The truth will set you free.....

John 8:31-32 “If you live according to my teaching, you are my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NAB) “If you are faithful to what I have said you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (Phillips) “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you…..” (MSG) “…..continue in my word” (KJV) “….hold to my teaching” (NIV) “If you keep on obeying what I have said…” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, What is the mark of being Jesus’ true disciple? I have 6 translations, each saying it a bit differently: “live according to my teaching”….”are faithful to what I have said”….”continue in my word”…”hold to my teaching”…”stick with this, living out what I tell you”…”keep on obeying what I have said”. 1. Live according to: to act upon it, respond daily 2. Be faithful to: single-minded clarity 3. Continue in: consistency and forward movement 4. Hold to: tenacity and persistence in duplication 5. Stick with – living out: commitment to a life style 6. Keep on obeying: obedience at all times. All of these things are connected to Jesus’ teaching, what he has said, his word. Being a disciple is a single-hearted commitment to be faithful to and obey and live out consistently and continually Jesus’ teaching and words. The most well-known part of the verse is the final part that follows the “then”: “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Jesus told us “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life…” If we substitute “Jesus” for “Truth” in this verse we have “You will know Jesus, and Jesus will set you free.” Becoming his disciples through faithful obedience to his words, will allow us to know Jesus…to understand who he is and what he has done for us. This truth, this knowledge of Jesus will “set us free”….bring us salvation. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is our Lord. Knowing Jesus is freedom. Knowing Jesus comes from following Jesus. Discipleship isn’t just saying something, it is living something. I don’t want to use the word “doing” because we are not earning our freedom by what we do. We are discovering who Jesus is, why he wants to save us, what he did to bring it about, establishing an on-going relationship that becomes our life. We are changing. The clearer we see and know Jesus, the closer we are to the Truth that sets us free! Jesus’ part---the work of salvation….is finished, but our part…becoming a true disciple…is on-going. The Holy Spirit is here to help us…the Spirit of Truth. We are set free in the Truth of Jesus Christ to live forever with our Father. Thank you, amen!

Before the world began....

Ephesians 1:4 “God chose us in him before the world began, to be holy and blameless in his sight, to be full of love.” (NAB) “Before the foundation of the world he chose us to be, in Christ, his children, holy and blameless in his sight.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father, Christ was part of the plan right from the beginning. You always knew we would need saving and Jesus was always set to be the one to save us. “Before the world began”. We have trouble even conceiving of the world that we know from start to finish. The beginning was so long ago that we can’t grasp it. We argue over how it all came about. We want details of its construction and a proven time line. Our minds are locked into the concept of “time” concerning all things. You, O LORD, were before “time”! Time is your invention. Time is for our benefit not yours. To think about things before “time” is beyond our grasp. But back then….before time…you “chose us in him” (Jesus Christ). You made a decision to adopt us “holy and blameless” through Jesus Christ because we could never do it on our own. As sinners we could never be acceptable in your sight, in your presence, because you are holy and sinless. Jesus Christ has become a “filter” through which we are seen as clean, holy, blameless. He filters out the impurities of our sinful nature by washing it in his blood. A mystery we can’t understand completely, concepts beyond our limited intelligence, things only understood outside of human time. Can we know the things of God? Can we understand our Creator? Can we fathom the wonders of your holiness? Jesus came to save us and to “show us the Father”. Any true glimpse we have of you, O LORD, comes through Jesus Christ. We treasure every shred of knowledge and insight we gain through him. We learn to joyfully accept your gifts of love, forgiveness, grace, adoption, cleansing. “To be holy and blameless”….we have no right, but Jesus does! Jesus puts into action the Father’s choice to love us. Thank you, Holy Father! Thank you chosen Savior! Thank you, Holy Spirit who remains with us to teach and to guide us. amen.

Climbing the mountains with Good News.....

“Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of him who brings good news, announcing peace, bearing glad tidings, announcing salvation.”

Heavenly Father, Our God reigns! This is the news the messenger brings. The news of Jesus Christ who brings “peace, good news, salvation” for all of God’s people. Mountains are isolated hard-to-reach places. For a messenger to scale the mountain to bring good news would indeed appear beautiful and bring joy to those receiving it. We all reside in our own isolated hard-to-reach place. Unless someone works to climb our mountain to bring us the good news, we remain alone. Jesus did just that. He climbed the human mountain of sin, he sought us out to bring us the good news. He brought us salvation from the isolation of sin and death. Jesus Christ is beautiful beyond all else for the saving grace and peace he brings! We must receive him and hear the good news. We must rejoice and cry out “our God reigns!” Now the message is ours. Now the Good News resides with us and in us. Whose mountain will we climb to carry the Good news of salvation? Our “call” is to be a messenger for Jesus Christ. It often feels like climbing mountains…a struggle to move forward and upward. Obstacles stand in the way. Walls are built up to shut us out. Pits are looming to cause our downfall. It’s easier to stay safely below, doing nothing, not risking the dangers of the climb. The mountains we face are often of our own making….made larger by our imagination…barriers of fear and indifference and laziness. We don’t expect to be welcomed on the mountain and don’t want to “waste our time” on the climb just to be rejected. We need more faith in the message we carry! We need more concern for those who reside in mountaintop isolation. We need to trust the first messenger, the author of the Good News, the giver of grace and salvation. We need to understand the importance of reaching every mountain with the Good News. Give me courage, commitment and faith, O LORD, to spread your Good News to every mountaintop. Amen. BEAUTIFUL ON THE MOUNTAIN What mountain dweller waited in despair While I, at home in comfort safely stayed? Who didn’t hear the news of hope today Because your call I haven’t yet obeyed? Who waited lost, forgotten and alone Thinking no one cared enough to come…. Not knowing Christ has loved them and forgiven And wants to bid them welcome to his home? How beautiful the feet of those who go…. To spread your message of Good News for all To share salvation’s plan with all they meet… Who climb the mountain, answering your call! (based on Isaiah 52:7 Mary Freeman 1-29-08)

Suffering as obedience....

1 Peter 2:21 “Christ suffered for you…and left you an example, to have you follow in his footsteps” (NAB) “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” (NIV) “This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.” (MSG) “Indeed this is your calling, for Christ suffered for you and left you a personal example, so that you might follow in his footsteps.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father, Suffering as obedience. Christ suffered because it was his Father’s will that he give his life for us. His willingness to do this was his acceptance of his “call”. Our call is always the aligning of our will with your will, the meshing of our plans with your holy plan. Christ’s suffering is an example to us of answering the call, of being obedient. I think we are not to concentrate on his suffering so much, as we are to concentrate on his obedience to the “call”…no matter what it entailed. A previous verse indicates that suffering through no fault of our own with a clear conscious towards God’s will is what makes our suffering “commendable.” It isn’t all about going out and finding a way to be persecuted to prove we are Christ’s followers. Those who are persecuted for Christ will be rewarded with “the kingdom of heaven”, but it is possible to follow Christ and have no apparent suffering at a given time. If we are obeying your will, we are following Christ. We suffer daily in that we constantly “crucify” our self-will in order to be aligned with your will. That is a daily dying, daily picking up of our cross of obedience. Christ was the example. He is what we follow. I like the Message translation: “This is the kind of life you have been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived.” It’s a life style, not just a one-time thing. We will suffer at times, but if it is for Christ and your will, than it is right and commendable. Verse 24 says: “By his wounds you have been healed.” Christ’s suffering had a holy purpose…bringing salvation to the world. If we suffer willingly for your will in obedience like Christ’s example, we too will bring healing somewhere to someone. Our willingness is the key. Our obedience is following Christ. Our suffering is evidence of our commitment to your will and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Show me where I must be obedient and suffer the death of my self-will. Teach me your will, O LORD. Amen.

