what happens in church: 'but the many parts make up only one body when they are all put together. So it is with the 'body' of Christ.' But to enjoy its benefits you have to go, and when you get there you must reach out to others so that you can know and be known, strengthening and being strengthened. Pew-sitting, back-of-the-head fellowship won't do. Someone sitting next to you has 20/20 vision where you have blind spots. You need their counsel, correction and comfort; and they need yours. When that happens, the church is working like it's supposed to.
In His Service,
Pastor J.
Dear Lord, thank you for another day. We need you to be in charge of our lives today because You take better care of us and You always know what is ahead. Lead us and let us not be tempted to put our will before Yours. Amen
Why you need the church10 Feb 2009
'The...many parts...form one body...' 1 Corinthians 12:12
There is a wonderful story about Jimmy Durante, one of the truly great entertainers. He was asked to do a show for World War II veterans. He told them he was very busy, but if they wouldn't mind him doing one short monologue and leaving immediately for his next appointment, he'd go. They agreed. But when Jimmy got on stage he went through the short monologue, then stayed, and stayed. Soon he'd been on stage 15, 20, then 30 minutes. Finally he took a last bow and left. Backstage someone stopped him and said 'I thought you had to go after a few minutes. What happened?' Jimmy answered, 'you can see for yourself if you look on the front row.' In the front row were two veterans, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that's exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully. That's a picture of what happens in church: 'but the many parts make up only one body when they are all put together. So it is with the 'body' of Christ.' But to enjoy its benefits you have to go, and when you get there you must reach out to others so that you can know and be known, strengthening and being strengthened. Pew-sitting, back-of-the-head fellowship won't do. Someone sitting next to you has 20/20 vision where you have blind spots. You need their counsel, correction and comfort; and they need yours. When that happens, the church is working like it's supposed to.
In His Service,
Pastor J.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday - February 9th
Good Morning:
I wanted to finish the thought from last Friday regarding 'Night Vision.'
Night vision 09 Feb 2009
'...you who...walk in the light of your fires...shall lie down in torment.' Isaiah 50:11
When the darkness you are experiencing is God-ordained, don't try to create your own light: '...you who...walk in the light of your fires...shall lie down in torment.'
Abraham decided to kindle his own fire when God's promise of an heir didn't materialise quickly enough. Tired of waiting, he decided to go it alone by fathering Ishmael, and ended up creating problems that would last for generations.
God had already promised to liberate Israel, but Moses took it upon himself to do things his way. As a result he killed an Egyptian slave master and spent the next forty years in the wilderness (Exodus 2:11-15).
Peter promised to follow Jesus to prison and to death (Luke 22:33), but because he didn't wait for instructions he ended up lopping off an innocent man's ear.
When you're in darkness by divine design you don't have to be afraid, God will bring you through. Why are we so sure? Because the Bible gives us great promises like: 'Light arises in... darkness for the upright...' (Psalm 112:4 AMP), and '...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning' (Psalm 30:5). The forty days Moses spent alone on the mountain, Elijah's stay on Mount Horeb, and Paul's years in the Arabian Desert weren't wasted experiences; they were part of God's plan. Jesus said, 'What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight...' (Matthew 10:27).
Notice two things in this Scripture:
1) It's in your worst moments that God gives you some of your best insights.
2) People will listen to you because you've 'earned the right to speak.' So sit tight and let God teach you things which can only be learned in the dark.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
I wanted to finish the thought from last Friday regarding 'Night Vision.'
Night vision 09 Feb 2009
'...you who...walk in the light of your fires...shall lie down in torment.' Isaiah 50:11
When the darkness you are experiencing is God-ordained, don't try to create your own light: '...you who...walk in the light of your fires...shall lie down in torment.'
Abraham decided to kindle his own fire when God's promise of an heir didn't materialise quickly enough. Tired of waiting, he decided to go it alone by fathering Ishmael, and ended up creating problems that would last for generations.
God had already promised to liberate Israel, but Moses took it upon himself to do things his way. As a result he killed an Egyptian slave master and spent the next forty years in the wilderness (Exodus 2:11-15).
Peter promised to follow Jesus to prison and to death (Luke 22:33), but because he didn't wait for instructions he ended up lopping off an innocent man's ear.
