Sent to Reach One

S - "I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. My judgment is faultless because I obey him, and don't try to please myself. … I don't depend on what people say about me … something more important than John speaks for me. I mean the things that the Father has given me to do! All of these speak for me and prove that the Father sent me." John 5 - Jesus

O - Jesus' assignment on earth was never to try and "get people to believe in him."  He came with the primary focus of being the One the Father sent.  His "job" was to be the One, to be his Father's exact representation (John 12:44-45; Hebrews 1:3).  It is the ultimate in "in reach". He never worked for his Father, only with him. The result was an influence unlike any other our world has known.  Later on he would pray (John 17:18) and then say (John 20:21) that he would send others just as the Father sent him. 

A -  Heaven sends humans very differently than earth does. According to Jesus, the most important person for me to influence every day and in every setting is me.  He wants my focus to be getting and keeping the beam out of my own eye; to, with his enabling, reach myself in being one of his own.  All other activities, conversations and engagements with others must flow from this reality.  Like Jesus, my assignment is to love God by obeying and not trying to please myself. 

P -  Lord of all and Lord of me,

I am asking, seeking, knocking for this year to be the greatest year of in reach I've ever known.  I want to be yours; to be one who follows, imitates and sticks.  Please Lord, together let's reach me!

All my love,

Steve

The Truth about Enemies of God

S - “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—” Colossians 1:19-22 NIV

O - Reconciled enemies is a marvelous thing. It is essential to admit that while most relational dynamics require the participation of both parties, being an enemy can be engaged by only one side. The Father of Jesus never was and never will be an enemy of humans, even wicked ones (cf. Luke 6:35-36). Instead, in almost unimaginable love he sends Jesus as his message and gift to the entire world; no exceptions. The reconciliation is not God to his enemies but his enemies to him. As is stated elsewhere: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” 2Corinthians 5:19 NIV

A - The religion of Jesus' day presented, and the religion of my day presents, God as an enemy. Jesus presents him as a Father loving, wanting and reconciling all people to himself. It's not that we have no choice in the reconciliation -- it's that he's made his choice and will never change his mind. He has never been and never will be my enemy … but I have been his enemy. The mystery of his love is that he refused to be mine. I am amazed, and continue to be amazed by him and his relentless love. He's not saying I will if you will. He's saying I do, will you? I will!

P - Our Dearest Father in heaven,

Thank you for loving and reconciling everyone and everything in Jesus.  Thank you for loving us because you love us; not so we'll love you back -- but you want us to love you back. I love you back and am fully accepting your adoption and reconciliation. Thank you for freeing me/us from all accusation … and for refusing to be my/our enemy.

I will live and pray in Jesus,

Steve

Earthlings and Resurrection Living

S - "“He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”” Luke 24:44-49 NIV

O - In this post resurrection interaction with his closest followers Jesus engages some essentials for life on earth. These essentials include the following: 1. He must open their minds so that they can understand the Scriptures; something quite different from the Scriptures being read, quoted and "believed in". Even though they were physically with him and taught by him the previously three plus years, this did not enable them to understand the Scriptures. 2. The result of resurrection would be an invitation to all of earth's citizens to change their thinking (the Greek for repentance) and receive release (the Greek for forgiveness) from sin in his name, i.e. in him. 3. As such, they would be his witnesses … not those who do witnessing but who are those who are experiencing his person and resurrection life in ongoing relationship and as a result are witnesses.

A - There's no escaping my ongoing need of the Spirit's help. The real Jesus is not discovered by human efforts (flesh and blood) but revealed by the Spirit. The Scriptures cannot be rightly understood by sound academics and theological frameworks according to Jesus. I admit my ongoing need for help from heaven and the change in thinking Jesus calls all people to each day. I am grateful to be his friend and witness rather than doing witnessing. I will welcome the Spirit's help to live out loud all he shows me of himself. He is life … irrepressible, vibrant, eternal. "“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40 NIV

P -  Lord,

I admit and accept my limitations and welcome you and the enablement which comes only by your spirit. I need and welcome the ongoing opening of my mind, the transformation of my thinking, the release from sin and being your witness rather than doing witnessing. I really do love you back. Thank you for loving me/us.

All in,

Steve