Leaving everything behind to follow....

Luke 5:27-28 “Jesus said to him, “follow me”. Leaving everything behind, Levi stood up and became his follower.” (NAB) “Follow me”, Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.” (NIV) “….he left all, rose up, and followed him.” (KJV)

Heavenly Father, “Leaving everything behind.” That’s what it is all about. Dropping what we are doing and answering Jesus’ call. Turning our backs on our old life and following the new life found in Christ. Laying down our old life because our eyes are fixed on a new and better life, and the one who calls us to “follow”. Jesus compelled people with his presence to answer his call. If we hear Jesus call us, we too will want to leave everything behind and follow. Not everyone did. There were those who continued to look back at the old life and to see the problems of home needing to be dealt with (“let me first….”). Jesus has to be our only focus no matter how harsh that sounds. He will show us how to deal with life’s problems, but first we have to answer his call to follow him. Why did Levi drop everything and follow? Why did Peter, Andrew, James, John all lay down their nets and follow? Levi left everything behind (died to his old life), rose up (was born again) and followed Christ. Levi throws a banquet for Christ (honors him) and invites all his friends to come hear Christ (witness). This is another aspect of the call to follow….spreading the news. If Christ excites us and changes our lives, we should want to introduce him to our friends and draw them into fellowship with Christ, so that they might also know him. Levi was shunned by the “good people” because he was a tax collector, but Jesus called him to be his follower. Jesus isn’t looking for those who already see themselves as good. He wants those who know they need to change, to be healed, to find a Savior. Levi saw someone who wanted him, accepted him, didn’t treat him like scum. Jesus’ call is a call based in love, and until we see and hear that love pointed at us, we won’t answer. When we invite others, we must show the same love and acceptance…not judgment. To make the decision to “leave everything behind”, we must understand Jesus’ loving call just for us. When we freely choose to “leave everything behind” we will find new life in Christ. Thank you! amen.

Walking in the Light......

John 8:12 “No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness; no, he shall possess the light of light.” (NAB) “I am the Light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (KJV) “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (NIV) “The man who follows me will never walk in the dark, but will live his life in the light.” (Phillips) “Follow me and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, This verse begins: “I am the Light of the World.” If we follow in Jesus’ footsteps, we are being led by the Light. We can’t possibly walk in darkness, because the Light is always right there before us! The world is darkness. Not because you created it that way, but because man has thrown the shadow of sin over it everywhere he touches it. The evil one uses this darkness to enslave us. The hopelessness that comes from sin, lays on us like a shroud…a death blanket blocking light. But Jesus is The Light! He brings Light back into the world, hope back into the realm of despair, lifts the shroud of death, and dispels the dark of sin with his Light! Hope reborn! If we are following him it is impossible to also be in darkness. We now “possess the Light of Life” (NIV). Jesus’ light is life not death. Eternal light, eternal life. We will “have the Light that gives Life” (CEV) and “live his life in the light” (Phillips). Our life is now in Christ’s life. There is no darkness there. This is a light that is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year after year! Eternal, forever….the sun may burn out some day, but the Light of Jesus Christ will still shine! This constant Light illuminates the world for us and shows us all we need to see and know. This Light is a growth light…bringing Life in its beam. The only way to again be in darkness is through a choice to back away from the Light. The Light is still there, but our feet are not following. This darkness is not a comforting darkness like our normal night where we find rest (but there are always slivers of light in the night). This darkness is sin and death and the darkness of a complete absence of light…deep, penetrating, scary, like in a cave where you are afraid to move, paralyzed with fear, and have no guidance or assurance of where to step. This is not a darkness to desire. We walk out of that darkness forever in the footsteps of the Light of the World! Eternal Light and Life now ours! No more darkness ever! Thank you! amen.

The seed must die.....

John 12:24 “Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (NAB) “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed, but if it dies it produces many seeds.” (NIV) “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain of wheat; but if it dies it brings a good harvest.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father, A seed has to be planted in the earth to produce a harvest. If a seed is left sitting on a shelf it either shrivels up and dries out or just remains there with no purpose. The whole purpose of a seed is reproducing new life, just like the parent seed. The genetic code is carried inside that seed to produce a new plant and then more fruit containing more seeds. It is a life cycle. The cycle only stops if the seed doesn’t die and isn’t buried in the ground. What appears to be death for the seed, is only a bursting apart by new shoots of life. Life comes from the death of the one seed. The time of dying and giving of the seed’s life, is necessary to continue the cycle of life. Jesus was the seed. Jesus had to die and take our sins into the ground. There like any seed, he shed the husk of the seed’s life along with our sins and became the beginning of the new plant…roots going down and shoots going upward to form a new life. It was all inside the seed waiting to be let loose. Jesus burst open in the ground and rose as a new body, a new resurrected life and became the Vine that we are now branches on. He left behind the unnecessary husk of the old seed, the old life, and came forth born anew. We also shed our old self…our sins, our self-control, our slavery to the world…and allow new birth to arise from the husk we leave behind. We aren’t the parent seed….Christ was…but he gave us the ability to bear his fruit as branches of his Vine. If we graft tightly to his vine, the fruit we produce will look like the parent Vine. He will produce his likeness in us and the seed we produce will spread his likeness to new vines. My imagery is getting confused here, but I understand what Christ did for me in “falling to the earth to die”! I know that the death of the One Seed has produced a good harvest over all the earth and will continue to do so. Jesus is the One Seed that produces the Vine of eternal life. Amen. (based on John 12:24) ONE SEED “Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground…..and dies”, There shedding its husk of human sin, No harvest will be reaped, no fruit will grow Only in death will the seed, the victory win. A single seed alive is good for naught. A single seed unplanted will not grow. Its purpose is to lie beneath the earth And break apart, so shoots of life can show. One Seed in death produced a thousand more. One Seed was buried, according to God’s will. The harvest from that Seed is full and plentiful Because that Seed its purpose did fulfill.

(7-16-2007 Mary Freeman)

Finding the Way, the Truth, the Life....