When you're in darkness by divine design you don't have to be afraid, God will bring you through. Why are we so sure? Because the Bible gives us great promises like: 'Light arises in... darkness for the upright...' (Psalm 112:4 AMP), and '...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning' (Psalm 30:5). The forty days Moses spent alone on the mountain, Elijah's stay on Mount Horeb, and Paul's years in the Arabian Desert weren't wasted experiences; they were part of God's plan. Jesus said, 'What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight...' (Matthew 10:27).
Notice two things in this Scripture:
1) It's in your worst moments that God gives you some of your best insights.
2) People will listen to you because you've 'earned the right to speak.' So sit tight and let God teach you things which can only be learned in the dark.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Friday - February 6th
Good Morning:
The darkness that comes in our lives has many different forms: depression, loneliness, anxiety, jealous, fear, troubled relationships, loss of employment, illness, problems with children/children with problems, etc. - we must know God well enough, trust Him in everything and find our way to Him in the darkness.
Night vision
''Who is among you who...fears the Lord...yet...walks in darkness...?' Isaiah 50:10
God promises us peace, but not smooth sailing or immunity from life's problems. The Bible says you can 'fear the Lord yet walk in darkness and trouble.' Check your Bible:
a) Job lived an exemplary life yet he lost everything. Troubled and perplexed, he cried, '[God] has blocked my way...he has shrouded my paths in darkness (Job 19:8)
b) Jeremiah, after preaching to a rebellious people who beat and imprisoned him, said, 'Oh, that...my eyes [were] a fountain...I would weep day and night for...my people' (Jeremiah 9:1)
c) Paul suffered so much he '...despaired even of life' (2 Corinthians 1:8). Faith is like film; it's developed in the dark. Dark days make us lean on God in ways we normally wouldn't. The truth is, if our faith was never tested we wouldn't be motivated to pursue God and draw closer to Him. Edward Mote wrote: 'When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.' It's easy to praise God when your health is good and your bills are paid. It's when light suddenly turns to darkness that we discover what our faith is made of and where our trust truly lies. It's in those seasons, that we develop night vision!
'I will give you the treasures...stored in secret places...' Isaiah 45:3
Sometimes God doesn't tell us why because He wants us to know who. In Psalm 23, David goes from talking about God, 'The Lord is my Shepherd,' to talking with Him, 'Thou art with me.' What happened in between? David learned that no matter how dark the way is, the Lord is there to guide us. He discovered that it's better to walk through the valley with God than stand on the mountaintop alone. God doesn't always light the path in advance, but He promises, 'When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee...' (Isaiah 43:2). When you feel like you're out of your depth or in over your head, claim the promise! Job had many unanswered questions, but when he began to understand the difference between reason and relationship, he told God, 'My eyes had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you' (Job 42:5). When you can't find the reason, trust the relationship. God won't fail you. Contrary to what you may think, darkness isn't always the work of the enemy. Sometimes it's one of God's best teaching tools. '...about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea...And when they saw Him...they were greatly amazed...beyond measure, and marvelled' (Mark 6:48-51). You get to know the Lord by going through storms with Him. The Psalmist said, '...the night is as bright as the day , for darkness is as light to you.' (Psalm 139:12). So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision, to show you 'the treasures of darkness...hidden in secret places'.
Blessings for the week-end
Pastor J.
The darkness that comes in our lives has many different forms: depression, loneliness, anxiety, jealous, fear, troubled relationships, loss of employment, illness, problems with children/children with problems, etc. - we must know God well enough, trust Him in everything and find our way to Him in the darkness.
Night vision
''Who is among you who...fears the Lord...yet...walks in darkness...?' Isaiah 50:10
God promises us peace, but not smooth sailing or immunity from life's problems. The Bible says you can 'fear the Lord yet walk in darkness and trouble.' Check your Bible:
a) Job lived an exemplary life yet he lost everything. Troubled and perplexed, he cried, '[God] has blocked my way...he has shrouded my paths in darkness (Job 19:8)
b) Jeremiah, after preaching to a rebellious people who beat and imprisoned him, said, 'Oh, that...my eyes [were] a fountain...I would weep day and night for...my people' (Jeremiah 9:1)
c) Paul suffered so much he '...despaired even of life' (2 Corinthians 1:8). Faith is like film; it's developed in the dark. Dark days make us lean on God in ways we normally wouldn't. The truth is, if our faith was never tested we wouldn't be motivated to pursue God and draw closer to Him. Edward Mote wrote: 'When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.' It's easy to praise God when your health is good and your bills are paid. It's when light suddenly turns to darkness that we discover what our faith is made of and where our trust truly lies. It's in those seasons, that we develop night vision!
