Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Can You Hear The Shepherds Voice?

scripture

John 10:1 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.

9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

observation

In the last chapter Jesus healed the blind man and a debate started about Jesus identity. Today in John 10 Jesus reveals more information about who he is.

The shepherd is the guy that the gate keeper knows and he will open the gate for him, unlike the thief that has to sneak over the back wall, the sheep know who the right guy is and they are drawn to him. Besides the thief there is also the gate keeper, this guy knows where his paycheck is coming from and he wants that money coming in at least until the wolf shows up and then he is history.

The gatekeeper and the thief have limited interest in the well being of the sheep, but the good shepherd leads his sheep to good pastures and offers them protection from the wolves that are anxious to get to them.

application

Am I drawn to the Good Shepherd? The sheep are supposed to be, that is one of their traits, they know the shepherd, they know his voice and they are drawn to him. I must be careful if I don't hear the voice of the shepherd then I just may be in the arms of the thief or in the jaws of the wolf.

I am a stupid sheep and I must stay in God's word so that I will be drawn to the shepherd.

prayer

Thank you Lord for laying your life down for the sheep. I want to always be drawn to you, listening to your voice, so that the thief or the wolf will not stand a chance.

Monday, June 29, 2009

What Is Your Opinion?

Are you too blind to make the right choice?


scripture

John 9:1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” 10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied.

13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”

18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” 20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 9 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.

35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” 41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

observation

Where is my party?
Doesn’t anybody want to throw this guy a party? He has never been able to see anything for his entire lifetime and now the Pharisees are too intent on killing Jesus, they aren’t your typical party guest and the common people are too afraid of being harassed by the Pharisees, so they aren’t willing to loosen up and celebrate with this man either.

We don’t even know if this guy even asked to be healed, just like every other day of his life, probably the only thing he was asking for was for some money, which was his whole existence. And now because he was healed he is being harassed and being given a hard time for something he didn’t even ask for. His friends and neighbors (verse 8 – 12) give him a shake down and then they haul him over to see the Pharisees (verse 13).

“What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”
This poor guy has never seen Jesus and at this point although he is healed he still hasn’t seen the man that healed him. The Pharisees have seen a lot more evidence to prove who Jesus is than this guy has ever seen, he knows that Jesus is not your ordinary average Joe so to the best of his ability he tells the Pharisees that he thinks that perhaps Jesus is a prophet (verse 17).

This guy is more perceptive about what happened here today than anyone else around him. “I was blind but now I can see, and there is something else that I know for sure, I know that Jesus could not have healed me if he were not from God” (verses 24 – 34). He has never met Jesus but it is obvious to him that Jesus is not an ordinary guy, he doesn’t know that this is the Messiah yet but he will find out real soon.

Now what’s your opinion about this man?
This seeker that had the ability to see spiritually is now able to see physically. It is only appropriate that Jesus should reveal himself to his man that has great spiritual insight. Now that he has met Jesus he knows that he is more than just a prophet, as soon as he is introduced to the Savior he immediately believes and worships Jesus, there is not any doubt in his mind that Jesus is the Messiah.

application

Are we so busy being religious that we miss the point of what God is trying to do in our lives? Sometimes we can miss our Savior while we are busy doing church, is he working right in front of you and you are too blind to see him?

Everyone of us needs to see the Savior for who he really is and accept him as Lord and worship him.

prayer

Thank you Lord for revealing yourself to us, I am so thankful that you have given me spiritual eyes that can see the truth about who you are.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Get Your Work Done

We all have work to do.


scripture

John 9:1-7 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

observation

Jesus is coming near to the end of His time on earth, the night is coming when the "light of the world" will be taken away, it is estimated that six months after this miracle that he was crucified. Jesus isn't preoccupied with the terrible end of his life but instead he is still "on task" doing the works that God has sent Him to do.

Jesus said that "we must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us." And so Jesus keeps his focus and remains busy loving people, it is the reason that he came and worked for three years in ministry, it is the reason that he died for each of us.

As followers of Christ, we all have a job to do, the good works that we were created for should be our mission everyday.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

application

I must be busy doing the good works that God has prepared me to do.

prayer

Give me wisdom Lord to know what you created me to do and may I never neglect the task.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Who Is In Control?

scripture

John 7:25 Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”

28 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. 29 But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” 30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.

31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”
35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.

45 When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” 46 “We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded. 47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. 48 “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”

50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked. 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!” 53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.

observation

The church leaders are having a fit, they want to get rid of Jesus, but why can't they just walk up to Him and have Him arrested just like they would some other guy?

God is in control and he always has been and always will be, these simple men could not stop God's will from being lived out through Jesus, at this point Jesus is untouchable.

The disciples tried to control Jesus and make his kingdom be an earthly kingdom, that was the most shortsighted plan that anybody ever thought of, I think that God's long range plan was a much better idea.

1 Corinthians 1:25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans.

Isaiah 30:1 “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the LORD. “You make plans that are contrary to mine."

application

We need to remember that God is in control and that his ways are higher than our ways, even when his plan for you seems more than you can bear, don't forget that he loves you and that the only plan that you can make is to spend eternity with him.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will work out his plans for my life for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.

prayer

Help us to give up control and to allow ourselves to be a part of your plans. I can only be useful for you if I am willing to be a part of your plans.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Who Was Jesus?

scripture

John 7:25 Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”

28 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. 29 But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” 30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.

31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.

observation

“Who are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.”It is amazing that the people that had direct contact with Jesus could still be unsure of his identity. They even quoted scripture that stated that the Messiah would be “born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born” and yet they were still skeptical, it is mind boggling that they could be so close to the truth and still miss it.

One of their reasons for not believing that Jesus was the Messiah was that they believed that the Messiah would suddenly appear and nobody would know his parents or his siblings, they believed that since they knew Jesus home town then he couldn’t possibly be the Messiah, that’s not anywhere in scripture. So who did Jesus claim to be?

Sinless
John 8:28-29

The only way to God
John 14:6

Able to forgive sins
Luke 5:20-21

The giver of living water
John 4:10

The light of the World
John 8:12
Able to offer eternal life
John 10:28-30

Conquer death
Luke 18:31-33

Returning as our judge
Matthew 24:27-30

The true vine
John 15:1

The great "I Am"
John 8:58
The Son of God
Matt 26:63-63

One with the Father
John 10:30

The bread of life
John 6:35

The good shepherd
John 10:11


application

Do you know who Jesus is? The people were so close to figuring it out when they said “For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” It is incredible that they had so much information and yet they still missed it.

prayer

Thank you for your love and for caring about us enough to make a simple plan for us to spend eternity with you. I pray that people will be open to the truth found in your word.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Let’s Pull Some Sheep Out of the Ditch

scripture

John 7:21 Jesus replied, "I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. 22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses' law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? 24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly."

Hosea 6:6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Micah 6:6 What can we bring to the LORD? What kind of offerings should we give him? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? 7 Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? 8 No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 9 Fear the LORD if you are wise!

observation

This passage of scripture brings up some question that I wonder about.
Why is there so much commotion for doing something good on the Sabbath? I don't understand why Jesus was condemned for healing on the Sabbath but on the other six days of the week nobody was concerned about it at all. They would search for a missing sheep or pull their ox out of a ditch, they would circumcise their sons if the day to do it fell on the Sabbath, so why all the hubbub about healing and if it should be done on the Sabbath?

Why do they think that healing is work? Was there any strain on Jesus when he healed somebody? It seems that healing a person would be easy for Jesus so it wouldn't qualify as "work".

God wants us to do more than just keep the Sabbath, he wants us to:
  • Show love
  • Know Him
  • Do what is right
  • Love mercy
  • Walk humbly with your God
  • Fear the Lord

application

There is enough theology in this short list that can be used to conduct your behavior each day in a way that will please God.

I am sure that the church needs to do church in a way that is non-traditional after all Jesus came to Israel and he tore the handbook on tradition in half. Let's forget about tradition, the way that we have always done it and let's concentrate on finding the lost sheep that are stuck in a ditch.

prayer

Thank you for your love and mercy each day and for caring for the lost and hurting sheep more than the strict observance of rules. Help me to follow this short list each day.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Who Are You Serving?

scripture

John 7:1 After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death.

2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

observation

What is my motivation for serving my Lord?

Jesus brothers thought that Jesus should promote himself and seek mans approval and in doing so they probably thought that they would reap some benefit. Even Jesus disciples would argue about who would be the greatest in Heaven.

