I Am Alive!

When Jesus said, “[God] is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22.32), he was affirming the belief in the resurrection of the dead. But also in that statement, a wonderful truth came to me personally. He is my God; he is the God of the living: therefore, I am alive!

Hallelujah! We are alive! In Christ we have been made alive. He gives us life to the full. In the land of the dying, we live! Death has no more dominion over us.

Too often we live as though our sin or circumstances have the final word in our lives. And eventually, of course, our circumstances lead to death. But, we don’t have to live that way. We are children of life!

Jesus once said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11.24b-26)

Do you believe this? Can you say, “God you are my God, so I am alive. Nothing can take away my life in you.”?

Do You WANT to Be a Donkey?

Yesterday, the scripture in Matthew 20 confronted us with the question, “So, you want to be great?” The scripture today reinforced that in my mind with a graphic albeit coarse image. When Jesus – the King of kings – went into Jerusalem, lauded by the crowds, he was riding on the back of donkey – a lowly beast of burden.

Jesus had told the disciples to “go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” Matthew continues: “The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them” (Matthew 21.2-3, 6-7).

I know this represented the fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 62.11 and Zechariah 9.9) and indicated that Jesus was the expected messiah. I know that sometimes ancient rulers would ride on a donkey signifying times of peace. What struck me, however, were not these latent indicators of greatness; rather what struck me was the blatant picture of humbleness. Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey.

That prompted this prayer in me:
“Lord, I just want to be like that donkey and her colt: untied and brought to Jesus. May I then bear Jesus to a new place. May it be said of me, ‘The Lord needs him.’ And, Lord, may I be sent right away!
“Here I am, Lord Jesus! Ready to bear you to a new place of praise! You will receive all the attention, all the glory, all the praise. I only ask that I bear you and your good news. May I bring you to the awareness of a people looking for hope.”

So, You Want to Be Great...

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20.26-28).

As I read this verse, the Holy Spirit probed me: “So, you want to be great? If so, become a servant. Is that what you want?”

May I share with you my response?

"Lord, yes, I want to become great, but my definition of greatness is all wrong. I define it as privilege and accolades and skills and expertise and acknowledgement.

"Take me to your heavenly thesaurus. Lord, help me to see that greatness among God’s people is...

• Service
• Humility
• Surrender
• Brokenness
• Love
• Looking after the interests of others

"Yes, I want to be like Jesus! You came to serve and to give your life a ransom for many. Lord, I give my life to serving others so that they may find true life. Today, help me to answer the question – to honestly answer the question – 'Am I willing to serve God without pay, in an obscure place, with no guarantees, in God’s way, with God’s values?'

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139.23-24).

A Pet Nana

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there (Matthew 19.13-15).

The next scene in Matthew 19 is one of a rich young man trying desperately to impress Jesus with his personal righteousness (and perhaps his personal wealth). Jesus was not impressed. He had just said, “The kingdom belongs to such as these” – to those who become like children!

We try to be so sophisticated, but God is not impressed. Who are we trying to impress?

May God restore the wonder of childhood in me. Recently I spent a week with my granddaughter, Avery. Often in those days together, I marveled at how she delighted in the smallest of things. I rejoiced as I watched her leading her Nana around the house by the finger. (I teased my wife that Avery had a “pet Nana” because she was on a leash going wherever Avery led her…) She wasn’t doing great and awesome things, nor was her Nana. They were just being together. And, as far as I could judge, they were both having the time of their lives!

My prayer is that I might be more like Avery. Like her, may I delight in the outstretched hand of God.

And so, my prayer today is: “Reach out your hand to me, O Jesus! Place your hands on me and bless me this morning with love, delight, wonder, joy, faith, trust, laughter and resilience! I love you, Lord! And, Lord, help me to see children – all children, not just my own – as you do. And in seeing them, help me to include them and to become like them in your presence. Amen”

God Is Decentralizing!

In Matthew 18.18, Jesus made a startling statement to his disciples:
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven.”

Wow! I have to ask myself, “What am I loosing and what am I binding on earth?” According to the words of Jesus, that very thing will be loosed and bound in heaven. God wants to partner with me, not only in the accomplishing of his purposes on earth, but also in the actual willing of his purposes in heaven.