'I will give you the treasures...stored in secret places...' Isaiah 45:3
Sometimes God doesn't tell us why because He wants us to know who. In Psalm 23, David goes from talking about God, 'The Lord is my Shepherd,' to talking with Him, 'Thou art with me.' What happened in between? David learned that no matter how dark the way is, the Lord is there to guide us. He discovered that it's better to walk through the valley with God than stand on the mountaintop alone. God doesn't always light the path in advance, but He promises, 'When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee...' (Isaiah 43:2). When you feel like you're out of your depth or in over your head, claim the promise! Job had many unanswered questions, but when he began to understand the difference between reason and relationship, he told God, 'My eyes had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you' (Job 42:5). When you can't find the reason, trust the relationship. God won't fail you. Contrary to what you may think, darkness isn't always the work of the enemy. Sometimes it's one of God's best teaching tools. '...about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea...And when they saw Him...they were greatly amazed...beyond measure, and marvelled' (Mark 6:48-51). You get to know the Lord by going through storms with Him. The Psalmist said, '...the night is as bright as the day , for darkness is as light to you.' (Psalm 139:12). So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision, to show you 'the treasures of darkness...hidden in secret places'.
Blessings for the week-end
Pastor J.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday - February 5th
Good Morning:
Lessons from Lystra05 Feb 2009
'And in Lystra...' Acts 14:8
The Bible says, 'In Lystra a...man...who had never walked...heard Paul speaking. Paul...observing...that he had faith to be healed, said..."Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked' (v. 8-10 NKJV). That's extraordinary. Without months of therapy to get his brain's neurological system functioning and his atrophied muscles activated, this man who couldn't stand up suddenly started walking. That's like winning X Factor or I'd Do Anything without a single voice lesson. Or getting your paintings displayed at a famous gallery without having an art class.
God reverses the damage of your past and blesses you with success. You 'walk into it' by His power and grace. Sometimes that's how God works. Next we read, '...when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying... "The gods have come down to us" ...when the apostles...heard this, they tore their clothes... crying out..."why are you doing these things? We also are men..."' (Acts 14:11-15 NKJV).
Here we go again! We keep wanting to make gods out of people. Someone that nobody's ever heard of hits the high note, gets a record deal and becomes an overnight star, and we set them up as a role model. Lord, help us! It even happens to preachers; we struggle, God blesses us and enables us to build a great ministry, now people can't even talk to us without an appointment (unless they happen to be big donors).
Paul and Barnabas didn't go out and buy a wardrobe commensurate with their new image, or hire a publicity agent. No, they 'tore their clothes' and cried, 'We also are men.' Wise up! The crowd that worshipped Paul yesterday stoned him today. Bottom line: be humble, love people, but trust only in God.
Love men and women but put your trust only in God.
Pastor J.
Lessons from Lystra05 Feb 2009
'And in Lystra...' Acts 14:8
The Bible says, 'In Lystra a...man...who had never walked...heard Paul speaking. Paul...observing...that he had faith to be healed, said..."Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked' (v. 8-10 NKJV). That's extraordinary. Without months of therapy to get his brain's neurological system functioning and his atrophied muscles activated, this man who couldn't stand up suddenly started walking. That's like winning X Factor or I'd Do Anything without a single voice lesson. Or getting your paintings displayed at a famous gallery without having an art class.
God reverses the damage of your past and blesses you with success. You 'walk into it' by His power and grace. Sometimes that's how God works. Next we read, '...when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying... "The gods have come down to us" ...when the apostles...heard this, they tore their clothes... crying out..."why are you doing these things? We also are men..."' (Acts 14:11-15 NKJV).
