Think Twice if it's Yours for the Taking

S - Matthew 4:2-4 (NIV): "After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”"

O - The very first temptation to confront Jesus involved how life "works" on earth.  Humans need to eat and Jesus hadn't eaten for a seriously long time.  Not only does he need to eat but he can actually turn the stone to bread. So, why would this be "wrong"? What's wrong with doing everything in your power to meet obvious and lawful needs; needs created by God's design?  Later, he would turn water into wine (John 2) without it being a "violation" so why is this any different? Jesus comes to live out loud the truth that not only is the Kingdom of God near, it is interested and involved in daily life and daily bread on earth.  The world (secular and religious) does not accept this view.  Jesus will warn his followers to be on guard against only five realities and two of them are the yeast of the Pharisees (the religious) and all kinds of greed.  He calls all to follow and all to accept a transformation in thinking (repent).  He says to all, "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:31-33 NIV) Apparently, there is a huge difference between lawful things "given" and us "taking" them.  Jesus won't take them, even though they are his for the taking.  It's the difference between the stone to bread and the water to wine.  He knows and will live out this essential truth: We can't simultaneously follow and run after the lawful things of earth. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight." (Luke 16:13-15 NIV)

A - Earth (its culture and its citizens) is always afraid of something and the Kingdom is never afraid of anything or anyone.  Religious earth admits there's a God and even an afterlife but on this side you're basically on your own.  Jesus comes to earth to say WRONG!  He said  and lived this right to his crucifixion and his resurrection.  The earth says worry and even affirms worry as a sign of love or good stewardship.  Jesus say do not worry.  The devil wants me to run after the lawful if I won't embrace the unlawful because either of those keep me from following.  Today, I will believe Jesus about earth and not just about heaven (John 3:12).  I won't run after I'll follow. I won't take, I'll confidently stay near him as all the designed and needed earthly realities will be given as well.

P - Lord in Heaven above and on earth below,

Thank you for calling us to yourself and to the confidence of your involvement with daily bread.  I admit that all my human training tells me to take when you tell me it will be added.  I want the yeast of your kingdom to come into me and completely displace the yeast of the Pharisees.  I admit I can't serve two … earth (bread, money) wants me to serve it and it can never connect me to you or your kingdom but it can and will disconnect me.  Heaven wants me to serve you and you will connect me to yourself, the kingdom AND add all the rest.  I accept the transformation (repentance) in my thinking because the kingdom is actually near.  I will follow you and refuse to run after that which is already known by heaven as needed and promised to be provided to me.  Thank you for giving us this day our daily bread!  I love you back!

Living in Jesus' Name,

Steve

Following the Way We're Sent

S - Matthew 10:16-20 (NIV): "“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

O - Jesus sends his followers out the same way the Father sent him. This "way" includes both a challenging environment (sheep among wolves) and an equally challenging modus operandi (shrewd as snakes; harmless as doves). The combination of snake and dove, shrewd and harmless, is a tough one to get right. I can only think of only one attribute of shrewd which doesn't carry a negative connotation.  Shrewd is not naive; it is fully informed. Even in the vulnerable position of being a sheep among wolves, this aspect of shrewd can work fully without any malevolent intent or outcome. We're not being told to balance a benevolent form of "street wise manipulation" and keep ourselves from slipping to the "dark side" of it. Instead, we are being told to embrace the way Jesus was among the wolves of his day: no naïveté and yet completely innocent. The key to living this way is trust, i.e. fierce personal loyalty. Jesus was fiercely and personally loyal to his Father. He trusted him completely. This is how he was sent, lived, died and rose again. This is how his followers do too.

A - Well, there I have it and no way around it. I may never be an ostrich (bury my head in the sand)or a Napoleon (benevolent dictator) and think I am living as Jesus did and how those following him must also live. "Being on your guard" does not mean avoiding or finding a way to intimidate the wolves. It does mean to accept his "way" and live out loud the fierce personal loyalty he deserves, gave his Father and offers to us (he would literally rather die than be without any of us … all 7 billion).

P - Only true Son, King and Friend,

I accept the terms of your sending … that I may continue to follow. I want to give to you the trust you deserve and offer to me. I will trust in you with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. With you and in you I can be a sheep among the wolves - fully informed/aware and innocent. I will believe you about earth and not just about heaven. I admit that apart from  you I can do nothing. With Isaiah I say 'here am I send me.'

Steve

Love's Great Inefficiency

S - John 13:6-8, 13-17 (NIV): "He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” … “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

O - Jesus not only insisted on washing Peter's feet but Judas' as well.  Why didn't he wait until Judas had left to wash his disciples' feet? In this extreme act of humility and love, isn't this a waste?  If the measure is efficiency and output then yes it is. Judas would go on to betray Jesus. But if the measure is love then it can't be wasted.  The focus of love is not being loved back but loving. This dynamic is difficult for us to catch and to keep caught.  There are so many things like this that Jesus will do that at the time we won't understand them.  However, we can continue to love and to live in humility, admitting and living out loud the truth that we are not greater than the One who sends us.  The knowing won't bring the blessing … only the doing.  

A - Jesus has assigned me/us only one purpose each day, every day and all day long - to love God with all ones' soul, strength, mind and heart and ones' neighbor as themselves.  Everything hangs on these and if I/we do them we will live.  Our love is not to be measured in terms of output nor meted out according to our assessment of those who deserve it.  From our enemies to our closest friends we are commanded to love.  My imperfections in such living will not impede the Kingdom nor bring me divine displeasure … only my refusal to so engage. And even in this I would be no less loved by him. Today, while it is called today, my purpose is clear and I choose to live it out as clearly as I can.

P - Lord who is love,

I praise you for this day and for the clarity it brings.  You made it and have filled the earth with your glory and love … and you instruct me to join you in that which you are doing: loving the whole world.  I praise you for the work assignment you have given to me and to all; the work of believing the person of Jesus--not a plan, promise, principal or capacity. Please show me yourself and enable me to do with you all that you already have in mind. In this world filled with big problems I choose be little, childlike like Jesus and to accept my purpose and the work.  I really do love you back and thank you for loving me first and most and for refusing to change your mind. Thank you for letting me live and pray in Jesus' name.

Steve

Children of the Resurrection

S - 1 Corinthians 15:1-7, 14-17, 20-22 (NLT): "Now let me remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then and still do now, for your faith is built on this wonderful message. And it is this Good News that saves you if you firmly believe it--unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me--that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  … And if Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave, but that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins.  … But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life."

O - The focus of this passage is the resurrection of Jesus. It is the resurrection which validates the preaching of the apostles. In fact, without the resurrection of Jesus our faith is useless and we are still under condemnation for our sins.  Why is there so little preaching on resurrection (except for Easter)?  Why is there so little focus on this in our day to day living?  Why is there so little emphasis on this in our witnessing?   Romans 10:9 "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Why doesn't this say and believe in your heart that Jesus died for our sins (and he did)?  The entire context of God's Kingdom and Family and our place in it is the resurrection of Jesus not the crucifixion.  The resurrection is "proof" of Jesus' person; he is God's Son, the Judge of All, the Lord of All, the Savior of All, One with Father, because God raised him from the dead.  The resurrection is the context for all the content of God's Kingdom.  It is the basis of our faith and our requests (ask anything).  It is the basis for our interaction with God's being (nothing is impossible, nothing is too difficult, and nothing is too wonderful for him).  The transformation of Saul of Tarsus to faith in Jesus and our confessions of faith are to be based on the resurrection of Jesus from dead … and without this truth nothing else matters.  Let us feast and get drunk, for tomorrow we die. The cross and sacrifice of Jesus is not unimportant, it is not the end and ultimately not the point.  The source of our new life, real life, is found in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Our reconciliation to God was not completed on the cross but at the resurrection.  The cross was not for our amnesty but for our adoption … and this requires a completely new life … the old has gone and the new has come.  Even so, come Lord Jesus!

A - The jaws of death, the inevitabilities and the impossibilities of earth, the limits and liabilities of fallen humanity are all put on notice in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  His life, his irrefutable and irrepressible life is now in me.  He is in me and his Father is in me and his Spirit is in me … Christ, resurrected, glorious, all-powerful is in me (all believers) the hope of glory.  My worldly point of view is forever invalidated.  My logic, reasoning, evaluations, and beliefs are all to be inspired, shaped and based upon this awesome reality.  Why should any of us in any situation consider it incredible for God to raise the dead? While the fullness of resurrection reality awaits the day of the return of Jesus, its beginnings, influence and manifestations are now.  We are not so much soldiers of the cross (a phrase never presented in scripture) as we are children of the resurrection (a phrase used in scripture - Luke 20:36).

P - Lord who is the resurrection and the life,

I love you back.  Thank you for loving me and for making me a child of the resurrection.  I yield to your awesome brilliance, limitless power (resurrection) and extreme goodness.  Lord, your kingdom is a matter of power and so I ask for your power, your life, to come into me and to come out of me.  Help my thinking, speaking, acting, living to be like you, in you and empowered by you.  Let me be a reason others believe.  Thank for the finished work of your cross that I/we might live in the glory of your resurrection.
Listening and following,
Steve

Please Don't Work the Plan!!!

S - Acts 1:3, 6-8 (ESV): "He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. … So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”"

O -  The resurrected Jesus is speaking about the kingdom and the disciples want to know the plan.  The Lord is pretty clear on this point … "it's not for you to know". So, how come so much of our thinking, writing and speaking is about "the plan"?  It's not that heaven doesn't have plans (principles, promises and the like) it is that the point has never been a plan but a person. God did not so love the world that he gave/sent a plan but his son.  Spirit life, eternal life isn't found in a promise, principle or plan. It is found in Jesus and all the world is called to his person.  The disciples will wait and will be empowered and will be the witnesses of Jesus … not a plan.  Jesus told the very first followers "you will be my witness" i.e. witness of me! It is the same for all who will follow.