I’ve just finished reading a book by organizational specialist, Ichak Adizes. In this book, called Corporate Lifecycles, Adizes distinguishes between delegation and decentralization. When tasks are assigned and performed “down the ladder,” that is delegation. When strategic decisions are assigned and made “down the ladder,” that is decentralization.

Think about the Great Commission in Matthew 28.18-20:
"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

In the Great Commission, we see that God has given us the task of making disciples. That is delegation. But here in Matthew 18.18, Jesus appears to be actually decentralizing strategic decisions. He wants us to will and decide and participate in the formation of divine purpose. He invites us to be partners with him in the shaping of history! I say again, “WOW!”

What are you binding or loosing on earth? That is what are you binding or loosing in heaven! It is an awe-inspiring offer, a daunting prospect. Eternity will be formed by our obedience, by our wills in conformity with God’s heavenly will. So, pray! Believe! Act!

Bind! Loose!

A Cure for Contempt

Jesus spoke about John the Baptist as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy that Elijah would precede the coming of the Day of the Lord (Malachi 4.5-6): “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist (Matthew 17.11-13).

Have you ever felt unappreciated? John the Baptist felt that, and more. John came to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah, but he was rejected by the politically powerful and rigidly religious.

If you ever experience rejection or persecution, remember the Baptist. Also remember Jesus who suffered at their hands as well. Like the Baptist’s sufferings, your suffering has meaning as it points to a greater suffering. – God on a cross. So Jesus’ sacrifice makes my suffering more bearable, more lustrous, more eternally significant.

When you are unappreciated, rejected or even persecuted, pray this prayer: “Lord, I am glad I can join you in suffering. When I am not glad in suffering, please make me so. Amen.”

Follow the Signs

Ever feel like you need a sign from God? The Pharisees and Sadducees (religious leaders of their day) felt that they did. They asked Jesus for a sign from heaven. Jesus said to them that they weren’t going to be given any other sign than the one they already had:

"When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." (Matthew 16.2-4)

I’ve been struggling lately with God’s direction for my life and ministry. I’ve wanted the Lord to give me a sign of some sort. But, when I read this, I prayed:

“Lord, I don’t need a sign. I will interpret the times in my life:

· I can be confident that it’s harvest time: Jesus you have said the fields are ripe for harvest…
· You have given me certain interest and strengths that will match the needs of the place where I will serve.
· My family is at a particular stage in life and I need to pay attention to where we are in this time.
· My faith tells me that God will be with me wherever I go as long as I am following him, so no job is too big nor is any place too small for me.
· My friends and ministry mentors give me direction and response based on what they see as signs in my own life and development.
· I have great confidence in what I am feeling within for the Bible says that I have the mind of Christ!

“Lord, help me not to misinterpret, for a red sky can mean storms or fair weather depending on the time of the day. I need all the information, but I can make decisions based on the times of my life for God gives me wisdom!”

Jesus refers to the sign of Jonah. He had already discussed this sign with the Pharisees and teachers of the law when they had previously demanded a sign from him (Matthew 12.38ff). At that time, Jesus had explained to them the sign of Jonah: Jonah was three days in the belly of a huge fish and the Son of Man will be three days in the heart of the earth. This, of course refers to the death and burial of Jesus, his cross. That sign to which Jesus refers reminded me of something I read long ago. Excuse me, for the paraphrase, but it went something like this: “Whenever I come to a fork in the road and have to choose between two ways, I try to choose the way upon which the shadow of the cross falls.” Dwell on that for a while.

Looking for a sign? Interpret the times and choose the way of the cross!

Out of Character?

As I read Matthew 15, I was struck by the harsh words of Jesus concerning the Pharisees and teachers of the law. These men had come to Jesus to complain that his disciples were breaking the tradition of the elders. Jesus responded by asking them, in essence, why they thought their traditions were more important than God’s commands. They didn’t like that!

Later, Jesus’ followers told him that the Pharisees and teachers of the law were offended. Jesus responded: "Every plant that my Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them. They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit" (vv. 13-14).

