Month: April 2016

Is it Wasted on Us

Prophets and Kings longed for and looked forward to the time when the Messiah would come dwell with mankind.  In addition to Jesus’s coming, death, and resurrection the Holy Spirit was sent to teach and lead us in righteousness.  Do we realize just how great of a time in history that we live?  Do we know how much more accountable we are for having more knowledge and not acknowledging it fully?  Everyday we close our ears to hear what  God’s purpose is for our life – we become dull in our hearing and understanding of His will.  Long for Him, desire Him, and choose to live with only His purpose for your life.

Matthew 13:16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad

Hebrews 11:13
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth

1 Peter 1:12
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look

Be a Planter of Seed

We should be ever diligent in telling others of the hope that is within us.  I think there are times we look at the person and think to ourselves that this is nothing more than rocky soil.  What do we know?  Think back to the time when someone spoke to you about God’s love, grace, and mercy.  If you were to examine your past prior to coming to the knowledge of salvation, would people also think you were rocky ground?  We share the hope that is within us because as long as there is breath in a person there is still a chance their ears and heart will open and become fertile ground.

Matthew 13:3
“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.

Isaiah 55:10
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it

Romans 1:14
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching

Can you Run From God

The story unfolds with Jonah being told by God to go to Nineveh and Jonah running away from the presence of God.  In Psalms it says no matter where we are we can not flee from the presence of God.  We can try as we might to close our ears to His leading and hide from His purpose for us to choose obedience to Him and His plan for our life, but we will never find rest, peace, joy, comfort, hope, love, satisfaction, or blessings.  Choose to run to Him in humble obedience.

Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here

Jonah 1:2
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord

Psalms 139:6
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.

Stumbling Block

Seeking wisdom is not bad.  Wisdom allows good decisions if it is followed. However seeking it apart from God is. Wisdom of this world has a limit or duration.  That limit is from the the point of understanding until deeper wisdom is added, yet at the end of this death happens and it is gone.  This wisdom may benefit others but it too has a duration.  Scripture tells us that true wisdom begins with a fear and respect for God.  Beginning with this wisdom, all other wisdom that follows has much deeper application and benefit for eternity.  Do we wish for wisdom? “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added”

Matthew 12:38 – Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it

1 Corinthians 1:21
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world.? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men

Jeremiah 8:9
The wise men shall be put to shame;
they shall be dismayed and taken;
behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord,
so what wisdom is in them.

Jesus Withdrew

Jesus had just healed a man from a crippled hand and the pharisees plotted to destroy Him.  The response was not what we would expect is it?  Yet I have to wonder how many times I have seen something in my life and rejected it as NOT being done by and for the purpose of God.  I certainly do not want Jesus to withdraw from my life.  Trusting Him in our life requires that we believe in His promise – “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”  Find hope in trusting Him alone to use you for His purpose.
Matthew 12:17
Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
and in his name the Gentiles will hope

Isaiah 11:10
In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people

Romans 15:12
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope

Come to Me

How many times do we wait to come to Him?  I know I first try everything in my own power, strength, and (what appears to be wise) only to, much later, find I did not have the power, strength or wisdom. Why is it not the first thing we do?  Only good can happen from going to Him first.  Stay in His presence and seek His power, strength, and wisdom.  His rest gives us peace.

Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light

Exodus 33;14
And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest

John 7:37
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water

Psalms 116:6
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling

Jeremiah 6:17
Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it. ’
I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet! ’
But they said, ‘We will not pay attention. ’
Therefore hear, O nations,
and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people,
the fruit of their devices,
because they have not paid attention to my words;
and as for my law, they have rejected it

Revealed

We don’t always know God’s plan do we?  We know He wants us to come to Him.  We know He wants us to believe in His son.  We know He wants us to repent from our sins.  We know He wants us to desire Him more than anything this world has to offer. He has revealed these to our heart.   What we do not know is the plans of blessings, trials, joy, pain, love, rejection…  These are times when faith must overcome our own thoughts and understanding.  Some things are hidden from us and we must trust that God has a plan … This should be enough for us to know…. It is in His hands and in this we find purpose no matter what the circumstance is.

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children

Matthew 16:17
“Blessed are you, Simon Bar- Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven

John 12:27
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.
Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven:“I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself

1 Corinthians 1:26
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God

Blessings and Repentance

Jesus denounced cities for their lack of repentance. In these cities, the blind were made to see, others cured, He walked on water, and 5,000 were fed from the lunch of a small boy.  I wonder how much more accountable we are than these.    Why do you suppose God gives us blessings in our lives?  He loves us. For sure it is easy to be thankful for being given something. Does He expect, through these acts of love, a change in us?  Does He expect our desire and purpose to remain on self?  Indeed not.  We are to grow in a singular purpose – Honor and glorify Him, Repenting from serving self and choosing to serve Him.

Matthew 11:20
Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent

Mark 8:22
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him

Luke 9:10
On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing

John 1:44
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these

Luke 10:16
“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me

Matthew 11:23   Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day

The Blind, Deaf, and Mute

Can you imagine what it would be like to be blind and then be able to see?  or deaf and able to hear? or mute and able to speak?  The joy and thankfulness you would have could not be explained in words.  Imagine if you were the friend or brother or parents of one of these and you saw the miracle happen.  The thankfulness you would have and how you would not be able to stop talking about it.  You might even tell others with great belief they too could have healing.  How thankful would you be if you were saved from eternity in hell, or if you were given peace, joy, love, hope…..Wouldn’t you want to tell others about gospel????

 

Matthew 11:4
And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me

Isaiah 35:5
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted