Fear or Near?

S - 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV): “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."

O - Religious and secular culture teaches us to become self-reliant.  God's kingdom is calling us all to not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  This is how Jesus lived among us and how he insists we learn to live. Culture (which is always afraid of something) is afraid that such a lifestyle will produce lazy, foolish and entitled people.  Religion says 'pray like everything depends on God and work like everything depends on you'.  The problem with this is that it directly contradicts Jesus, his words and his life.  Jesus prayed, worked and lived like everything depended on God … the God who raises the dead.  He was the first to be raised from the dead to die no more and he says to all ‘follow me’. Jesus and his kingdom are fearless.  Heaven is never afraid and is always looking to love everyone. 

A - The fear in believing Jesus about earth is that it won't happen … he's really not that involved with human existence.  When it comes to daily bread we're really on our own; i.e. the kingdom really isn't as near as Jesus "implied" … it's more like 'if I should die before I wake' near.  Jesus asked Nicodemus (John 3:12) "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" I'm going to follow Jesus and engage as Paul did … not relying on myself but God, the God who raises the dead. I will believe Jesus about earth.

P - Lord of heaven and earth,

Thank you for wanting to be involved and leading in all of life … even daily bread details.  I admit that there are times I get afraid.  I also admit that I can't be running after what I'm going to eat, wear and store up AND actually follow you at the same time.  I admit that we can "take" the things you’ve promised to add.  Lord, I want to follow and believe. I will refuse to worry, run after and take. Instead I'll trust, follow and see it added. Thank you for coming to earth, living on earth and teaching us how to live here too.

Relying on you,

Steve

Heresy is Less about Talking and More about Living

S - "But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, thus bringing on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentious ways, because of whom the way of truth will be reviled. And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." (2 Peter 2:1-3 LEB)

O - I used to think that "denying" was exclusively theological in nature.  If my theology on the identity of Jesus is "off" then I'm denying him.  This thinking was inspired and encouraged by all my religious training.  What I didn't see was that the demons always had accurate theology when they came in contact with Jesus.  They always knew and openly confessed his true identity.  Historically, the folks who launched the Crusades of the Middle Ages confessed the creed … but, like the demons, they lived in open denial and rebellion to the person and teaching of Jesus.  History and our current day are full of people who hold to "orthodox theology" about Jesus and are driven by greed and self-promotion.  Jesus left his followers only one assignment that if they would engage the world (secular and religious) would know that they are actually following him and that the Father did send him.  That assignment? To love each other (cf. John 13:35; 15:13; 17:23).  Wouldn't anyone who alters, ignores, minimizes or refuses this assignment be "denying the Master who bought them"?  Of the religious and theologically elite the Apostle Paul wrote: "For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ," (Philippians3:18 LEB)

A - Jesus has been teaching me that loving is more important than being right.  If I love him I'll end up not only accurate in my theology but empowered in my living and transformed in my thinking.  To God and his Kingdom, nothing is more important than love.  It's not accuracy which will keep me from denying him … but love will.  I choose to accept the assignment Jesus has given to all.  I will love all … it is the greatest ands the greatest commandment.  Everything hangs on it and if I do it not only will others know, I myself will live.

P - Lord Jesus,

The remedy and repelling of denying you is love, not theology.  Thank you for loving us first and most and for refusing to change your mind.  Today, while it is called today, I choose to accept the assignment you've given to all.  I will love you back with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and my neighbor as myself.  I will believe you about earth and not just about heaven. 

All my love,

Steve

The Devil's Workshop

S - "From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid, Lord! This will never happen to you!” But he turned around and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a cause for stumbling to me, because you are not intent on the things of God, but the things of people!” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it. (Matthew 16:21-25 LEB)

O - Jesus is living out the words he's saying.  The good news is Peter is following Jesus. The bad news is that he's doing what religion teaches people to do: to rely on their own understanding.  The intense response of Jesus to Peter's well intended and theologically based "God forbid" helps us see how tragically pervasive and devastating this problem is. It is the place where Satan is.  Religion will teach us concepts, principles and promises from the Scriptures and then encourage us to "believe" them. We're left to apply, think through and accept the conclusions which are natural to our way of thinking in direct opposition to Scriptures instruction to NOT lean on our own understanding (cf. Proverbs 3:5-6). Heaven calls us to a person and to rely exclusively on him. Anyone can follow but everyone must follow the same way … the way Jesus followed his Father: lose your life so it can be found; deny yourself so your self will rely on a person rather than concepts, principles or promises; take up your cross for clear thinking and the life that is really life. "You search the scriptures because you think that you have eternal life in them, and it is these that testify about me. And you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life." (John 5:39-40 LEB)

A - Peter's Christology did not allow for the promised Messiah to suffer and die as a criminal or to ever leave Israel once he'd come.  Jesus did both. Peter's hope was and is a person and so is mine.  I am not called to a mission, world view, principle or cause … I am called to Jesus.  The Scriptures were not given to reveal a plan.  They were given to testify to a person.  I will rely on him and refuse the Devil's workshop.

P - Lord,

I admit my risk to lean on my own understanding of the very things you've been teaching me.  You are the point of the teaching and the only point of reliance.  I don't want to think or work for you but with you.  Today, I am very confident in you and that you already have in mind what you want to do. I say yes to you.  I'll choose to lose so I can follow, be near and really live.

I love you back,

Steve

Wise and Trusted

S - "Who is the wise and trusted servant? The master trusts one servant to give the other servants their food at the right time. Who is the one the master trusts to do that work? When the master comes and finds that servant doing the work he gave him, what a great day it will be for that servant. I can tell you without a doubt, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns. But what will happen if that servant is evil and thinks his master will not come back soon? He will begin to beat the other servants. He will eat and drink with others who are drunk. Then the master will come when the servant is not ready, at a time when the servant is not expecting him. Then the master will punish that servant. He will send him away to be with the hypocrites, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain." (Matthew 24:45-51 TLJ)

O - These words are spoken by Jesus on the front end of the "final exam" he posts in Matthew 25. The wise and trusted servant is NOT the one who has the largest following, who is a financial and/or entrepreneurial wizard or who has the greatest social influence/reputation.  Culture (religious culture included) teaches us to assess greatness by these measures.  Jesus tells us to assess ourselves by how we treat others … all others! The wise and trusted servant is the one who loves his neighbor as himself; who remembers and lives out the truth that all people are loved and wanted by God. The world (secular and religious) affirms those as wise and trusted who live by the bottom line, put the good of the organization/institution above all others and who have a great public image. According to Jesus, these are the ones who will be sent away with the hypocrites where the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.

A - Jesus always starts and ends with people.  I was trained to start with resources, structure, image and concepts and then people.  I am being retrained, refocused and refreshed by Jesus and his definition of wise and trusted.  I can't serve God and money … all money. The Kingdom is NOT primarily efficient because it is a kingdom of love … and love is not primarily efficient.  The love God is and affirms gives up its life for all others rather than giving up others for the life of an organization, institution or religion. Jesus insists I recognize that God cares about who I am in private rather than how I'm perceived in public.  I choose to believe Jesus about heaven and earth. "Truly, truly I say to you, we speak what we know, and we testify about what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony! If I tell you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? (John 3:11-12 LEB)

P - Lord who loves and wants all,

Thank you for always starting and ending with people, all people. I accept your start and finish and the truth that the bottom line is never the bottom line.  Please keep leading, teaching, changing, transforming me … I really want to get out and keep out the plank in my own eye.  I admit that the purpose you give to me and to all is to love you back with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and my neighbor as myself.  If I do this I will live and everything hangs on this.  I want to be trusted and wise.

All my love,

Steve