Don’t these words seem out of character for Christ’s disposition toward people? What was there about these Pharisees and teachers of the law that would cause Jesus to say something like this? I thought of several things:

• They were leaders – entrusted to give direction to people.
• They had shown themselves uninterested in Jesus’ message of love and acceptance.
• They thought themselves better than those they were to serve.
• They were more concerned with their traditions than with the needs of people and bringing them to God.

Jesus did not want to promulgate such attitudes with his silence, thereby giving them tacit approval.

I learn two things from this incident:
1. Don’t be a blind man! We are all leaders, and we need to keep our eyes on Jesus and reflect his attitude. Make sure you are leading people toward God!
2. But also, don’t be alarmed if there are “religious people” with whom you must part ways. Of course, we shouldn’t do it too readily and for the wrong reasons. Such a decision can’t be about you, but must be about others and the Kingdom.

Traditions are beautiful and meaningful. I’m thankful for them. But, let’s keep focused on pleasing God and following his commands.

May God bless you with the warmth of his love on this cold winter morning!

Overcoming

When I read Matthew 14, I was impressed with three instances of overcoming:

In verse 16, Jesus told his disciples, “You give them something.” Then he put enough food in their hands to feed thousands. He always gives us the resources to meet the demands on us. We don’t have to manufacture grace!

Verses 25, 28: “Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake… Peter replied, ‘Tell me to come to you on the water.’” To Jewish thinking in the first century, the sea represented chaos and confusion; it was symbolic of the trials of life. So when Peter saw Jesus walking on the stormy lake, it represented His overcoming of life’s problems. Jesus walks on our problems and tells us to do the same!

Verse 12: “John’s [the Baptist] disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.” My heart was stirred over two things:

1. The devotion and brokenness of John’s followers
2. The fact that they went to tell Jesus. John’s ministry was affirmed in this act. When John “left” his followers, they turned to Jesus. John had come to prepare the way for people to know Jesus (Matthew 11.10, Luke 1.76). He was not the light, but came as a witness to the light (John 1.7). He had said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me” (John 1.15), and “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3.30).

Be like the disciples and give those around you food from the hand of the Master… Be like Peter and – along with Jesus – walk on your problems! Be like John, and point your closest friends and loved ones to Jesus!

Make Mine with Mustard!

In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus offers metaphors (often called parables) to help us understand the true nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. He compares the Kingdom with:

• seeds in soil
• wheat in weeds
• plants in a garden
• yeast in doe
• a treasure in a field
• a pearl in a marketplace
• a net in a lake

I love these comparisons, for in helping me understand the Kingdom of Heaven, they instruct me in living as a citizen in that Kingdom.

For instance, Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13.31-32).

This parable reminds me that I should not despise the day of small things. (See Zechariah 4.10 as well.) The Kingdom in me does not start fully grown, nor does any Kingdom work that I do. Instead it starts small and grows. Like a mustard seed, the secret of the Kingdom’s success is not in its size, but in the life it contains. Growth comes from the life that is in the mustard seed, and growth comes from the life of the Kingdom that is in me (or in my Kingdom work).

So, I will confidently do what this parable instructs me to do as a Kingdom citizen, living Kingdom life and doing Kingdom work:

1. Take the seed of the Kingdom
2. Plant it in the fertile soil of obedience and faith
3. Watch it grow from the smallest to the largest
4. See it become a tree of refuge and hope to myself and to those around me

Happy gardening!

On Being For or Against

In today’s reading from Matthew (chapter 12), Jesus says something that intrigues me:

• He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters (Matthew 12.30).

When I read that, I asked myself, “Doesn’t Jesus contradict that statement elsewhere in the Bible?”

• Do not stop him… No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us (Mark 9.39-40).
• Do not stop him… for whoever is not against you is for you (Luke 9.50)

What’s the difference? How can Jesus say in one instance, “He who is not with me is against me” and in another instance, “Whoever is not against you is for you”?

Mark and Luke are reporting the same incident. Jesus is responding to his disciples’ report that they had seen a man doing good works in Jesus’ name and had told him to stop, “because he is not one of us.” The followers of Jesus were creating a false dichotomy because they misunderstood the nature of Jesus’ mission. They wanted his mission to be about them. Jesus responded by saying, in essence, “My mission is about everybody. Don’t set up these false divisions in your minds. Make room in your thinking for everybody who would do the work of the Kingdom. If they are not working against us, they are working for us.”