Here we go again! We keep wanting to make gods out of people. Someone that nobody's ever heard of hits the high note, gets a record deal and becomes an overnight star, and we set them up as a role model. Lord, help us! It even happens to preachers; we struggle, God blesses us and enables us to build a great ministry, now people can't even talk to us without an appointment (unless they happen to be big donors).
Paul and Barnabas didn't go out and buy a wardrobe commensurate with their new image, or hire a publicity agent. No, they 'tore their clothes' and cried, 'We also are men.' Wise up! The crowd that worshipped Paul yesterday stoned him today. Bottom line: be humble, love people, but trust only in God.
Love men and women but put your trust only in God.
Pastor J.
Wednesday - February 4th
Good Morning:
Celebrating victory, yet dying of thirst04 Feb 2009
'"...I die of thirst..."' Judges 15:18
The Bible says: 'The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and...his bonds broke loose...He found a fresh jawbone...took it, and killed a thousand men...Then he...cried out to the Lord and said, "You have given this great deliverance...now shall I die of thirst...?"' (Judges 15:14-18 NKJV).
Notice three things in this story:
1) Samson allowed the enemy to bind him. What has you tied up today? What's holding you back? Counselors, programs and self-help manuals are good, but it took God's Spirit to set Samson free. And that's what it's going to take to set you free too. Come on, you've talked your problems to death; even your friends don't want to hear about them any more. The time for advice is over - it's time to cry out to God, to allow His Spirit that can break every habit to set you free (Isaiah 10:27).
2) Samson needed to see what had already been given him. Just the jawbone of a donkey, but with God's help it was enough to win the day. Ask God to show you what you've got, put it to work and He'll give you success. Stop looking in faraway places; the answer's right under your nose. Recognize what God's given you and use it.
3) Samson was celebrating victory, yet dying of thirst. It happens, particularly to those who work for God but don't spend enough time with Him. Paul warns, '...lest Satan should take advantage of us...' (2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV). When you give out but don't take in, the devil gets the advantage and you end up in Delilah's lap.
So spend more time with God. The One who gives you victory, can also quench your thirst. God will give you that peace you have been looking for. He will bring back joy, enthusiasm, purpose and commitment to your life. Try Him.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Celebrating victory, yet dying of thirst04 Feb 2009
'"...I die of thirst..."' Judges 15:18
The Bible says: 'The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and...his bonds broke loose...He found a fresh jawbone...took it, and killed a thousand men...Then he...cried out to the Lord and said, "You have given this great deliverance...now shall I die of thirst...?"' (Judges 15:14-18 NKJV).
Notice three things in this story:
1) Samson allowed the enemy to bind him. What has you tied up today? What's holding you back? Counselors, programs and self-help manuals are good, but it took God's Spirit to set Samson free. And that's what it's going to take to set you free too. Come on, you've talked your problems to death; even your friends don't want to hear about them any more. The time for advice is over - it's time to cry out to God, to allow His Spirit that can break every habit to set you free (Isaiah 10:27).
2) Samson needed to see what had already been given him. Just the jawbone of a donkey, but with God's help it was enough to win the day. Ask God to show you what you've got, put it to work and He'll give you success. Stop looking in faraway places; the answer's right under your nose. Recognize what God's given you and use it.
3) Samson was celebrating victory, yet dying of thirst. It happens, particularly to those who work for God but don't spend enough time with Him. Paul warns, '...lest Satan should take advantage of us...' (2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV). When you give out but don't take in, the devil gets the advantage and you end up in Delilah's lap.
So spend more time with God. The One who gives you victory, can also quench your thirst. God will give you that peace you have been looking for. He will bring back joy, enthusiasm, purpose and commitment to your life. Try Him.
Blessings,
Pastor J.
Tuesday - Februaury 3rd
Good Morning:
Wow, what a word!!!!