Am I serving Jesus for my own benefit or am I serving him with humility following his example?

Philippians 2:3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

application

It is not about me and I need to make sure that I don’t forget it.

prayer

I want to serve you with humility Lord, I want to be useful for your work and for your glory.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Relationships

scripture

John 5:19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 21 For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.

31 “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. 32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true. 33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. 34 Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. 35 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. 36 But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

41 “Your approval means nothing to me, 42 because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. 43 For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. 44 No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

observation

Working together in perfect harmony (John 5:19-30)
The best picture of what our relationships should look like can be seen in how God the Father and Jesus relate to one another and how they both seek to bring glory to the other. You don’t see either one of them trying to get ahead or praising themselves, they don’t keep secrets or deceive, you don’t see any competition but what you do see is complete cooperation.

Avoiding judgment (John 5:22-30)
Jesus said that those that listen to his message and believe will have eternal life and better yet they will not be condemned for their sins. All of the things that I have done wrong are covered by Jesus sacrifice and I have been spared from the judgment that I deserve, what an awesome love that overlooks the penalty that I deserve and it even chooses to overlook the fact that we deserve to be judged, God has shown an amazing love that we need to mimic in our relationships. Why are we so eager to judge others when we have escaped judgment? Why should we be overly concerned about another man’s judgment when God, the one that matters, said that he isn’t judging us?

John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him.”

Who is Jesus? (John 5:31-47)
The issue came up earlier in this chapter after Jesus healed a man by telling him to pick up his mat and go home, Jesus claimed to be God’s Son and that he has the authority to heal on the Sabbath, is there enough evidence to help them decide?

John the Baptist gave his testimony:
John 1:29-30 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about.”

Jesus teachings and miracles were provided to give us proof.

God the Father testified that Jesus is his son.

Jesus said that all of the scriptures pointed to himself and gave a witness of who he is.

All this proof, all of these testimonies and still there were plenty of people that were blind to the truth.

application

I will be slow to jump to judgment and to put somebody down. When I am being judged I will need to consider the source just like Jesus did:

John 5:41-42 “Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don’t have God’s love within you."

Is this somebody that seeks his own glory or has his own agenda? Or is he seeking a peaceful, harmonious relationship.

The most important relationship is my relationship with Jesus, we all need to consider the evidence for it clearly tells us who Jesus is.

prayer

Give me grace to be slow to judge and give me wisdom to accept constructive criticism.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Tennessee Mission Trip Day 4 - Thursday

See the web album here.

This was the last day of VBS and for some reason God allowed it to be a rainy day and only four kids showed up. We set up our tables and while we were waiting for the kids the rain came before they did.

Marian taught the lesson about the cross and told them that Jesus was the only way to get to God by using the bridge illustration. The four kids listened to the lesson and they bowed their heads when the "sinners prayer" but there wasn't any response, it was obvious that most of these kids had heard the message before and since there wasn't a harvest I guess we were applying a little more water for someone else to reap.

There wasn't as much time for interaction with the ones that came and we wished that we could see the ones that didn't brave the weather but we were obedient and it's in God's hands, he could have made it a clear day and gave us a better chance at a larger audience , but for today we were faithful in the little things.

That is all he asks us to do.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Tennessee Mission Trip Day 3 - Wednesday

See the web album here.

This morning in VBS Sheri told the story about the miracle of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. We asked the kids if they could think of a miracle that they had seen and then Sheri told the kids about her miracle, the fact that she has twenty something coils in her head, the doctors never expected her to live to go on another mission trip.


The boys love the softball equipment everyday and today we finally remembered to bring the jump rope to the park and almost every kid had a turn, some at jumping rope and others used it to play the limbo game.


One little girl who calls me "wick" doesn't have a father at home and is loving the time that she can get with me, almost all of these kids are getting a rough start on life and you wish that you could do more for them.


This afternoon most of the ladies went to the nursing home to paint the ladies nails while I worked on reupholstering the chairs in the ministry center we are using for home base this week.



The home improvement team finished their project and they are moving on to a house to help a single mom tomorrow.

Tennessee Mission Trip Day 2 - Tuesday

See the web album here.

On Tuesday we had 11 kids come to the park for VBS. The nice calm group that we had on Monday was transformed by a set of triplets that were competing for attention. The nice polite baseball game that we had the day before was turned into chaos. Somebody almost got sent home.

The Noah's ark story has been done a few times by other groups before us and the kids were ready to let us know the details of the story that they already knew, or they thought that they knew, with a little bit of fiction from the movie "Evan Almighty"thrown in. Steffenie did a good job teaching them and trying to correct their versions of the story.

The home repair team did some work on a home replacing part of a ceiling and hanging a screen door.

After lunch the team that did VBS started bagging food for the food distribution program and I actually got to go with a staff member to deliver food at two apartments that had disabled men living there. We gave the food to two men that were in rough shape and we prayed for them after a short visit and said goodbye. The staff person that we were with said that she used to have someone make the delivery that would have time to stay and visit but she didn't have anybody to do it lately. Reminds me of the white fields that Jesus said are ready for harvest and nobody is there to do the work.

After the work with the food we stepped over to the clothes closet and organized and put shoes away.

It was a full day but everybody is doing well. Thanks for your prayers!

Monday, June 08, 2009

Tennessee Mission Trip Day 1 - Monday

See the web album here.

All nine of us arrived safely on Sunday. We started Vacation Bible School today, yesterday we passed out fliers for an hour so really this isn't day one, we had seven kids today.


I taught the creation story today for seven kids and we did a craft project, coloring pictures and played a little softball. I am sure that the number of kids will grow tomorrow as the word spreads.


After lunch we went to see a covered bridge before going to a nursing home to visit.


Marian fell in love with a sweet lady that wouldn't let go of her hand. Most of the time that we were there I played Uno Attack with the staff and residents, what a blast that was and I won a couple of hands.


James, Tommy and Steve fixed a floor that broke through when the community center received food shipments with a pallet jack.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Miracles Not Required

scripture

John 4:45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

46  As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. 47  When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.

48  Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?"

49  The official pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies."

50  Then Jesus told him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

observation

Who was this government official that was so humble that he didn't send for Jesus but rather he inconvenienced himself and made the journey to Cana?

Jesus asks the official "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?" The Samaritan people believed in Jesus without any miracles but the people from Galilee had already seen the signs and wonders that Jesus did at the Passover in Jerusalem (John 2:23, John 4:45) and now they are happy to welcome Jesus into their town but we don't know if they ever welcomed Jesus into their hearts.

The guy with the sick boy believed enough to make the trip to Cana and then he showed even more faith by taking Jesus at his word and going home empty handed. The man's faith was not disappointed and the son's recovery is proof to this man's family. Imagine the whole family of a Roman government official believing in Jesus, a whole village of Samaritans and yet the Galileans didn't show any signs that they believed.

application

We need to live by faith and not by sight.

prayer

Help us to have faith and trust in you every day for every detail of our lives.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Do You See What Jesus Sees?

scripture

John 4:31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about." 33 "Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.

34 Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it's true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."

observation

The harvest is appointed and looked for before it comes; so was the gospel.

Jesus and his disciples approached the Samaritan village, we can be sure that the disciples saw a despised people that they would walk a hundred miles to keep from going through their village, but Jesus looked at the village and saw a harvest that was ready and he was ready to go into the field and pick some of the fruit.

Harvest-time is busy time; all must be then at work.

Matthew 9:37 He said to his disciples, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields."

Sometimes when you are working on a project you just don't feel hungry, Jesus was so busy harvesting that he couldn't think about eating lunch, he was looking at that Samaritan village and he was eager. He also knew that there were not any workers that were coming to this despised field. Notice the first person that he talks too, the person that would lead the rest of the village to the Lord, a woman that was probably an outsider and she too was looked down on by the people of her home town.

Harvest-time is a short time, and harvest-work must be done then, or not at all.

The time of the gospel is a season, it's a basic fact in farming that you cannot leave the fruit in the field for too long or else it will be gone. There seems to be fewer fields in America that are coming upon harvest season, there are more and more fields that are ripe unto harvest in countries like those on the African continent where great numbers are being saved at one presentation of the gospel. In some countries that I have been to the people came to Jesus in large numbers and in other places the soil was so full of rocks that it seems that no harvest will ever come up there.

What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!