But, the incident in Matthew 12 is different. In this case, the Pharisees (religious leaders) were trying to discredit Jesus and his mission of inclusion. It was indeed about division, but now the division Jesus addressed was actually initiated by these leaders who should have known and followed Jesus’ truth but had instead chosen to divide themselves from what Jesus was doing. So Jesus says, in essence, “I can’t afford to have you leaders undermining my mission. Either get with the program or get out of the way! If you are not with me, you are working against me!”

Jesus’ statement also reminded me that leaders must have the support – the “with-ness” – of those they lead – especially those in subordinate leadership roles. It is not enough for these subordinate leaders to be neutral. It cannot be said, “I am not actively against him, so I’m not dividing.” That is not true. Jesus says, you must be for your leader or you are against him and you are thus dividing the followers.

Jesus gives us something to think about earlier in this chapter:

• Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. (Matthew 12.25)

We need to get behind our leaders! There is too much at stake.

A Prison of Waiting

Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else? (Matthew 11.3)

That question comes from John the Baptist. Don't be too hard on him. He was in prison. That’s a reasonable question to ask in prison. We can’t fault John the Baptist for asking it, can we? Perhaps his thinking process went something like this: “Lord, I’ve been doing your will, preaching your Word, baptizing the repentant, preparing the way for you. And now, this? I end up in prison? Is there justice, Lord?”

But Jesus has a word for the one imprisoned: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

At first, these seem like harsh words to one – like myself – who is in a “prison of waiting.” But be encouraged! Jesus’ kingdom is still advancing through:

• Seeing
• Walking
• Cleansing
• Hearing
• Raising
• Preaching

I may be in prison, but God’s Word and God’s work is not shackled! Perhaps the Lord is saying to me (or to you): “Don’t fall away if I assign you to be a witness in your prison. You are part of my plan. Stay true. Continue faithful.”

At the end of the chapter, even we in the prison of waiting receive an amazing offer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (v. 28). Find rest for your soul, weary “prisoner”!

A Mission with Authority

In Matthew 10, Jesus called his disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness (v. 1). Armed with this authority, they were then sent out to:
· Go to the lost sheep and preach hope
· Heal the sick
· Raise the dead
· Cleanse those with leprosy
· Drive out demons
· Give peace to homes that would receive them and their message.

Too often in my service for the Lord, I look for ideal circumstances and fail to realize that Jesus has: 1) calls me to him; 2) gives me authority over evil; and 3) gives me authority over disease and sickness. Instead of using the authority God has given me, I find myself waiting for God to speak in a thunderclap and give me some great thing to do. I just need to come to him, take up the authority he has given me, and go looking for people who need the hope of Christ. Then, the opportunities to make a difference, to do something of significance will come.

I was speaking with my daughter this morning, and we were talking about our jobs. I told her that although my circumstances at the moment may not be ideal, I love my job. I love what I do. I love the opportunities to do something of significance for the people I meet, to make a difference in their lives. She echoed that significance: “I want to make a difference,” she said.

Are you like that? Do you want to make a difference, do something of significance? Don’t wait for a burning bush (Moses) or a heavenly vision (Isaiah) or a blinding light (Paul). Those may or may not come. Jesus is simply calling you to himself and giving you authority to represent him every day with every person you meet. You will then be:
· Hope for those who have lost their way
· Healing for those who are sick
· Life for those whose have given up on life
· Cleansing for those who are discarded by a world enamored with perfection
· Wholeness for those debilitated by sin’s power
· Peace for those whose home and hearts are in turmoil
Yes, you will be all that if you come and go – Come to Jesus and go in his authority!

Have confidence, child of God!

A Heart for Harvest

The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9.37-38).

