Is more evidence necessary?

How many of us struggle with doubt? It could be that we just aren't sure, or we could completely reject. In Matt ch11, John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the one. Interesting that John needs this confirmation. After all, he recognized the "lamb of God" as Jesus when he baptized Jesus. He understood his place and rank next to Jesus, not being worthy to untie Jesus' sandals. So why the doubt? John is in prison, and perhaps hasn't seen God work in quite the fashion he expected. Sound familiar? God not working in the fashion we expect? It is taking too long, there doesn't seem to be any activity, etc. We doubt. We become uncertain. Check out Jesus' response in ch11v4-6. Do we need ANOTHER miracle to believe?

Surrender...not defeat, rather victory

Matt 10:38-39 can be a very difficult section to understand. Remember, Jesus is instructing his disciples before sending them out. His point is to surrender to God. We need to quit trying to go alone and need to rely on and seek God. By clinging to our old ways, we will not taste the victory God has for us. When we give up our life, and submit to God, He refreshes us and gives us strength. As men, we have a stubbornness streak that we think we are capable and can do anything. Just remember that when trying to remove the lid on a new jar. Surrendering to another to help is really a foreign thought to us. That is exactly what God wants us to do in life in regards to him. Humbleness, respect and desire to serve Him are key. Be willing to tell others, I know who can open that jar!

Jesus sends us out

Welcome back to your morning nuisance version 2.0! We'll pick up in Matt ch 10. Jesus is sending out His 12 disciples and gives them authority to cast out evil spirits and heal disease. Wow! What an opportunity! What an assignment! Jesus himself has empowered them! Don't you realize he has empowered us as well? The Holy Spirit dwells within us, and He is as equally powerful as God and Jesus (being 1). Jesus gives the disciples instructions on where to go and to be ready for people to reject and persecute them. Times might have changed, but things are still the same. V19 is crucial for us to remember that WHEN attacked, God will give us what to say. We need not worry about how to protect God. Jesus goes to great length to note his followers will be attacked. His response? Stay strong, it IS worth it!

What is True Power?

In Matthew Ch 9:23-33, Jesus does 2 incredible actions. In the first part, the disciples and Jesus in are a boat when a storm starts up. The boat is tossed and turned and the disciples are scared. Jesus is calm, in fact, He is asleep. They wake him terrified. Notice that even in their panic, the disciples held Jesus in enough regard to think He could save them. They might not have known how, but they at least figured He could. Jesus then calmed the storm. The disciples, even though they asked for his help, were amazed. How often are we amazed at God's work in our lives? We pray and ask for His movement, then we are either amazed at the result, or puffed up that we had a part in it. God longs to give us our requests, as long as they are in line with His will. The second part of this section shows Jesus having power over two demon-possessed men. The demon spirits in these men recognize Jesus and plead with him not to torture them. Jesus even allowed their wish and sent them into a herd of pigs who ran off a cliff. To the Jewish listener, those pigs got what they deserved as they were seen as unclean animals. However, this passage showed Jesus as having power even over the enemy! The demon-spirits had to ask permission first. Could Jesus simply take away all of the calamity and strife in our life? Of course. He has power over all, as shown in a sampling in these passages. Why then doesn't he? Which are you more grateful of, things done for you, or things you work through? We are called to love God and worship Him. This becomes harder as life gets easy. We mistakenly put our faith in ourselves during those times. Experiencing pain and difficulties builds us and makes us stronger. We arrive at the other side better for the experience. True power then, is being able, but still wanting growth in all. Storms in life prune us and take off dead and unnecessary limbs. God actually is blessing us by allowing these storms....that is true power.

Does our prayer wear God down?

In Matthew ch7, v7-11, the discussion is focused on effective prayer. "Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for". Sounds like something a child might do, repeatedly asking for something until the adult gives out and gives in. Wear em down! I think it is important not to get carried away in the first line. The second line adds, "Keep on seeking, and you will find". This is crucial. Does the writer mean seek a way to get what you want? I don't think so. It seems more appropriate that the author, Matthew, is urging us to seek God's will for us and ask along that line. Does God want you to have that new car? Verse 7 makes it sound like all you have to do is ask repeatedly. But the second part of that verse requires one to "seek". I do not believe it is seeking the right car. I think it is seeking God's will in the request. Does my request line up with God's will? Will this request glorify my own pride, or glorify God? How can this request be used? Will it further the kingdom and make God known to those who might not know Him currently? God is not against cars. No where in scripture does it come close to saying that God wants to deny our requests. In fact, it notes the opposite. Even in the Matthew ch 7 passage, Jesus notes that God knows how to give even better gifts than human fathers/parents. However, the gift must be consistent with God's will and plan. God is not the spiritual Santa Claus reigning to grant our every wish and desire. A point Jesus appears to be making in this passage is to seek out God's will and pray for gifts consistent with that will. God wants to bless His children. He wants to meet our needs and some desires. He is a loving God who cares for his flock. We should not abuse that love by making self-promoting or selfish requests. Seek God's will in your life. Understand how God wants you by asking in prayer, meditating on scripture and spending time connecting. God desires a relationship with you. We ought not ask for things we don't need, or things that will not foster that relationship. It is the key to our perseverance.