John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” “If you really knew me you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Heavenly Father, Thomas says: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” The disciples were perpetually in a state of confusion over exactly who Jesus was, and what he meant when he told them things. One minute they think they know him…the next they are uncertain. Jesus patiently tells Thomas: “I am the way, the truth, the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus tries to break through their fog of confusion, but until after the resurrection they just don’t get it. When Jesus says, “you know the way to the place I’m going” (vs. 4), they are still thinking worldly thoughts and traveling worldly pathways. Jesus’ mind is on heaven, while theirs is in Jerusalem. Jesus is gathering steam to take on the sin of the world, die on a cross, be separated from his Father, but come through it all resurrected having secured the salvation of the entire human race! His way is set. He is that Way, that path that all other men will follow. Until he goes away he can’t “come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”. He is totally focused but the disciples are not yet “on the same page” even at this late date. ”We don’t know where you are going”….Thomas speaks for all of them. Jesus says he is 3 things….way, truth, life. Nothing else matters, no other answer is available. His way, his truth, his life, become our way, our truth, our life eternal. He follows this with “If you really knew me”…that is a big “if”! If we understand him as the Way, the Truth, the Life we will know him and also “know my Father as well.” We have seen the Father in Jesus. He spells this out very plainly here for the disciples. Why do we seek other ways? Jesus did all the hard work and all we must do is believe in who he is and what he did for us! Hitching ourselves to Jesus gains for us all that he has, but it’s his way, his truth, his life and we can’t continue on separately from that once we choose to believe. We will know the Father, but only through Jesus Christ. Jesus wants us to be “where I am”….in the Father’s presence forever. If we know him, we know the Father. Thank you for a way out of darkness and into your holy light! Amen.

Standing on God's promises....

Romans 11:29 “God’s gift and his call are irrevocable” (NAB) “For once they are made, God does not withdraw his gifts or his calling”. (Phillips) “God’s gifts and God’s call are under full warranty….never canceled, never rescinded.” (MSG) “God doesn’t take back the gifts he has given, or forget about the people he has chosen.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, “Standing on the promises” is what this verse seems to be about. The verse is written about Israel…the chosen people of God. We may think that the Jews seem to be against us because they are unreceptive of Jesus Christ and the gospel, but that doesn’t cancel their standing with God. God made promises to their forefathers of a permanent covenant to take away their sin. He will keep his promises to them just as he keeps his promises to us. Our God is faithful and just and constant and reliable and we can “stand on the promises” that he makes to us. If God was unfaithful in his word to the Israelites, we could not rely on his faithfulness to us. Irrevocable…not called back…not canceled….not changed….not withdrawn. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His gifts of salvation and eternal life will not be taken back from us. His call to be followers and chosen people will not be withdrawn. What God promises to anyone will be done in his time. There is great hope and comfort in knowing that God keeps his promises to all people! We can trust him totally in all things. We can rely on his words and know they are truth. We can work out our salvation based on certainty. Just as God had a plan for Israel, he also has a plan for each of us. He sent Jesus with a solution for all who choose to receive it. Whether Gentile of Jew, that plan doesn’t change and won’t be withdrawn. It was a gift….God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense…grace….for all. What remaining plans God has for the Jews is not my concern. He will follow through with them in his time. My concern is to trust the gifts and call that he has given me and to follow and answer that call in obedience. I will trust him always in all things. God gives good gifts and does not take them back! Thank you, generous, all-wise Father for your gifts and your call. Amen.

What does my "cross" cost me.....

Luke 14:27 “Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (NAB) “The man who will not take up his cross and follow in my footsteps cannot be my disciple.” (Phillips) “Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father, This is the 3rd mention of “taking up his own cross” that we’ve encountered. Here, rather than being stated as a command to follow, it is stated as a “if-you-don’t-do-this-than-you-can’t” statement….a laying down of a guideline that produces certain results, or lack there of. We either take our own cross and follow, or we cannot be his disciples. No arguments, no exceptions, no other way. That’s harsh! We don’t like “harsh”, we won’t “easy”! Jesus leads up to this statement by saying we must “hate” everyone that most of us love most dearly, and even hate our own life. Harsh! Even those willing to give up their lives, usually don’t hate their loved ones! How does this fit with “love others as yourself”? I don’t think the word “hate” here is the opposite of “love”. Following this verse Jesus talks about “counting the cost” of building a tower or going up against a stronger army. Following Jesus is a whole-hearted commitment. We have to think clearly about it from all angles and weigh the “cost” if we are going to be able to take up our cross and follow. If we rush off in a fit of enthusiasm and then fall the first time we hit a doubt or snag, we will be mocked or look foolish like the tower builder. If we don’t have the confidence to battle a stronger enemy because we fear our losses, we will end up making peace with the enemy to avoid conflict. Being aware of the possible cost before you start, enables you to be strong enough to go forward, even with a cross. The cross we take up is one of obedience to our Father’s will in all things. Obeying leads to dying on a cross each time our will conflicts with your perfect will. We cannot be Jesus’ disciples and still satisfy our own desires at the cost of obedience to you. Peter denied Christ and ran from the cross in the beginning, but he became strong and empowered once he chose to love Christ and hate his own life. I don’t always understand what this means for me, but I know I must learn and follow. Show me my cross, teach me to lift it, help me work out the cost. Amen.

Living a life worthy of Christ's name....

Ephesians 4:1-2 “I plead with you…to live a life worthy of the calling you have received, with perfect humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another joyfully.” (NAB) “I beg you, to live lives worthy of your high calling. Accept life with humility and patience, generously making allowance for each other because you love each other.” (Phillips) “I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, The call to follow Christ has responsibility attached to it. We have become your people and must live like chosen people at all times. We are now the “face of Christ” that the world sees. If we fail to be Christ-like we harm the whole Body of Christ and we harm our Lord and Savior and dishonor his name. Paul pleads with those he is writing to about this! We cannot continue to live a worldly life and follow Christ at the same time. Every translation stresses the word “worthy” to describe how we are to live. Being worthy of something is deserving it, being entitled to it, owning it as your own. To be worthy of our calling as Christians we have to be one in the Spirit, unified in common belief, abiding as one in our God….Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Paul stresses oneness and maturity, over and over in his letters. The Church is not to be divided! Even though we have different “denominations” there should be no major differences separating us. How can the world see Christ if we split him up and walk in different directions? There should be no arguing among your people, no fighting, no strife. Christians are to show love above all else! We are told to be gentle, meek, humble, patient, fore-bearing, generous, and all in the name of love for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul’s letters are an excellent source of teaching about love and living a Christ-like life. Paul knew what he taught. He changed from one who persecuted Christians to one who loved them dearly and all through his personal encounter with Jesus Christ, who saved him. His changed life, his gentle patient fore-bearing life style spoke Christ’s message loud and clear and spread the Church rapidly throughout the world! How we live, how we speak, how we act matters! We must be worthy if we say, “I am a Christian”. Walk the walk. Prove it. Forgive me when I fail to be worthy of your name! Change my heart, O LORD. Teach me, mold me, cleanse me, fill me with your Spirit of unity. Amen.

Using what we are entrusted with....