After I read that verse, I prayed the following prayer:

“Lord, first of all I ask you for a heart like yours. You said that you would give me a new heart and put your Spirit in me (Ezekiel 36.26-27). I see what your heart is like as you “saw the crowds and had compassion on them.” You led them to God, healing them, teaching them, and restoring hope. I want to be like that. I want to love and serve people as you do.
“Lord, I ask also that you would give me eyes like yours, to see people as you do, understanding them. Help me to see – not a rude driver but – someone running late for work and worried about their job. Help me to see – not a distracted cashier at Walmart but – a parent concerned for their child who is in trouble at school. Help me to see – not the frown of the waitress at the Truck Stop but – the anxious heart of one who doesn’t know if she can make ends meet. Yes, Lord, help me to see the fields that are ready for harvest (John 4.35). Give me eyes like yours.
“Then, Lord, I ask you to send me out to your harvest field, giving me partners so that together we can bring hope to a hurting world.”

Join me in that prayer this week, and give the hope of Jesus to everyone you meet.

Go... Come... Do... but First Be

On one occasion, Jesus met a centurion (a Roman army officer in charge of 100 men) whose servant was suffering from paralysis. He asked Jesus for help. Jesus was willing to go with the man, but he humbly refused:
Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, “Go,” and he goes; and that one, “Come,” and he comes. I say to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it” (Matthew 8.8-9).

Like this Roman officer, each one of us can say, “I myself am a man under authority…” We, as Christians, have been given authority to act on behalf of the Kingdom and to accomplish the purposes of the Kingdom (healing, delivery, cleansing). The trouble is that we cannot do it alone or on our own. We need to hear Kingdom wisdom in the words of the centurion: “Go… Come… Do…” It is our privilege to:

• Go where he says…
• Come to him…
• Do his will…

But all this is preceded by:

• Be (I myself am…)
  

Let’s keep the order right. First, let us be right; then we can do right. How can we be right? We must place ourselves under his authority. Everything else flows from that.

A Rock To Build On

The Sermon on the Mount ends with Jesus giving a great analogy: Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (Matthew 7.24-27)

As I read it, I saw something that I had missed before. While foolish men build there houses on sand - any sand, found anywhere - wise men build their houses on the rock. There are many options upon which to build if we don't care about our houses standing. There is only one option to build on if we want a foundation that will stand in time and eternity. That option is to build on the Rock.

As I thought about my vocation, I realized that many things provide sand for a foundation upon which to build my ministry and seek to grow my church:

• Self – talents, skills, wisdom
• Business Principles
• Financial Stability
• Marketing
• Facility
• Progress
• Hype and Excitement
• Doctrine

I could pick any of the above or another of my own choosing. It doesn’t matter. There’s sand everywhere.

But the Rock – that lasting foundation upon which I can build my life and ministry – is Jesus Christ. Building on Jesus, his character becomes my character and the character of my work and therefore the character of my church:

• Sacrifice
• Service
• Love
• Eternity
• Truth
• Surrender and Submission
• Humility
• Faith
• Faithfulness
• The Word
• Life and Light

If I choose Jesus and build on his foundational characters listed above, then I can add the methods listed in the top section. But those must not be my foundation. Jesus is my foundation.

Are you building on the character of Jesus? Your life? Your vocation? (If it’s good enough for a preacher to build on then it is good enough for a chemist or carpenter or manager or business owner to build on.) Build on Jesus! Jesus only!

A House of Stones

Matthew 6 contains the great prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. It has come to be known as “The Lord’s Prayer” and is found in verses 9-13 of Matthew 6.

The first word of the Lord’s Prayer – Our – reveals that to properly pray we must see ourselves as part of the community of God’s people. There is no “churchless Christianity.” We are not like space capsules with two passengers – God and us. That is a good picture of the heights we can go with Jesus, but that model alone is “too lofty” an analogy for us. We are something more earthy, more practical than that. We need to keep our feet on the ground and realize that we have come up out of the dirt. We are stones. But, the good news is that the Bible says we are living stones, and that we are being built into a spiritual house – God’s house (1 Peter 2.5). God lifts up the stones not by throwing them into the outer reaches of space, but by building them together into his house.

We are saved to be in the community of God’s people. So when you pray, you can say, “My Father.” That is good, but it only goes so far. “Our Father” goes a lot farther, building us into the family of God.