The 'water test'03 Feb 2009
'"...Bring them down to the water, and I will test them..."' Judges 7:4
If somebody keeps refusing to support you, let them go; or you'll wish you had. This is especially hard to accept if you're a nurturer by nature, somebody who's invested in making relationships work, come what may. You can't convert the fearful into the faithful. That's God's job, and His 'water test' showed Gideon who he could count on and who he couldn't. God told Gideon: '
"You have too large an army...they'll take...credit...Make [an]...announcement: 'Anyone...who has any qualms...may leave'...Twenty-two companies headed for home. Ten...were left. God said..."There are still too many. Take them down to the stream and I'll make a final cut...'' When the opposition is arrayed against you like 'sand on the seashore' it is often the time when you lose the most support. Don't worry, God is at work. During the first cut, when Joshua lost 22,000 men, what looked like a set-back was actually a set-up from God to determine who was dependable. 'Gideon took the troops down to the stream...Three hundred lapped...from their cupped hands...the rest knelt to drink. God said..."I'll use the three hundred... to...give Midian into your hands."
We learn two lessons from this story:
1) You need to be able to see your enemy approaching. Those who knelt to drink, sacrificed their vision to satisfy their immediate need.
2) When God reduces your support, it's to give you a miraculous victory. It's to show how somebody without formal credentials can run a company, or somebody who's lost everything can make a comeback. So when the people around you can't pass God's 'water test,' let them go and trust God. He has something better in mind.
"I know this is true. You or I might have a desire for something and think that it is good. God will remove somthing or someone from our liives-and give us something or someone so much better for us. God always has our very best interest in His heart and sight. Trust me on this."
Pastor J.
Wow, what a word!!!!
The 'water test'03 Feb 2009
'"...Bring them down to the water, and I will test them..."' Judges 7:4
If somebody keeps refusing to support you, let them go; or you'll wish you had. This is especially hard to accept if you're a nurturer by nature, somebody who's invested in making relationships work, come what may. You can't convert the fearful into the faithful. That's God's job, and His 'water test' showed Gideon who he could count on and who he couldn't. God told Gideon: '
"You have too large an army...they'll take...credit...Make [an]...announcement: 'Anyone...who has any qualms...may leave'...Twenty-two companies headed for home. Ten...were left. God said..."There are still too many. Take them down to the stream and I'll make a final cut...'' When the opposition is arrayed against you like 'sand on the seashore' it is often the time when you lose the most support. Don't worry, God is at work. During the first cut, when Joshua lost 22,000 men, what looked like a set-back was actually a set-up from God to determine who was dependable. 'Gideon took the troops down to the stream...Three hundred lapped...from their cupped hands...the rest knelt to drink. God said..."I'll use the three hundred... to...give Midian into your hands."
We learn two lessons from this story:
1) You need to be able to see your enemy approaching. Those who knelt to drink, sacrificed their vision to satisfy their immediate need.
2) When God reduces your support, it's to give you a miraculous victory. It's to show how somebody without formal credentials can run a company, or somebody who's lost everything can make a comeback. So when the people around you can't pass God's 'water test,' let them go and trust God. He has something better in mind.
"I know this is true. You or I might have a desire for something and think that it is good. God will remove somthing or someone from our liives-and give us something or someone so much better for us. God always has our very best interest in His heart and sight. Trust me on this."
Pastor J.
Via and Email: Jesus: The Motivational Speaker
Have you ever been to hear a motivational speaker? The topic is always success. How you can achieve success in your job, in your life, in your relationships. And, of course, make a lot of money in the process. They call it 'Success Talk.'
One sunny afternoon about two thousand years ago, on a hillside overlooking a lake, Jesus laid out the greatest 'success talk' ever given. He taught his audience how to succeed in a relationship that would last forever and build up wealth that they really could take with them when they said goodbye to this world.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)
Some Bibles print the words of Jesus in red letters. I'm studying the 'red letters' now. I started in Matthew - seemed to make sense - it's the first book of the New Testament and it looks like it has the most red letters.
The first big chunk of red letters I came across in Matthew is in chapters 5, 6 and 7. Jesus' words are pretty straight forward, but I got stumped in the last half of chapter 6.
"The eye is the lamp of the body." Okay ... I get that. Light comes into my eyes and makes the world around me visible. I'm tracking so far.
"If your eyes are good your whole body will be full of light." This is where I started to lose the track. What does 'good' mean?
The next verse presents the converse; "But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (6:23)
Now I'm totally lost. I'd better start taking this whole thing apart.
What do I see that would make my eyes 'good'; that would make my body 'full of light'? What could my eyes see that would make them 'bad' and my whole body 'full of darkness'?
