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

John 19:30 3/29/2016

 John 19:30 "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

Those were the last words Jesus spoke on Friday afternoon.

His first words Sunday morning are not recorded, but they may have been something like ... "It has begun".

What was "finished" Friday was the Old Covenant.  The arrangement between a sinful people and a Holy God, that partially restored a relationship that had been fractured by our sin.

What "began" Sunday morning was the New Covenant...which fully restored our relationship, and has since been called the Gospel, which translated means the "Good news"...and that is the ultimate understatement.

What happened Sunday morning, means nothing will ever be the same. We are no longer slaves to sin.  We now have the power to defeat sin because His Spirit lives within us.  If we stumble, the sin does not stick because His blood is on us.  We have gone from being subjects, to children.  Instead of servants, he calls us friends.  And for the fist time since The Garden, we have the ability to freely fellowship with God.

This explains why the most horrific day in all of history is now called "Good Friday".  Nothing short of Salvation, and the restoration of God's children to Himself, could cause such a abhorrent day to be referred to as "good".

"It is finished" means the price has been paid in full...And that is the "Good News"..that through His death and resurrection we have been offered a new, beautiful and unimpaired relationship with our Heavenly Father.

"He drained the cup of God's wrath bone dry, leaving not a drop for us to drink."
- Richard Allen Bodey

Luke 24: 3-5 3/22/16

Luke 24: 3-5  "but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

I think the question the Angels asked that first Easter morning, is still being asked of us today.

 It must be difficult for Angels to comprehend how those of us who know the Savior, continue to search for meaning, in empty and lifeless pursuits.  They must wonder why we focus on decaying, inanimate objects instead of pursuing a living God. 

I imagine the Hosts of Heaven are astonished that we can be so far off-course.  Did we not hear what Jesus said?   Did He not leave His Word, and His Spirit to show us the way? Yet here we stand in the graveyard, baffled that we can't find what we seek.

To celebrate Easter this year, let's leave the cemetery.  Let's stop wasting our time looking for Christ in a tomb.

As we observe the most important holiday of all, let's determine to stop chasing money, lust, power, and all the things our dying flesh has to offer ... and  instead seek the God who gave His Son, so we could truly live.  

Look around ...What are you pursuing?  What have you collected?  What have you pinned your hopes on?

 If you're standing in a graveyard, Easter provides you the key to get out.
 Use it to leave death behind - and find abundant life. 

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

- Two Bewildered Angels

Exodus 17:12 Matthew 6:3 3/15/16

Exodus 17:12 "So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other."

We've all heard of Moses, the leader of Israel ...but probably heard less about Aaron and Hur. However they were both instrumental in Israel surviving the battle against Amalek.

Aaron and Hur were the offensive lineman in this battle, and Moses was the Quarterback...Aaron and Hur provided critical, behind the scenes support.  They were willing to anonymously do their job to advance God's cause, even while knowing the credit would go to Moses.

How about us?  Are we willing to toil in the shadows without acknowledgment?   The church today has too many quarterbacks, and not enough lineman.  We need more servants who are willing to battle in the trenches, with no expectation or need of recognition.

Every sermon you have ever heard required dozens and dozens of people to make it happen.  Each one, every bit as important as the preacher.  Someone had to set up chairs, others had to work the sound system, some helped with parking, etc.  Numerous unnamed people, all essential to the gospel being spread. They are in every church, and they are indispensable....but by definition, you don't know their name.

This week let's look for opportunities to be linemen. Sweep a floor, Stack some chairs, help in the nursery.  Do something behind the scenes that advances the cause of Jesus..."and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:3).   

Be so in love with Christ that the honor of serving His children is all the spotlight you need.

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
― Harry S. Truman

Luke 15:28-30 3/8/2016

Luke 15: "28 The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

So far we have discussed the Prodigal Son, and the Father...now lets talk about the only one who missed the party...The older brother.

The fatal flaw for the older brother was a self-centerdness, which produced self pity.  It is ironic that the one who presumably obeyed the father out of love and respect, could not find the love or respect necessary to follow the fathers heart.  Apparently his service was not a product of love, but instead he had been "slaving" for years in order to get what he felt he deserved.

What about you?  What does the Father owe you?   Are you lovingly serving God, or have you been "slaving" out of some Pharisaical sense of duty, and a desire to get what you consider yours?  If so then like this young man, you may be lost in the shadow of the fathers house.

Selfishness and self pity are two of the most dangerous and destructive forces on earth.  They destroy everything they touch...and once you allow them into your life they will take control. They produce powerful deceptions that overwhelm facts, and common sense.

You won't find self pity in nature. It is exclusively a human emotion, and we have produced a generation which specializes in entitlement, and feeling sorry for themselves.  This must change. Open your eyes and realize how undeservedly blessed you are. Examine your heart. If you find any hint of self -centerdness or self-pity rip it out before it becomes entrenched.

 If you allow it to remain in your life, you are guaranteed to miss the party.

"A man wrapped up in himself is the smallest of packages."
Benjamin Franklin 

Luke 15:22 3/01/2016

 Luke 15:22 " But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. "

The story of the prodigal son has three characters.  The Father, the prodigal, and the brother.
We have all been each of them.

Last week we talked about the prodigal, today lets look at the Father.

The father was unappreciated, disrespected, and wounded by his youngest son.  By all accounts he was a great Dad, heartbroken by a self-centered and unappreciative child.

Have you ever been there?  Have you ever given all you had to someone who apparently didn't care?     Have you ever been truly mistreated?  If so,  you've been where this man was.

Our response to mistreatment is anger, or at best, righteous indignation. When offended, most of us begin to prepare the "I told you so" speech in case the person tries to reconcile.  We might be persuaded to eventually entertain an apology, but it will be a long road back to a partial, and tentative relationship.

That was not the Fathers response, and it should not be ours.

We have to get to the place where when someone offends us, and  walks out of our life, we yearn for their return.  -  We have to love others enough to joyfully accept their request for forgiveness.

This Father was apparently on the porch staring down the road longing for his son's return.  Waiting for the day his son would "come to himself" and turn around.

When he finally saw him,  he didn't prepare his lecture, didn't wait for his son to beg forgiveness.... He sprinted down the road and almost tackled him with a hug and a kiss... waved off his sons apology....and began planning the party.

That is love.  That is forgiveness.  That is what God did for us. That is what we are to do for others.

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
― C.S. Lewis

Luke 15:17 Luke 15:20 2/23/2016*

Luke 15:17 "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!"

It took a while,  but the prodigal son finally figured out what everyone around him had known from the beginning. His problems were his own doing.

I am sure  the prodigal son thought his father was selfish and cheap. He probably thought his brother was the favorite,  and got the best of everything...he was sure that everyone else had ruined his life.

But then "he came to himself". He quit blaming his family, his friends, his environment, and manned up, and looked in the mirror.  That was the beginning of the beginning for him.  In that moment he started the healing process.

Have you "come to yourself"? Have you looked in the mirror and taken ownership for where you are in life.  We live in a nation of denial, and every sin has a ready made excuse.  Our society will teach you to deflect blame, and be the victim...don't.

The  moment you accept the blame, you take back the power to fix it.

 You have to own it.  "Come to yourself".  This is the first step in repentance and improvement.  But it cannot begin until the blame is yours and not someone else's.

Take a long, honest, look in the mirror today. See if you are blaming others for something that needs action on your part.  If so, then do something....

...."So he got up and went to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)...

Your Father loves you, and has already paid for your forgiveness...
What you have done is fixable....all you need to do is turn around, face it, and come home.

"Repentance means you change your mind so deeply that it changes you."

Bruce Wilkinson