A Mountain of Light

Matthew 5 begins the section of scripture that has come to be known as “The Sermon on the Mount.” I have been working on memorizing this great passage of the Bible. It is very challenging to our contemporary mindset. I urge you to become familiar with it and allow the Holy Spirit to counsel you with regard to living Kingdom values in this present age.

The introduction to this great sermon by Jesus says, “When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (Matthew 5.1-2).

While much of Jesus’ ministry was spent with great crowds of people, many times we see him getting away from the crowds. He did so to fast and focus himself on his mission. He left the crowds behind to pray. He did it sometimes to just spend some restful time with his apostles. On this occasion, Jesus leaves the crowds behind to spend time with those called his disciples. We are not to think that the term “disciples” means the twelve who were designated as apostles. Instead it should be understood as those who had chosen to become followers of Jesus. They needed more understanding of what that choice meant, how to live it out.

Jesus’ intention was to teach them the values of the Kingdom of Heaven. The disciples followed him up on the mountain. The story doesn’t indicate at all that Jesus instructed or recommended that they come. It does not even say that he invited them. They chose to follow Jesus to be with him and to get away from the crowds themselves. Now, it is apparent that the crowds did find them, but by then the disciples were completely engulfed by his teaching and captivated by his presence.

The question that occurs to me is this: “Do I follow Jesus like that?” A good way for me to do that (a good way for you to do that) is to spend time in the morning being with Jesus. Read his Word. Listen for his still small voice. Memorize the scriptures. Make it a point to take one thing every day from every chapter you read. Write it down.

Let the eternal God share with you the values of the Kingdom. Follow Jesus up the mountain. The things of life will crowd in on you soon enough. When they do, you can already be “lost in his love” and set apart (sanctified) by his truth. Then, and only then, can you shine the light of the Kingdom into the darkness. He alone is the True Light that gives light to every man.

A Sea of Change

I love the stories in Matthew chapter 4 concerning the calling of Jesus Christ’s first followers. The first to answer his call were fishermen: Simon (who came to be known as Peter) and his brother Andrew. The two of them, along with Jesus, went along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee and encountered two other fishermen, also brothers, who were called James and John. Jesus called to these two “sons of Zebedee” and they, too, became followers of Jesus.

What were these followers of Jesus doing when they were called? “They were casting their net into the lake, for they were fishermen” (v. 18). “They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets” (v. 21). “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” Jesus said to them.

When I read that, I thought back to my own call to follow Christ and become a fisher of men. Like these men, I was doing the work for which I was educated and hired. I was raising my family in the place where life had so far taken me. But it was time for a new direction, time to follow Jesus in a new way and fulfill the destiny of my life.

At that time, I was a department manager in a factory that made golf grips! Jesus said to follow him and I would become a “manager” of God’s people and of God’s truth, helping people get a new kind of grip!

Like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, I was involved with my family, taking care of my future. Jesus was about to enlarge my “family” and secure my future. Yes, with persecutions (See Mark 10.29-31), but oh how the joys of following Christ and serving his Church supersede the sorrows and trials!

Those are treasured and meaningful memories that lead me to pray: “Now Lord, I feel as though my nets are dry, my boat is beached. But, Lord, your call still rings in my ears and beats within my breast. Where, oh Master will you use me? Where, oh Leader will I follow you? Walk beside me as you walked beside the sea of change in the lives of those fishermen. Call me anew as you called before, and at once I will leave my nets… immediately I will leave the boat… and follow you.”

Are you uncertain as to where you are to go next in life? Are you struggling through a place where you feel ineffective or put on the shelf? Jesus has not forgotten you. Go back to your Sea of Galilee, and affirm to the Lord that you will follow him. He still walks beside the seas of turmoil and change calling to you, “Follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men.”

I'm Ready To Be Ready

Several years ago, I memorized John 1.1-18 along with my congregation. Ever since that time, I have used those 18 verses in my morning worship as a reminder of who Jesus is: God and Creator and Life and Light. He alone - as God - is worthy to be worshiped.

Tucked in those verses there are some words about John the Baptist: “There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (John 1.6-9). In those verses I am reminded that my job is not to be The Light, but to testify to The Light. My ministry is not about me at all, but should only illuminate Jesus “the true light that gives light to every man.”