Follow Me

In Matthew Ch4, v18-22, Jesus calls his first disciples. Scripture notes that Jesus is walking along the shore and comes upon Peter and Andrew first. He simply called saying "follow me and I will show you how to be fishers of men". Later, he comes across John and James and simply says "follow me". And they did. Amazingly today it seems that we have to "sell" Jesus to others. We emphasize what the receiver will "get" by following. We talk about eternal life as a reward. Surely, the first disciples must have heard something about Jesus, perhaps knew he was a man of God? Maybe even a prophet? The excitement of following someone who spoke with the authority of God....but wait, in Matthew we have little record of Jesus' public ministry. In Ch4v17, it talks of Jesus beginning to preach. We don't know if Peter, Andrew, James or John even were present at these preachings. It almost appears as if they blindly follow Jesus. What would drive you to follow someone? Usually, for me, it is someone who demonstrates leadership, authority, and service towards others, as well as someone who we share a common interest. I am turned off by someone who is self-centered and out for their own glory. Also, we would need to see an itinerary and schedule. Where would we go, how would we support ourselves? What would our goals be and how would we measure? Many today would not blindly follow anything. At the first moment of discouragement, we'd bail. Not only did the disciples have discouragement (they were persecuted and jailed), but their leader was killed violently and they had to hide for a time. Yet, within a short period, they were back preaching and teaching openly about Jesus and what they had seen. Truly amazing. And what of poor Zebedee (James & John's father). They left him behind. Was he mad? Disappointed? Fishing was a tough business and the more hands the better. John was probably younger since he lived to at least 95AD, so having a young son abandon him and go join the circus must have been disheartening. Later in scripture we read of John and James' mother pleading with Jesus for her sons to sit in positions of authority, so we can assume their parents eventually got on board with the Jesus following, can't we? In conclusion, I find it amazingly simple that Jesus said follow me and they did. I am definitely curious to know more. Did these disciples see Him preach previously? How steeped in Jewish law and scripture were they to understand who the Messiah might be? Did they envision authority and riches from their decision to follow Jesus? Did they long to say goodbye to anyone and tie up loose ends? After all, scripture talks about others whom Jesus called to follow him, but indicated their desire to tie up loose ends first. I wonder at times my commitment. Am I following Him? Is it out of love for Him, or because I will "get" a reward in return? Simple words, follow me. Very deep meaning though. We cannot casually follow someone. Either we follow, or we don't. Following also assumes submission to one in authority over us. How often do we enjoy being led? Continue to "follow me" as we unlock and explore more of God's Word in the New Testament in 2013.

Testing God

Matthew, ch4 has the very familiar temptations of Jesus in the desert by Satan. We've heard that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be purified for His assignment (so to speak). Satan came to test his resolve. He first hit him with physical pains of hunger. Jesus had not eaten for 40 days, so naturally, he was pretty hungry. Satan told him to instruct the stones to become loaves of bread. Seems harmless eh? Jesus is hungry after all. But Jesus answers with scripture from Deuteronomy (8:3). Next Satan tries to get Jesus to desire power by showing him the highest point in Jerusalem. Satan even quotes scripture from Ps 91 that angels will protect him. Jesus responds "You must not test the Lord your God" (Deut 6:16). Testing God. How often have I done just that. I give God "ultimatums" or requirements. I'll think things like "God if you just do this, or make this happen, I will believe more and follow you more closely". Let's be honest here, we all have these thoughts. Do we understand what we are doing? We are very selfish creatures, that is why we became separated from God in the first place! How often do we twist scripture to fit our "agenda"? We read it as to how we want to apply it. We must realize first that it was not written "TO US". It was actually written over 2,000 years ago. There are timeless principles that can be applied in our life, but we need to be careful to remember that the discussions between people in the Bible are not directed at us. So when Satan tempts, Jesus by telling him that angels will protect, he is misusing scripture in that way. In fact, Satan leaves out the verse just previous to the one he quotes which says "If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter". Satan was not trying to call on God's goodness to protect Jesus, that is why Jesus responded as he did. Notice one last thing. Jesus' response to Satan is direct. He doesn't accuse him of treachery, and does not engage him in argument. He merely responds to Satan's attempts. Is that meekness that Jesus talks about later? Meekness is not weakness, rather it is strength under control. Try it sometime. Be careful, as will I, about testing God. He is not at our "beckon call". He is to be worshiped and honored.