It isn't a competition, we are all working for the Lord.

application

Help us to see the "unlikeable" places and people of our day the way that Jesus would

prayer

Help me to look at the world and see the fields that are ready. I pray that on our mission trip to Tennessee that we will find a harvest that is ready but if not then we will kick the rocks out of the field and plant some seed and do some watering.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Eye Trouble

scripture

John 4:3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"10 Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."

11 "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?" 13 Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."

15 "Please, sir," the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to get water." 16 "Go and get your husband," Jesus told her. 17 "I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband—18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!"

19 "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?"

21 Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

25 The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus told her, "I AM the Messiah!"

observation

Jesus is always working, taking care of his father's business, in the third chapter of John we see that Jesus took control of the conversation with Nicodemus and he quickly got to the point, today Jesus uses a different approach.

A Samaritan woman with five husbands?!?

Nicodemus was a "holy man" and a Jew, that is the kind of people that Jesus should be talking to, but this time he is engaging in conversation with a woman of shameful descent, a Samaritan. Oh my, doesn't he know what that will do to his reputation? Everybody has had people come up to them and as soon as we see them coming we groan inside thinking what do they want, usually we are sure it is money, or maybe we just don't want to talk to them because they are different or we don't like their personality. But when you look through the gospels you will see that Jesus was always eager to talk to anybody, he never looked at someone coming his way and complain about the inconvenience or the way they behave or how they look, he didn't dwell on any of that but instead he looked past the persons exterior and saw their spiritual need and he knew that their spiritual need was his reason for being here on our planet.

Give me a drink, no you give me a drink.

Jesus was weary from his trip and asks for a drink but really he is setting up his offer to give the woman a taste of the living water, the water that would quench her thirst for meaning and purpose in life, the water that Jesus was willing to share with her would quench the thirst of her soul and would give her eternal life.

"I AM the Messiah!"

Her past and her present were not as important as her future, Jesus didn't condemn her, what he wanted was for her to recognize the Messiah and to become a "true worshiper"

application

I must be open to every encounter with people, even if they don't look right or act right or come from the right place. I have to remember that every person that does not know the Messiah does not have any greater need than the need to know him, if I see them from that perspective then I will be able to look past any prejudice that I could have against them.

prayer

Give us your eyes Lord to see people the way that you see them. Help us to see their greatest need and be willing to be "inconvenienced."

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Don't Look At Me

scripture

John 3:27  John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28  You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29  It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30  He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

31  “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32  He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33  Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34  For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35  The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36  And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

observation

Don’t look at me! Imagine the best man at the wedding trying to be in the spotlight, I am sure that somebody would put him in his place real fast.

John was very pleased with the success that Jesus had and he did not feel like he wasn’t getting the praise that he deserved, he was glad to be a part of the wedding party and to get to witness the success of Jesus ministry, he wasn’t concerned that he was losing his followers.

So many times in ministry people allow their personality, or their need for their ego to be stroked to get in the way of what God is trying to do.

My pastor could be worried about the success of another church in the neighborhood, he could worry that our partnership with First Baptist of Brandon will create a following for their pastor. I could be concerned that the work that I do may be done better by somebody else or maybe their program is more successful than mine is, I could think to myself “why didn’t the pastor ask me to do that, surely I deserve to do that or I could do it better than he does.”

application

It’s not about me, it’s is all about Him and we should all be focused on Jesus and we should be putting the spotlight on him, our greatest joy should be for him to receive the glory. I should have the same attitude as John the Baptist when he said that he was filled with joy at Jesus success.

prayer

Thank you Lord for using this simple man to accomplish your will. I pray that I will give you the praise and the glory for every success that I have in ministry and for the success of others that are also working to bring you glory.

Monday, June 01, 2009

An Offer You Can Not Refuse

scripture

John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

observation

How much did God love you? So much that he offered his son as the sacrifice for your sin.

Why did he do it? So that you could live for eternity with him.

Don’t get the wrong idea, Jesus didn’t come to judge the world, he actually came to save you from the coming judgment.

How can you pass up on an offer like that?

application

I will live for God because he died for me.

prayer

Help me to live each day knowing that ultimately I will spend eternity with you and all the trials of this world will be nothing compared to eternity with my Savior. Thank you for your love and for giving me a way out of the coming judgment.