A - The problem we humans have is that we always want to know the plan.  Heaven is not offering us a plan but a person.  Heaven doesn't want us to believe  "the plan" but to believe the person; it doesn't want us to work the plan but to work with the person;  it doesn't want us to claim promises but follow a person.  The Scriptures weren't given to us to reveal a plan but a person. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life." (John 5:39, 40 ESV). I'm not called to be a witness of a concept, promise, principal or plan but of the person of Jesus. Today, I will live out loud the joy and confidence of being near and following his person. 

P - Lord,

I admit my preoccupation with plans and you want me focused on your person.  Today I choose to refuse a plan and to engage your person … to not work for you but with you.  I also admit that you already have in mind what you're going to do. I say yes to you and will follow.  I'm very glad to be a witness of your person not a plan.  I love you back!

Steve

Little is the Way in Life's Biggest Moments

S - Mark 14:32, 33, 35, 36, 39, 40 (ESV): "And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. … And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” … And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him."

O - Jesus asked the three to come with him but he didn't ask them to pray for him. He'd been talking plainly with all the twelve about his trial, torture and crucifixion and yet prayed that "the hour might pass from him." Why bother asking for something he already knows is not going to happen? The answer to this is found in the opening of Jesus' dialogue with his Father "Abba … all things are possible for you." Jesus, like any other child, is not required to figure out how his request could be answered. Children don't think that way at all. His part is to ask … and he does. Jesus instructs all who would follow him to ask anything, to believe because all things are possible to him who does, and to be childlike. This is how Jesus lived among us and how he calls us to live every day while it is called today.

A - Am I willing to be little, to be childlike like Jesus? The world, secular and religious, wants me to be and live its' definition of mature; one which is anything but childlike. It wants me to fully embrace the way the world is and the way it works … only to do so benevolently. Jesus, the most brilliant man who ever lived, did not live this way and specifically instructs his followers to not live like that either (Matthew 18:1-3). Jesus insists that I accept a transformation in my thinking, living and speaking … to repent because the kingdom of heaven is not far away, it's near. I choose to repent, to believe, be little and to ask big.

P - Lord God Almighty,

Thank you for wanting to be my Father and for insisting that I be your child which requires me to be childlike. I ask for and welcome the transformation you intend and accomplish in any who will follow. Today I will be little and ask big unto new wineskins, mulberry trees in the ocean and that which is too wonderful for me.

Living in Jesus' name,

Steve

Missed it by a Mile

S - Matthew 12:1-5, 7, 8, 41, 42 (NIV): "At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” …  The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here."

O - How could a people group given over to a focus on Scripture end up so far off?  They could quote the words exactly and completely miss the meaning.  The result was tragic on many levels affecting them and those around them. Culture (religious and non-religious) is always striving to be "right", to be so accurate that all who disagree with their conclusions are either bigots or idiots or both.  Jesus, the something greater than everything else, arrives to confront and recalibrate it all.  His emphasis (the emphasis of the Kingdom of Heaven) will be entirely different than culture's.  For Jesus where you start from is actually more important than the facts themselves, loving is more important than being right and the point of all Scripture is right relationships rather than accurate theological conclusions (i.e. the greatest commandments).  So, how does one avoid missing it so big?  According to Jesus it's about where/how we start. Culture wants us to start with the facts. Jesus wants us to start with love, lead with mercy and then address the facts (all of them).  Culture starts with facts which are then used to claim an exemption from mercy and then their reactions are called love (in our day "tough love"). Jesus will have none of it.  The cultural leaders were all about their understanding of accurate conclusions and Jesus was and is all about understanding "I desire mercy not, sacrifice." The result of culture's emphasis is the condemning of the innocent. The result of Jesus' emphasis is a way forward and hope for all.

A - I was groomed to keep my focus on being right.  Jesus is now shaping and reshaping me to keep my focus on loving.  It's not that accuracy has no place; it's just that it can never have the most important place. Jesus insists that I accept a transformation in my thinking (repentance in the actual meaning of the word).  If I want to save my life I must lose it; if I want to receive I need to give; if I want to lead I must serve and if I'm going to be accurate I must start at love and lead with mercy.  I welcome such transformations.  I repent because the kingdom of heaven is near :).

P - Lord who is love, truth, life, hope and the friend of sinners,

Today I welcome your continued recalibration in how I think, live, love and speak.  Please don't leave me to myself, even my best intended self. Instead, transform my very little life into all that you already have in mind to do … unto new wineskins, mulberry trees in the ocean and that which is too wonderful for me. I'm asking this in Jesus' name.

Steve