In Matthew 3, we encounter John the Baptist testifying about The Light. He is identified by his mission as “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’” As I read that, I thought that I, too, want to be the voice of one calling… but in the desert?

Where is the desert, Lord? Where do people need to hear? Where can I preach repentance and testify to the nearness of your kingdom? Where will you see of harvest of souls confessing, repenting, and being baptized?

When, Lord? When will I go preaching in the desert? When will I exalt Jesus in preaching again? When can I lead people to the cross? To Jordan? I know that my life daily illuminates Jesus, but I long to preach.

At this stage of my journey, I am learning to wait upon the Lord. Yes, I feel that I am ready, but I bow to the wisdom of my Savior and trust in the will of my Father. So, instead of saying, “I’m ready,” I say “I’m ready to be ready! Make me ready. Send me out, to the desert, O Lord!”

Go Ahead and Dream (But Be Careful What You Ask For)

Have you ever had a dream that revealed God’s will to you? Have you ever asked God to show you his will in a dream? Now, I know that the Old Testament prophet said “your old men will dream dreams,” but we may want to be careful about asking for dreams!

In Matthew chapter 2, there are several dreams associated with the early childhood of Jesus Christ. These dreams make me wonder if I really want God to have to speak to me in a dream:

• The Magi were warned in a dream to return another way (not go back to Herod).
• Joseph was told in a dream to escape to Egypt.
• Joseph was instructed in a dream to go back to Israel.
• Joseph was warned in a dream to withdraw to Galilee.

Four dreams were used of the Lord to communicate his will, and three of these had to do with negative circumstances. (These dreams were also used before the Holy Spirit had been poured out at Pentecost.) So I have to ask myself, “Do I really want God to use a dream to speak to me?” Probably not. If he chooses to do so, then I need to be prepared for what may follow. But, I won’t ask for a dream to reveal his will to me. I’ll just keep reading the Bible, praying every day, denying my self-will, seeking to do what I know, and following Jesus.

The Bible says we can have the Mind of Christ, the Word of God and the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation. I think we’ll do OK!

Hope for the New Year

It’s January 1. Time to set some new goals or to affirm the good things you are doing. One thing I am going to do is read through the New Testament in 2009. Did you know that there are 260 chapters in the New Testament? Did you also know that there are 260 “week days” in a year (52 weeks X 5 days/week)? If you read one chapter out of the New Testament each week day morning, you will read the entire New Testament in a year. (This method gives you the weekends to catch up if you get behind…)

Let’s do that together! I know from experience that God’s Word will change your life!

I’ve decided to help you get started by reflecting on the 28 chapters of Matthew for the first 28 week days of the year. Let’s get started with Matthew chapter 1.

As I read through the genealogy of Jesus Christ something struck me. There were five women mentioned in Christ’s genealogy. This is striking because in Matthew’s time, women were not considered as important as men in peoples’ ancestry. (Luke, a more progressive writer than Matthew for his time, did not even mention Christ’s mother in the genealogy of Christ he wrote in Luke 3!)

Who were the women Matthew mentioned?

• Tamar
• Rahab
• Ruth
• Uriah’s wife
• Mary

As I look at this list, I am struck even more by the question, why these women? Why did God select these women to be a part of the lineage of his Christ, and why did he mention these particularly by name? OK, I understand Mary. She was highly regarded and was chosen to bear the Messiah. But the others? They have “questionable” pasts. Three were “foreigners,” brought into the kingdom by marriage. Two engaged in prostitution. One had an extra-marital affair with the king while her husband was away at war. Not exactly the kind of people you brag about from your past.

This passage reveals at least two truths:

1. No matter how bad I think I may be, I am not beyond the reach of God and his family.
2. To “bring about the Kingdom” we need to reach outside the Kingdom and present a bride to Christ from among those bypassed by conventional wisdom. He will “sanctify” his bride!

May God help us live those two truths in 2009!

(By the way, there are 949 chapters in the Old Testament. If you read two per week day you will finish in less than 2 years. To finish in one year you would need to read 3 ½ or 4 chapters per week day.)