Luke 12:48 “When much has been given a man much will be required of him. More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted.” (NAB) “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (NIV) “Much will be expected from the one who has been given much, and the more a man is trusted, the more people will expect of him.” (Phillips) “Great gifts mean heart responsibilities, greater gifts, greater responsibility.” (MSG) “If God has been generous with you, he will expect you to serve him well. But if he has been more than generous, he will expect you to serve him even better.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, There seem to be two levels here….”from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.” That sounds like a “top level” already….”much”. But then Jesus says, “from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”….a new level, “much more”. The precedeing parable tells about a servant who abuses his position of power and is punished. We all have been given much, and should be able to give back much in service to others. But those who receive more…more wisdom, more gifts, more understanding, more responsibility, are expected to respond at an even higher level of obedience. Who are these people? One answer could be Christ. He was entrusted with the most and responded at the highest level. Another answer could be chosen leaders….pastors, apostles, evangelists, etc. ….who respond to a “call” to serve in leadership roles in forming the Church. They have the greater gifts from you, the highest wisdom and trust and so the greatest responsibility to share it. A third answer could be all of us who believe. We all have a greater level of understanding of Truth…who Jesus is…so we all have a greater responsibility to use that understanding in every instance to further the Kingdom. The punishment is for those who “know his Master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his Master wants.” There is a level of responsibility connected to every level of knowledge. The higher the knowledge, the greater the responsibility. The “much” that is given is for a purpose, a use. Not using, not obeying is the danger. Growing, learning, doing, being faithful at all times, persevering in trials, not giving up….using the “much” we are given or entrusted with. Show me true obedience, Lord and how to use the “much” you have entrusted me with. Let me not fear greater responsibility because you will give me all I need to respond at whatever level you place me. Thank you! amen.

Inviting the "good people" and the sinners.....

Matthew 9:13 “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (KJV) “I did not come to invite the righteous, but sinners.” (Phillips) “I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” (MSG) “I didn’t come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, I really like the CEV translation here because it replaces the word “righteous” with “good people”. Few of us admit to being “righteous”…it sounds very holy and saintly and we feel safe admitting that we aren’t that. However, most of us believe we are “good people”. Does this verse in the CEV make me feel excluded and unwanted by Christ’s call? Does it make me feel in the same class as its original hearers, the Pharisees? Do I feel unappreciated and unrecognized and passed over for the “riff-raff”? The Pharisees were hurt that Jesus didn’t praise them for their attempts to obey God’s law fully and precisely. They felt that they deserved to be complimented and patted on the back and told what fine people they were. They felt let down that all of their hard work and spirituality and piousness was being ignored and not credited. Pride in self-effort was the biggest barrier the Pharisees faced and that most of us still face. We don’t want Jesus to turn his back on our “goodness”. We want to be his exclusive friends and have him “hang around” with us. Jesus had work to do. He came for sinners. He came for those who hadn’t yet chosen a path of righteousness and faith. He came to offer them a new beginning, a new chance, a clean slate. He had to be with them, so they could see his goodness and believe. The Pharisees had a “head start” if they would have recognized it as such. They already believed in God the Father and were trying to live righteously. They didn’t recognize that they often failed in that goal and that they too were “sinners”. Like the Prodigal Son’s older brother, like the rich young ruler….they only saw their own “goodness” and failed to see the true goodness and love Christ brought them. They wanted an exclusive claim on their Father’s love and presence and didn’t want "sinners" to have the same opportunity to find Christ. Christ seeks those who need him. If we have no need, we won’t find his presence in our lives. We must look to our sin and welcome our Savior! Amen.

The Lord saves....Jesus Christ

2 Timothy 1:9 “God has saved us and has called us to a holy life, not because of any merit of ours but according to his own design…the grace held out to us in Jesus Christ.” (NAB)

“God who has saved us and called us to a holy life…not because of anything we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace, this grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” (NIV)

“For he has saved us from all that is evil and called us to a life of holiness…not because of any of our achievements but for his own purpose. Before time began he planned to give us in Christ Jesus the grace to achieve this purpose…” (Phillips)

“God saved us and chose us to be his holy people. We did nothing to deserve this, but God planned it because he is so kind. Even before time began, God planned for Christ Jesus to show kindness to us.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, Jesus means, “the Lord saves”. You have saved us through Jesus Christ and called us to a holy life. Each translation makes it clear that God did this “in Christ Jesus.” They each state clearly that it is “not because of any merit of ours”….”not because of anything we have done”…”not because of any of our achievements”…”we did nothing to deserve this”. And lastly, it was your plan (purpose, design) before time began, and that it is your grace or kindness that is responsible for saving and calling us to holiness. You planned for our failure. We didn’t earn or merit this plan of grace. We didn’t achieve it by any act of our own. The plan of grace is Christ Jesus, and this purposely arranged design of salvation is yours from start to finish. Why would you do this? Because you are all-knowing and you foresaw the dangers of free will….that we would choose badly. You loved us, still love us, will always love us, so you set in motion our salvation from the sin we brought upon ourselves. “The Lord saves”….Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior, was the Lamb to be slain to erase our mistakes. Your love laid down its life for us. “No greater love” can exist. The saving is connected here to a call to holiness. We still can’t be holy on our own, but Jesus Christ in us can and is. We are seen as holy people in your eyes only through your son. No one else saves, but the LORD. No one else calls us back into holy relationship. No one else earns, achieves, deserves this by some other means. No one else could plan or form this purpose before time began. No one else can give or hold out or show this grace, this “kindness”, this love to us, except the LORD God Almighty, Father of Jesus Christ, Creator, Jehovah, I AM! Grace is by best definition “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” The Lord saves…Jesus Christ. They go together in purpose and love. Salvation and a call to holiness from the Giver of Life, the Lord Almighty! Thank you, Lord! Amen.

Laying-down-my-life-love.........

John 15:13 “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (NAB) “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (KJV)

Heavenly Father, Comparisons….great-greater-greatest. Jesus says this is the “top” category….”No greater love”…same as greatest if you put it into a positive rather than a negative. The greatest love is “to lay down one’s life for ones friends.” He laid down his life for us…literally…on the cross. He didn’t have to do it. He chose to make this sacrifice. Love chooses the right thing to do for the other person….our friends. Love isn’t selfish and doesn’t choose for its own benefit. Love focuses outward toward another. Love like anything else can have levels or degrees. We move to the highest degree when we can lay down our life for friends. To me, “laying down my life” doesn’t necessarily speak of dying. If I lay down a book, I “set it aside”. Laying down my life for friends can be setting aside my own life, my own concerns, to focus on theirs. This is love…the love of listening and caring. The love of.. “I’m not important, tell me your problem”. Jesus said being his friend involved obeying his commands….the command to love. Each time we set aside our self-involvement, self-concerns, self-focus, we obey his example of loving others. Paul understood Jesus’ command to love others or he couldn’t have written 1 Corinthians 13 where love is described and defined in totally selfless terms….and called “the greatest of these”. So love is the greatest attribute of Christ that we can develop and “laying-down-my-life-love” is the greatest form of this love. Jesus topped the charts by laying down his life for all, even before they were friends. Now it is our turn. Who can we lay down our life for? Who are our friends? Is Jesus our friend? Will I lay down my life…set aside my free will and desires….for him? It’s a choice we make daily. Teach me to lay down my life for my friends in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Conquerors through Christ.....