Remember the Sunday school song, "Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little eyes what you see; there's a Father up above and He's looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see"? (We won't get into the traumatic images that little ditty conjures up in a six-year-old mind.)
But maybe that's what Jesus meant - I need to be careful about what I read in books and magazines, what kind of movies I watch and the paths Google leads me down.
That's a plausible explanation for this passage - Jesus is telling me that looking at good things will make me good and looking at bad things will make me bad. Be careful little eyes what you see.
Or maybe, he wasn't talking about what I see, but how I see. How do I interpret the world around me? Do I see the guy standing at the off-ramp with a cardboard sign as a public nuisance, or do I see him as someone in need; someone Jesus died for, just like me? Maybe that's what Jesus meant - how I see things makes my whole body full of light or full of darkness.
My friend David Pawson taught me to always look at the context of the passage I'm studying. This may shock you, but Jesus didn't divide what he said into verses and chapters; neither did Matthew or Mark or John or Moses or any of the other guys who wrote down the words of scripture. The verses and chapters came much later; somebody's swell idea to make looking things up easier.
So if you're stuck on what a particular verse means, read the book (or at least the chapter) from the beginning, and then read past the verse to make sure you've got the whole picture. I know it takes longer than just looking up a verse, but the Bible is God's Word, not a fortune cookie. It's worth the effort.
Anyway, this verse about having 'good' or 'bad' eyes is part of a long lesson Jesus shared with a crowd on the shores of Galilee. Jesus was teaching his listeners how to behave toward one another, how to regard the Law that was passed down from Moses and how to follow a higher law; he was teaching them how to 'see' things from his perspective.
Just before and just after he mentioned the thing about your eyes being 'good' or 'bad' he talked about money and the stuff money buys. So, whether my eyes are good or bad depends on what I think about money and the stuff money buys? That seems to be the context in which Jesus was speaking.
Well I would have never guessed that!
But it's true. Just before the eye verses Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven .... For where your treasure is,there your heart will be also." (That's trying to store up enough money and stuff so you don't worry about tomorrow.)
Right after the eye verses he says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (That's worrying about not having enough money and stuff for tomorrow.)
Jesus also said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."(John 8:12)
The gospels record Jesus healing the eyes of blind men; but he really came to heal men of their spiritual blindness. He came to make our eyes 'good'; make us see as he sees.
The Law, 'eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,' was made for a dark world full of blind men. Putting on shows of self-righteousness to gain the approval of men is a sign of eyes being darkened. And putting your trust in the treasures of this world and your worries in wants of this world is a sign of a spiritual eye disease. Jesus came to heal that disease and give light to the eyes of men.
I come down hard on people who fall in love with money and the stuff it buys a lot in this letter. For the record, I've got no problem with money or the stuff it buys ... there's a place for money and stuff. But, in this culture, we've come to equate success in life with money and the stuff it buys.
For the most part, those of us who go by the name Christian aren't any better. We suck up to rich people and envy their stuff. We want more for ourselves and equate our blessedness with our pocketbooks. Don't do that. That's what blind men do.
Purpose Weekly is about success. But it's about a success that far transcends all the garbage we've been taught about what success is supposed to look like. True success is way bigger than collecting the goodies this world offers.
Not once does the New Testament speak of worldly wealth being a good thing. Measuring our success by all that stuff is the product of a dark world inhabited by blind men. Jesus came to give us light, to heal our blindness so we could see garbage for what it is and recognize treasure that doesn't crumble into dust.
Besides, our Father in heaven knows what we need. His son promised that if we seek His kingdom and righteousness first - He'd give us all the stuff as well.
Not a bad deal.
Steve Spillman
The Purpose Weekly
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2: 15-17)
One sunny afternoon about two thousand years ago, on a hillside overlooking a lake, Jesus laid out the greatest 'success talk' ever given. He taught his audience how to succeed in a relationship that would last forever and build up wealth that they really could take with them when they said goodbye to this world.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)
Some Bibles print the words of Jesus in red letters. I'm studying the 'red letters' now. I started in Matthew - seemed to make sense - it's the first book of the New Testament and it looks like it has the most red letters.
The first big chunk of red letters I came across in Matthew is in chapters 5, 6 and 7. Jesus' words are pretty straight forward, but I got stumped in the last half of chapter 6.
