2 Kings 6:17 4/25/16

2 Kings 6:17  "And Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

It has been a tough week.  There has been heartbreaking pain that will take some time to heal. Sometimes it feels like the world is falling apart and all you see is pain and problems much like Elisha's servant did. 

But Elisha prays an interesting prayer for his servant.  He did not pray for God to change anything...he just asked that his servant could see the plan and reinforcements God had provided.

Pain is real, and it is a big part of life...everybody experiences it. The only choice you have is how you see it.  Do you only see the pain, or are your eyes open to also see the provision God has made to comfort and protect you? 

Sometime God does not remove the pain. Sometimes He carries you through it.  But, whether you see them or not, there are always chariots of fire on the hills all around you.  You are never alone, and you are never exposed.  The angels of heaven stand watch over you.

Like Elisha, I pray that God will "open our eyes, so we may see".  And that we will not fear, because we do not view the world with earthly eyes, but with spiritual ones.  Though we see the storm clouds, we also see the love and grace our Heavenly Father has for us, and that will be our anchor in our time of need. 

“If you can't see His way past the tears, trust His heart.”
― Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Matthew 20:26 4/19/2016

Matthew 20:26  "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant"

Yesterday morning I held my Moms hand as Jesus took her home.  As I thought about this Tuesday's bible study,  I didn't want to write one. But it's a ministry, and Mom frowns on us not serving well, so I picked a verse she has modeled for me.

Jesus told His disciples that what the world considers great is actually the opposite of greatness. It is not about power and getting your way.  It is about being so satisfied with Christ that your needs are already met, and you are free to love, and serve other people.

My mom was Great.  Not because she was a talented musician who played in University bands, and professional orchestras. Not because she was an amazing English teacher. Not because she was a talented artist. Those made her outstanding, but they did not make her great.

What made her great is that she spent her life showing me, and countless others, how to put hands and feet on love and make it come alive.

As I grew up,  our house was full of people being served. Whether Mom was tutoring students, or hosting church parties, she was always ministering to others.

When my sisters and I where young, the whole Youth Department of First Baptist Church Houston would regularly come to our house on Sunday nights for fellowships.

Once the entire Baylor football team had tamales at our house on short notice, and she never mentioned it...

I had friends who, when they needed a place to stay, lived in our house until they got situated .... I thought this was normal.  Serving was so natural to her that I never even noticed it until I got older.

Even during this final hospital stay she was more concerned that I wasn't getting enough sleep than she was for herself.  She never retired from being a good and faithful servant.

I have learned by watching.  I have seen greatness..and though I have not achieved it, I have a clear understanding of what it looks like.

By God's own definition, this world has now lost some of it's greatness. My request is that you honor my mom by carrying on her work, and bring a little greatness back into this world by becoming a servant to someone else.

"The measure of a man’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves"  - J. Hagee

Matthew 26: 40-41 James 5:16 1 Thes 5:16 4/12/2016

Matthew 26 :40   "Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. ...”

Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane facing His toughest trial.  As He often did, He went off to pray,  and this time He asked His friends for help. 

They failed.  They didn't take the job seriously, fell asleep,  and left Jesus to fight alone. 
How many times have you said "I'm praying for you" and figuratively gone to sleep in the garden? 

This happens because our opinion of prayer has been watered down.  None of us would fall asleep performing physical CPR, yet we drift off in the midst of far more critical spiritual work. 

We must upgrade our view of intercession. As Christians, we should never say "All we can do is pray".  It is the equivalent of a General saying "all we can do is drop a Nuclear weapon".  It shows that we don't understanding the power of prayer. 

The ability to communicate with God is an amazing and expensive gift.  "...The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."(James 5:16) Never discount the importance, or potency of talking to your Creator.

Let's change our tone when we say "I will pray for you".  It should not be a last ditch effort, or some sympathetic consolation prize.  It is a battle cry that should shake the gates of hell with dread, and the realization that a fight is coming.

The veil has been torn and we have complete access to the King...let's use it.

Imagine the strength we would have in our lives if we  "prayed without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:16) and fully utilized the power made available to us as children of God?

“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach"
- Charles Spurgeon 

Luke 21: 1-3 Matt. 28:19 4/5/2016

Luke 21: 1-3 "And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,  and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all..."

God doesn't need your money. Nor does He need your talent.  He gave you both.  Giving to God, is a little like my children giving money I have given them, back to me.   It's a nice gesture but it doesn't impact my finances.

The act of giving to God is for our benefit.  We are only truly free - when what we own - does not own us. The only way to achieve that freedom is to realize that everything you have belongs to, and comes from God.

He has given you what you need to carry out His explicit instructions...."go and make disciples" (Matt. 28:19).  Sometimes, like this Widow, you may be asked to give an amount that the world considers foolish.  Give it anyway.

God is not impressed with calculating Christians.  Yes, He calls us to be good stewards, but he also calls us to walk on water, charge into battle with giants, and change the world...Sometimes, following His call cannot be achieved without passionate, and deliberate abandonment of what the world considers wise.

Where is God calling you to trust Him?  What area of your life does He want more time than you have to give?...or more money than you can spare?....or more strength than you have to offer?
Trust Him...Go do it... and make disciples.

True wealth is found in what you give away, and has nothing to do with possessions.  Be free...and use what He has given you, to change the world around you.

No one has ever become poor by giving.  - Anne Frank