Rev. 21:7 “He who wins the victory shall inherit these gifts: I will be his God and he shall be my son.” (NAB) “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (NIV) “Conquerors inherit all this. I’ll be God to them, They’ll be sons and daughters to me.” (MSG) “All who win the victory will be given these blessings. I will be their God and they will be my people.” (CEV) Heavenly Father, I always feel hesitant about verses from Revelations…there is so much I don’t understand. “He-who-wins-the-victory”…..”he-who-overcomes”…”conquerors”…..”all-who-win-the-victory”. Who are these conquerors? All who trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation. Our victory is through his victory. My mind was immediately drawn to the only other verse I know that mentions conquerors….Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Paul continues with his list of all the things that “will not separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Being a conqueror through Christ seals us in his love. Because he is victorious and abiding in a love relationship with his Father, we too are brought into that safe, sure, eternal relationship. Abiding in Christ earns us the right to be sons and daughters. You, O Sovereign God, our Father, love us through Jesus Christ. You are our God, we are your people…. not just anonymous “people”, but sons and daughters! Not just created beings or worshipers or “the Church”, but children in a relationship with a Father. Our blessings, our gifts all are possible as conquerors in Christ Jesus. When Jesus died he said, “It is finished!” The victory was complete. His resurrection was the proof of his status as victor! We need to learn to live as victors, as my pastor often reminds us. We need to trust more in that victory. This study is on following Jesus and this months’ focus is on being called. This is our call to follow Christ in assurance and trust on his victory and the status we receive as sons and daughters through him. The closer we follow, the more trust we have, the stronger our role as conquerors becomes and we will act knowing that nothing separates us from Your love in Jesus Christ! Make me a victor, a conqueror, a daughter of the King! Thank you, Father, Son, Holy Spirit! Amen.

Becoming friends with Jesus.....

John 15:15 “I call you friends, since I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father.” (NAB) “I call you friends now because I have told you everything that I have heard from the Father.” (Phillips) “I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father, Sharing secrets. That’s part of what makes a friend. Being able to entrust our friend with every detail we hear and knowing that information is “safe” with them. Intimate sharing of knowledge, wisdom, personality, character. We don’t hold back with a true friend. I never felt I had many “friends” when I was growing up. I don’t trust easily. I remember reading that we have “lots of acquaintances, but very few friends” and I could see the difference. I was a “loner”. If you don’t trust you don’t get hurt. If you don’t share yourself, you don’t get disappointed. To call someone “friend” is an honor. It means we love them, we trust them, we can share secrets and all that we have with them. We tend to use the word “friend” easily and apply it to just about everyone we know. Friend is a word deserving more meaning than we usually give it. Jesus calls us friends. Why? “Because I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father.” He’s holding nothing back. He has entrusted us with all the knowledge of his Father that he can. No secrets. We are friends and the veil of secrecy is gone. He trust us, we trust him. Friend is a word that implies a 2-way relationship. If I’m your friend than you are my friend. A 1-way friendship is doomed. Both parties have to have the whole-hearted commitment needed to be friends. Jesus has laid his friendship on the line, holding nothing back. We have it all if we want it. We seal this friendship by giving him our all in return. Being a friend is being totally open, totally available to the other. Being a friend involves “laying down our life” willingly for the other. Jesus loves us this much! Jesus is a friend like no other! Jesus will never disappoint us or desert us. Sometimes friends share a token charm…a heart with one half going to each….to symbolize their friendship. Jesus gives us his whole heart and we need to give him ours. We have all of him and he needs all of us. Thank you for a friendship that is like no other. Amen.

Drink the Living Water.....

John 7:37-38 “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me…streams of living water will flow from within him.” (NIV) “If any man is thirsty, he may come to me and drink! The man who believes in me….will have rivers of living water flowing from his inmost heart.” (Phillips) “If anyone thirsts let him come tome and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me in this way.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, Jesus is speaking to the crowds during the festival and the Pharisees want to seize and arrest him….but don’t. The people are arguing about whether he is the Christ. He tells them they won’t have much longer to make up their minds before he is gone. Jesus tells them that “if anyone thirsts”…if they really want the answer, if they really desire to find the Christ….to ”come to me and drink”. Drinking will do two things. It will identify beyond any doubt the nature of the drink…what it is, or in this case who he is. If we really want to know we have to take a taste. We can’t absorb that knowledge by just looking or listening, we have to come into contact and savor the flavor. This is intimate contact. Thirst will drive us to it. Thirst will cause us to want it, to take a chance and taste it. The second thing drinking will do is to satisfy our thirst. Jesus wants to satisfy us. Jesus wants us to take him in and let him fill our need and end our thirst. Once we satisfy our thirst we will know who he is and we will believe. This belief will cause “rivers of living water” to flow out of us. Jesus is so satisfying that he will change us and turn us into sources of living water. This “living water” is explained as the Spirit we all receive when we believe. We can’t keep this Holy Spirit, this stream of Living Water, bottled up inside of us. If he is there, he will flow out to others. Rivers overflow their banks when they get full. As Christ fills us up, the Holy Spirit overflows. The more of Christ we seek and drink, the more the Holy Spirit will pour forth. We must have continual thirst for more of Christ! All that he can give us and all that we can hold and more to overflow! “Fill me up, LORD, fill my cup, LORD”….that I might drink long and deep. Spill out of me as Living Water taking life to others. Thank you, O LORD! Amen.

The call to fish for men.....

Matthew 4:19 “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” (NAB) “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” (NIV) “Follow me and I will teach you to catch men.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, Jesus’ call in this verse was immediate, intriguing, and tailored to the 2 men who heard it. Jesus wanted them now…and they dropped their nets and came. Jesus wanted their attention so he phrased his call I terms that caught their attention. They were fishermen. Being told they would be taught to “catch men” instead of fish was bound to make them curious. I imagine Jesus smiling and friendly as he hails them on their boat. This had the sound of “adventure” to them. Here was something new and different and they wanted to be in on it. Andrew, at least, had already been a follower of John the Baptist so he had already heard and followed the message to “repent”. John had spoken of the “one who will come after me, but is greater than me.” They know about Jesus…now they had a chance to really know him, first hand. He wanted them as followers. I think we receive the call from Jesus in a similar manner. We have to be in need….his call has an “immediate” pull. We are looking and he grabs our attention. We become “intrigued” by what we read and hear. We see someone else with a strong faith that works and we want that too. We look for answers. As we read and study, we find that suddenly “coincidences” begin to happen that seem tailored just to us. Our call to “fish” fits our personality and interest. Jesus told these men that “I will make you” or “I will teach you”. We aren’t doing this by ourselves. When Jesus calls, he also completes the process in us if we answer like these men and “drop our nets and follow”. Something has to be left behind. Peter and Andrew left their nets and boat. John and James left their boat and father. To “repent” we change from what we leave behind to what we move towards and intend to follow. The call begins with hearing, answering, leaving, following. Jesus is calling all of us. “Follow me, I will make you fishers of men.” Amen.

What we must do to follow....

Mat. 16:24 “Jesus then said to his disciples: “If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and begin to follow in my footsteps.” (NAB) “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Phillips) “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead, you’re not in the driver’s seat, I am. Don’t run from suffering, embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, This statement is part of Jesus’ rebuke of Peter when he tries to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem and death. Shortly before this Peter saw Jesus for who he really is and was commended by Christ for seeing what the Father was showing him and that others failed to see. Ups and downs of faith and understanding….we all have them! One minute we understand and are fired up with enthusiasm and the next we are trying to assert our own will and choices over God’s. Jesus is spelling it out very plainly here that he is in charge. He knows what God wants and he is following his Father’s will….no matter what it costs. He tells them in no uncertain terms that there are “musts” in discipleship. Must #1…I’m in charge, it’s my footsteps you are following in, and you must “give up all right to yourself” in order to follow me. We all have trouble stifling our free will, our independence, our natural desire to make all decisions involving our lives. Jesus says we must deny our own will…the Father’s will is the only will to follow. Must #2….we must take up our cross. Everything we are asked to do won’t be pretty or pleasant. We must do it anyway. Peter wanted Jesus to not talk about Jerusalem and death. Jesus called him Satan when he spoke that way. Jesus had a cross to carry and he was not going to avoid it! Neither can we if we follow in his footsteps. His footsteps go to the cross, the grave, but then reappear in new life from the empty tomb. The cross is necessary to reach the end of the journey. Must #3….follow me. Don’t get off the path. Don’t follow anyone else. Don’t take detours or easier scenic routes. Stay right behind the leader, the only “Way, Truth, and Life”. Don’t give up. Don’t stop or turn around. Jesus spoke sternly to the disciples because he was their teacher and they needed to learn. He was running out of time to mold them. He is most stern about things we must learn. He came to save us from ourselves and from certain death. Thank you! amen.

Letting God's light shine through us....

Matthew 5:16 “Your light must shine before men so that they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father.” (NAB) “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (NIV) “Let your light shine like that in the sight of men. Let them see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, Jesus gives these verses on first salt and then light, right after the Beatitudes. He just explained the characteristics of Kingdom life….being poor in spirit, mourning, being meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, being merciful, being pure in heart, being peacemakers, being persecuted…and now he sums it up with what these things should make us…salt and light. If we have the “kingdom values” we will impact our world in a visible way. Our saltiness and our light are not for ourselves, but for the world….”the salt of the earth” and “light of the world”. This is very reminiscent to what Christ calls himself…”I am the Light of the World!” We have no problem seeing Jesus as Light, bringing the whole world out of darkness, but we ignore this verse where he says that we are also to be light to the world. Jesus is Immanuel…God with us. Now that he is within us and we abide in him, we too carry his light. We aren’t to hide it. Light is only useful if it is on a stand to give light to the whole house. If we are a light to the world, it should be on at all times. It is really important for our light to shine constantly and be highly visible to all, so “that they may see”…and “ praise your Father in heaven.” Our light is never for our own glory or honor. Our light is to allow others to see what God has done. If our light only honors us and could just as easily be the light of an non-believer, than something is wrong. It’s not “God light”. If our light comes from Jesus and from kingdom values, it must be evident. It must surpass worldly light and be supernatural light. Jesus drew people like “moths to a flame”. What did they see in him that now must show in our light? His holiness, his goodness, his authority, his piety, his consistency, his single-hearted devotion to his Father’s will, his love, his sacrifice, his healing, his compassion….these things all were shown in everything he did. Our light is his light and must reflect these things. If our light brings glory to the Father, it is Jesus’ light shining through us. Make me your light! Teach me to shine true “God light” on others so they may glorify you. amen.

Chosen as fruit bearers......

John 15:16 “It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you to go and bear fruit.” (NAB) “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit…fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name”. (NIV) “It is not that you have chosen me, but it is I who have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and bear fruit that is lasting; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give it to you.” (Phillips) “You didn’t choose me remember, I chose you, and put you in the world as fruit bearers, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you as ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, Fruit bearers. Once again the subject of bearing fruit. We’ve been appointed to go and bear fruit. We are chosen by Christ. We talk a lot about “accepting Christ” as our Savior and about us making choices. Jesus says here that he is the one who did the choosing….not us. Jesus chose to obey his Father and become the first fruit. He became the seed of that obedience which willing died on the cross to produce more fruit. His Vine growing from his obedience to his death, is the Vine that we graft unto as branches that will reproduce “fruit that will last”. He chose us…all who want his salvation, his eternal life as branches on his Vine. He chose us to continue his work here on earth. We too have to become fruit, die and bear more fruit…lasting fruit filled with the seeds of eternal life. We have a purpose….he appointed us to go and to bear fruit, so that “whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Our asking is on no use if we aren’t bearing the lasting fruit of obedience to the Father’s will through our parent Vine, Jesus Christ. (I feel as if I’m talking in circles, and yet it seems right). Fruit bearing is a part of a circle…a life cycle…that requires a seed source, a death, a rebirth, a reproducing of the original as fruit full of new seeds. Only a seed that dies and is reborn produces anything! Until we are reborn through the original seed’s death, we bear nothing. We are drawn into Christ’s cycle of Life…eternal life! We were chosen for that purpose. The fruit we bear carries the likeness of the original seed…the fruit of the Spirit reproducing the character of Jesus Christ. The very next verse says: “Love one another.” Love is the first aspect of Spiritual fruit listed in scripture. Love is “the greatest of these”. Love is what God the Father is. Love is what Jesus Christ is. Love is the command he gives us. We bear the fruit of love over all else. In love we ask the Father in Jesus’ name to “give us”. Following Christ is possible through his choice, his love, and we bear the fruit of that love within us and reproduce it. Thank you, amen.

Come...I am sending you!.....

Exodus 3:10 “Come now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” (NAB) “So now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh, to bring my people, the Israelites out of Egypt.” (NIV) “It’s time for you to go back. I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the people of Israel, out of Egypt.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father, Moses sinned in Egypt. He killed a man and ran for his life into exile. Now you want to send him back. You give him a direct command….”come, go, I am sending you”. This is your call to Moses to obey you. This is Moses’ “cross” to take up in order to follow. You tell him exactly what you want him to do….”bring (lead) your people out of Egypt.” Your people were not just slaves in a physical sense, but as long as they were captives of “the world” their faith was in danger also. It was time to bring them out of the world and back into your presence. Anything that enslaves us is keeping us from you. You give Moses a promise in verse 12: “I will be with you”. You don’t ask him to go alone in his own strength, you send him with your presence and signs of your power. Moses reacts as we all react….”Who me?” I found 6 protests before he finally goes: 1. “Who am I that I should go?” 2. “Suppose I do go” (stalling for time) 3. “What shall I tell them when they ask who sent me?”