"The eye is the lamp of the body." Okay ... I get that. Light comes into my eyes and makes the world around me visible. I'm tracking so far.
"If your eyes are good your whole body will be full of light." This is where I started to lose the track. What does 'good' mean?
The next verse presents the converse; "But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (6:23)
Now I'm totally lost. I'd better start taking this whole thing apart.
What do I see that would make my eyes 'good'; that would make my body 'full of light'? What could my eyes see that would make them 'bad' and my whole body 'full of darkness'?
Remember the Sunday school song, "Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little eyes what you see; there's a Father up above and He's looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see"? (We won't get into the traumatic images that little ditty conjures up in a six-year-old mind.)
But maybe that's what Jesus meant - I need to be careful about what I read in books and magazines, what kind of movies I watch and the paths Google leads me down.
That's a plausible explanation for this passage - Jesus is telling me that looking at good things will make me good and looking at bad things will make me bad. Be careful little eyes what you see.
Or maybe, he wasn't talking about what I see, but how I see. How do I interpret the world around me? Do I see the guy standing at the off-ramp with a cardboard sign as a public nuisance, or do I see him as someone in need; someone Jesus died for, just like me? Maybe that's what Jesus meant - how I see things makes my whole body full of light or full of darkness.
My friend David Pawson taught me to always look at the context of the passage I'm studying. This may shock you, but Jesus didn't divide what he said into verses and chapters; neither did Matthew or Mark or John or Moses or any of the other guys who wrote down the words of scripture. The verses and chapters came much later; somebody's swell idea to make looking things up easier.
So if you're stuck on what a particular verse means, read the book (or at least the chapter) from the beginning, and then read past the verse to make sure you've got the whole picture. I know it takes longer than just looking up a verse, but the Bible is God's Word, not a fortune cookie. It's worth the effort.
Anyway, this verse about having 'good' or 'bad' eyes is part of a long lesson Jesus shared with a crowd on the shores of Galilee. Jesus was teaching his listeners how to behave toward one another, how to regard the Law that was passed down from Moses and how to follow a higher law; he was teaching them how to 'see' things from his perspective.
Just before and just after he mentioned the thing about your eyes being 'good' or 'bad' he talked about money and the stuff money buys. So, whether my eyes are good or bad depends on what I think about money and the stuff money buys? That seems to be the context in which Jesus was speaking.
Well I would have never guessed that!
But it's true. Just before the eye verses Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven .... For where your treasure is,there your heart will be also." (That's trying to store up enough money and stuff so you don't worry about tomorrow.)
Right after the eye verses he says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (That's worrying about not having enough money and stuff for tomorrow.)
Jesus also said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."(John 8:12)
The gospels record Jesus healing the eyes of blind men; but he really came to heal men of their spiritual blindness. He came to make our eyes 'good'; make us see as he sees.
The Law, 'eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,' was made for a dark world full of blind men. Putting on shows of self-righteousness to gain the approval of men is a sign of eyes being darkened. And putting your trust in the treasures of this world and your worries in wants of this world is a sign of a spiritual eye disease. Jesus came to heal that disease and give light to the eyes of men.
I come down hard on people who fall in love with money and the stuff it buys a lot in this letter. For the record, I've got no problem with money or the stuff it buys ... there's a place for money and stuff. But, in this culture, we've come to equate success in life with money and the stuff it buys.
For the most part, those of us who go by the name Christian aren't any better. We suck up to rich people and envy their stuff. We want more for ourselves and equate our blessedness with our pocketbooks. Don't do that. That's what blind men do.
Purpose Weekly is about success. But it's about a success that far transcends all the garbage we've been taught about what success is supposed to look like. True success is way bigger than collecting the goodies this world offers.
Not once does the New Testament speak of worldly wealth being a good thing. Measuring our success by all that stuff is the product of a dark world inhabited by blind men. Jesus came to give us light, to heal our blindness so we could see garbage for what it is and recognize treasure that doesn't crumble into dust.
Besides, our Father in heaven knows what we need. His son promised that if we seek His kingdom and righteousness first - He'd give us all the stuff as well.
Not a bad deal.
Steve Spillman
The Purpose Weekly
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2: 15-17)
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