4. “What if they do not believe me?” 5. “I have never been eloquent!” 6. “Please, send someone else!” This is not a pretty picture of obedience! Most of us don’t just pick up our cross and head out willingly. We need a lot of answers first. We need a lot of persuading. We often go reluctantly. Jesus showed us how to bear a cross of obedience with grace! It’s hard in our minds to separate his manhood from his Godhead and see his sacrifice from a human standpoint. We know he suffered, but somehow think it was different for him and easier. It wasn’t. In Gethsemane he asked if there was another way. On the cross he asked why you forsook him. He felt the pain of separation from you. But he took his cross and won salvation for the world! Moses took his cross and led your people out of Egypt. Help me fight past all my questions and objections so that I might answer your call when you send me to free your people. Help me remember: “I will be with you!” We never go alone. Thank you, amen.

What is "cross bearing".......

Matthew 10:38 “He who will not take up his cross and come after me is not worthy of me.” (NAB) “….is not worthy of me, and neither is the man who refuses to take up his cross and follow me.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, “Taking up our cross”……this is always hard to understand. Often we see this interpreted as persevering and bearing any burden or trial sent into our daily life. But I don’t think that is our cross in this reference. Everyone bears that sort of “cross” every day whether they are Christ followers or atheists. Just “hanging in there” isn’t cross bearing. This is a specific cross. It is the cross that mimics Christ’s cross. It is the cross of sacrifice in obedience to our Father’s will. It is making choices daily that say, “Christ is all, nothing else matters to me”. The verses immediately before this one speak of choosing Christ over our families. Loving Christ more than our sons and daughters, our parents, our spouses. Most of us never consciously make that choice. We choose both. Our families are sharing our faith walk, if we are truly blessed. Sometimes we have family members who flat out refuse to believe or at best just ignore the question of faith through indifference. We pray for them. We agonize over their lack of faith, but somehow we hope it will all be OK in the end….Jesus will find our “lost lambs”. Refusal to obey the Father and follow Christ….no matter what….makes us “not worthy”. Following will always involve choices. We have to set our minds in that “what would Jesus do?” attitude. Where would Jesus go? What would Jesus say? How would Jesus act? Jesus must be always before us, never out of our field of vision or reference. It’s hard to follow that closely! That’s what makes it a cross. Sometimes it is painful. Sometimes it separates us from people we love. Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we need more grace, more forgiveness, more time to grow stronger….like Peter who denied Christ, like Paul who persecuted Christ. If we keep the focus, keep following, we will eventually bear our cross in obedience. Help me daily, Lord! Sometimes I can’t stay focused. I need your grace. Amen.

Following Jesus, bearing fruit....

John 15:8 “My Father has been glorified in your bearing much fruit and becoming my disciples.” (NAB “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (NIV) “This is how my Father will be glorified…in your becoming fruitful and being my disciples.” (Phillips) “When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father, Jesus lived to glorify his Father. If we follow Jesus, we too must live to bring glory to you, the Father. Jesus lists 2 things that glorify you….bearing much fruit and being Jesus’ disciples. These go hand in hand. We can’t bear fruit at all if we aren’t on “the Vine”….one of Jesus’ disciples. And we don’t “show ourselves to be his disciples” if we don’t produce “much fruit”. By definition a follower of Christ will bear fruit through our relationship with him…..we become Christ-like. This doesn’t happen instantly. When a branch begins to grow it is small and weak and easily stripped from the vine. The longer a branch is on the vine the bigger and stronger it gets. At the right moment, the Vine will cause the branch to produce first flowers and then fruit. That is an interesting thought. First we bring beauty to the Vine…our flowers. We bloom in a showy manner reflecting our realization that we have received grace and pardon and we are full of enthusiasm to show this to all we meet. The Vine has fed us and we are bursting with the beauty of your grace! But the showy flowers fade and “die”. We die to ourselves, our own beauty, and are replaced with fruit that carries the seeds of our master Vine. The fruit has beauty too, but it also has flavor and can nourish others. The fruit is produced for the benefit of others….it has no purpose for itself. It is to be eaten, consumed by those who need it. All that will remain are seeds….to reproduce the Vine. This is discipleship…producing fruit that carries the seeds of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for all of mankind. This is the fruit and the discipleship that will glorify our Father, the Father of Jesus Christ, the Father of all! Glory be to you, O Father God! Produce fruit in me for discipleship. Amen.

The purpose of the Vine.....fruit

John 15:5 “I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who lives in me and I in him will produce abundantly, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (NAB)

“I am the Vine you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father, One of Jesus’ important “I Am….” Statements. Something he is and how it affects us. Jesus is “the Vine”. The vine is rooted deeply and securely in its source…his father. The vine is strong. The purpose of a vine is to produce branches and then fruit. The branches draw their life from the Vine. The branches provide more “body”….reaching outward. A single vine seems bare and alone and unmoving. It has to be because it is connected to the root system. It becomes the “food plant” for the more tender, but more movable branches. When the branches are well-developed, buds appear and then eventually fruit. The end product is the fruit, that duplicates and identifies its source, the Vine. The branches are merely a means to the fruit. The branches provide mobility, but the Vine provides the life-giving sap (the Holy Spirit). Without the Vine, the branches are useless. They come to life and bear the fruit only through their connection to the Vine and its deep roots. Abiding in the Vine and having the Vine’s life abide in us is the key to being a healthy productive plant. We must not sever the connection or allow anything to cut us off from the Vine. The Vine with its branches is the Church. Jesus connects us by his roots to the Father and sends his Holy Spirit flowing into us to strengthen each branch and cause it to produce fruit. Fruit carries the seeds of the Vine! Fruit grows new vines and new branches and new fruit. Every church, every mission, every Christian should be a new off-shoot from the main Vine, Jesus Christ. He wants us to keep reproducing his likeness through his Holy Spirit and our abiding relationship on the Vine. Thank you for life and fruit! Amen.

What do we want from following Jesus.....

John 1:39 “Come and see” (NAB “Where dwellest thou?…come and see” (KJV) “Come and you will see” (NIV)

Acts 17:28 “It is in him that we live and move and have our being.” (Phillips)

Eph. 4:24 “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Heavenly Father, Andrew and the other disciples are pointed toward Jesus by John the Baptist. Jesus asks them, “What do you want?” They ask him where he dwells, and he invites them to “come and see”. A very ordinary exchange on some levels, but a much deeper one also, like everything concerning Jesus. When we turn to follow Jesus….”What do we want?” That’s a big question. Is it idle curiosity? Do we want something from him such as healing, wealth, a job, happiness, etc.? Is it a crowd instinct type of following….just doing what our friends and family are doing? Is it because we want to argue with him or disprove him like the Pharisees? Is it to get an assurance of eternal life like the rich young ruler? What do we want from Jesus? We have to figure out the answer to that question. When the two asked where he dwelt, I’m sure they only wanted to know where he was staying, but this too is a question of importance. Dwell can also mean abide. Where did Jesus abide? He had no earthly home. Jesus dwelt always in his Father’s home, in his Father’s presence, in his Father’s will, no matter where he was physically. Jesus is our picture of abiding. We want to dwell where Jesus dwells! He tells them to “come and see”. Two important words. “Come”….make the choice to follow, to seek. “See”….observe, contemplate, listen until you “see” Jesus for who he is…”the Way, the Truth, the Life”! When we follow Jesus to his dwelling, this abiding relationship with his Father, we will see all the Truth you wish to show us. We will see and know who Jesus is, who our Father is, where our home is! Acts 17:28 says, “In him we live and move and have our being.” Jesus is home. Jesus is our abiding place. Jesus is our Way and our Life. True living, moving, being, come through our relationship with Jesus. Where he dwells we must dwell also. Thank you, Father God, for showing us our dwelling place in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Follow in my steps.....

Luke 9:23 “Jesus said to all: whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps.” (NAB)

“If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, carry his cross every day, and keep close behind me.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father, Following in someone’s footsteps means stepping exactly where they stepped, having no say about the direction you are headed or how you will get there, and showing great trust in the one whose footsteps you follow. You don’t follow the footsteps of someone you have no faith in or any respect for their wisdom and choices. You need to feel a “oneness” with the person you follow and want to duplicate what they do. Jesus gives us 3 things to do to indicate our level of trust in his footsteps and our desire to stay with him. First, we must deny ourselves….give up all rights to our own choices. Following is about doing what the leader does. We aren’t in control…the leader is. We don’t get to question every choice he makes…we just listen and do what the leader says. I think we all question what exactly it means to “take up your cross each day”. What does carrying a cross mean and how is that following Christ? Christ knew from the beginning that his destiny was the cross. To obey his Father, he would die on a cross. He carried that cross, that destiny, that willingness to obey every day. He didn’t look for another plan. He didn’t hesitate or argue about it. He “picked it up” and persevered towards that goal to obey his Father’s will. Our cross is doing the same thing. Not a physical cross, but a mental acquiescence to your will. Christ showed us the Way through his cross. To follow we will carry the burden of obedience to the Way shown by Christ. It is part of denying self. Denial and obedience are one and the same. Christ’s cross was love and obedience to his Father’s will. So is ours. We must love as Christ loved. We are finally to “follow in my steps” or “keep close behind me”. The closer we are to Jesus in thought, word and deed, the more easily we can follow his steps. We must come to know him as intimately as his disciples did. We must be in his presence at all times or we will lose the Way to follow. Help me stay close, Lord, amen.

Outsiders vs. Insiders.....

Luke 5:32 “I have not come to invite the self-righteous to a change of heart, but sinners.” (NAB)

 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (NIV) 

“I do not come with an invitation for the righteous, but for sinners….to change their ways.” (Phillips)

 “I’m here inviting outsiders not insiders…an invitation to a changed life.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,
 Outsiders vs. insiders. The Pharisees complain that Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners…”outsiders”. The Pharisees see themselves as “insiders”. People not as perfect or devout as they considered themselves to be were not “good enough” for Jesus to spend time with in their eyes. He should want to be with them…the ones obeying the law, the religious people, the church leaders. 

Jesus hits them with the comparison of healthy vs. ill. If you are healthy what do you need a doctor for? Jesus is the “doctor” who came to heal us. The Pharisees were religious and obeyed the law very closely. They considered themselves healthy in God’s eyes. They saw themselves as righteous. Jesus came with an invitation for those who can see that they are sinners. He came for those who know their life isn’t what it should be, who don’t feel a perfect connection with God, who are ashamed of things they have done. 

Usually the more sinful we are the more we realize it in our hearts and want to change, want a Savior, want words of hope and forgiveness. The people who can’t understand Jesus are the ones who see themselves as “good people”. As long as we look in the mirror and see a “righteous” person looking back, we have no need to seek a Savior, a “doctor” to heal us. Jesus was eating with men who wanted to know him to listen to him, to understand that there was hope for them, who wanted to be loved and accepted and forgiven. Jesus brought us “an invitation to a changed life”. That is his call for us….”come and follow me”. If we stick close to him, if we seek his presence, if we hear his words, than we are going to change our hearts and our lives and he will give us a new life in him! Amen.

Doing what Jesus commands....

John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (NAB)

“You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. (Phillips)

 Heavenly Father, Jesus says that we are his friends if we do what he commands. What does he command? He commands: “Love each other as I have loved you.” He goes on to explain that there isn’t any love greater than laying down your life for your friends. He set us an example by laying down his life for us. To be his friends we must do the same for others. How? We can’t go to the cross and die to remove someone’s sin. We can’t grant anyone salvation trough our death.

 I guess we “lay down our life for our friends” by two things. We can tell them about Jesus, who can die for them and save them. And tied to that we can do this irregardless of any consequences it might have for us…persecution, anger, resentment, loss of friends or jobs or family due to our taking a stand for Christ. We lay down our “comfort zone” walls and move into their zone. You can’t hang on to world values and teach spiritual ones at the same time. We can set ourselves up as a living example of a Christ-follower. Laying down our life requires sacrifice. Laying down our life is giving up whatever is necessary to save our friends.

 If we want to convince others that Jesus loves them and died for them, we must exhibit that same type and strength of love that he did with our own actions. “Actions speak louder than words”. Just as we believe because of what Christ did, we need loving actions to cause anyone else to believe. They only know what they see and hear from us. This is a command from Jesus. Do this! Don’t think about it. Don’t discuss it. Don’t dissect it or make excuses….just do it! Jesus proved his desire to have us as friends by laying down his life. Now it is our turn to respond in the same manner towards others through sacrificial loving actions!

 Thank you….teach me how to be a friend who lays down my life for others. Amen.

A new journey begins....2010

Mark 10:21 “Go and sell everything you have, give the money away to the poor…you will have riches in heaven, and then come back and follow me.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father, This verse is from the story of the rich young man who wanted assurance of eternal life. He comes to Jesus with a question: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He came to the right place….Jesus Christ, who can give us all eternal life! But he came with the wrong expectations. He honestly thought he had done all that was necessary….following the law. He wanted Jesus to commend his attempts at being righteous…to say, “well done, good and faithful servant”. He expected praise and to be told his place in heaven was waiting because he had earned it.

 Jesus looked at him deeply, intimately and knew all about him….and loved him (vs. 21). Jesus didn’t rebuke him like he did the Pharisee’s for obeying the law. He apparently saw something hopeful in this young man’s attitude….a willingness to seek eternal life, an acknowledging of Jesus as his “Master” with a willingness to kneel at his feet, a sincere heart that wanted to know the answer. He was teachable. 

He left Jesus in deep distress, but it doesn’t say that he never came back. Jesus wanted to stretch this man’s concept of what following and being his disciple meant. He wanted him to see the contrast between worldly wealth and heavenly riches. He wanted to move him forward in his faith journey. He invited him to “come back and follow” when he understood what this really would mean. I think this man probably came back over and over, wrestling with his “self” just like we all do.

 We have to come back before we can follow. It may take time to reach total commitment…to give up our worldly riches for kingdom wealth and values. This is a good message for New Year’s Day when we make resolutions. We must resolve to keep coming back to Jesus. To keep trying to reach our goal of discipleship. We have to let Jesus shake up our confidence just like he did with this young man. But remember always that Jesus looked at him and loved him. He loves us, too. Thank you, Jesus! Amen.