Overcoming Discouragement

                                 

⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

I see your discouragement and fear.  Your uncertain future clouds your thinking and dampens your emotions.  You do not have the ability to give an adequate answer to your questions about tomorrow.  You want to be strong but dismay roams freely through your thought processes during the day and especially during the night.

There are two things that can help you through your discouragement…Remembering My promises to you in your past and resting on My constant presence in your life.  When you forget what I have said to you and about you, the door of uncertainty opens wide to fearful questions with endless scenarios that end poorly.

I am and will always be with you.  Share your discouragement with me and then listen to my perspective.  Have I not spoken?  I am able to fulfill everything that I have purposed in and through you.  Gain strength by leaning on My strong arm.  Let your courage increase through your faith in My steadfast love.  I believe in you.

Repeating the source and circumstances of your discouragement leaves you empty and without hope.  Remembering my commitment to you, my unwavering plans for good, my Words of life, and my testimony of faithfulness in your past will help you walk out of discouragement.  This trial that you are going through is one of the ways that the character of faith is developed within you.  Trust me!  Lean on Me! 

Whispers from your Father, God.

Is your soil fertile? The secret to the parable of the Sower

Is your soil fertile?  The secret to the parable of the Sower

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:20.

One of Jesus main teaching methods was to speak in parables.  The parable of the Sower ranks as one of the most important.  Even Jesus said if you don’t get this one, how will you understand all of the others?

When I read about gardening, one of the first recommendations is to have your soil tested.  Then you will know what needs to be added for your garden to produce to its highest capacity.  Jesus said all four types of soil were given seed, but only 1 out 4 became fruitful, infact very fruitful.  What made the difference? The Soil.

Jesus tells the secret as he explains in verse 20 and following.  Hear the word and accept the word.  He said repeatedly throughout his ministry “he who has ears to hear, let him hear”.  Don’t jump over this point to quickly.  We are for the most part “hard of hearing”.  We do however have the capacity to hear very clearly all that God desires for us to hear.

Jesus follows the parable of the Sower in Mark 4 with 3 more parables which appear to further illustrate fertile soil. The first is about a lamp. No one puts a lamp under a basket or under a bed, but they put it on a stand.  Here is the first principle, those who hear the word and accept it make the word a top priority.  The word that God speaks is never secondary or hidden to be used later.  Listen to Jesus explain the lamp.  And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.   Look at what Jesus said…hear and then apply the word for fruitfulness.  Accepting the word is putting it into practice in your life.   This is about obedience, repentance, and actively advancing the gospel. As with a lamp, others will see the “measure” of application that the word is making in your life…it is not hidden, nor is it supposed to be secret.

The second parable is about how God grows the word in our life.  The seed is sown and the earth makes it grow….all by itself.  Then he shows the life-cycle of the seed to fruitfulness.  We should learn to know the lifecycle of the growth of spiritual seed in our lives and others.  What does a healthy blade look like, can we see the buds, and when is it ready for harvest?  Celebrate the growth of God’s word at each stage.  Don’t jump ahead of God’s principle of maturing growth.  Acknowledge and nurture the small changes in your life as you respond to God’s word.  Help others to see how God is working.  His seed expects to be harvested.

The final parable is the mustard seed.  It is the smallest of seeds, but produces one of the largest of plants.  Don’t judge the level of importance to the word that is given to you.  We miss so much, by judging the seed that that the Sower is putting in our life.  Seriously, if we want fertile soil, we position ourselves as ready receptors to the word that God is speaking to us.

Hearing the word is first.  God even allows us to participants to help sow that word for others.  “How will the hear unless someone is sent?”  You have the privilege to be a sower.  At the same time, as part of the body of Christ, someone may speak(sow) a word (seed) to you from God, receive it.

Accept the word is to make it top priority and putting it into practice.  This would include spiritual warfare, not letting the enemy steal the word.  Uncluttering our soul is another way to prepare our hearts for the word.  Cares of the world choke it out.

God wants you to be fruitful.  You were created and commissioned to be fruitful and fill the earth.  So much loss potential of fruit happens by our lack of understanding and application of the simplicity of hearing and accepting the word that God sows in our lives.

Father, forgive us for lack of fruit.  We have a hard time incorporating you word into our busy schedule.  Help us see that how desperately we need You.  Help us to have the cleanest and most sensitive ears to hear what the
Spirit is saying to us.  God there is no excuse for not implementing and obeying your word.  Forgive us.  You alone have the words of life, where else could we go?  Lord let us be ready to cooperate with you to see the abundant fruit come forth in our lives.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Invitation to live the Great Adventure

Invitation to live the Great Adventure

¹³ And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. ¹⁴ And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach.  Mark 3:13-14

The twelve came to Jesus for a specific purpose that He had planned for them.  Jesus called unto himself those he desired, wanted, or willed.  The following definition of “desired” comes from Bible Hub lexicon of verse 13.

thélō (a primitive verb, NASdictionary) – to desire (wish, will), wanting what is best (optimal) because someone is ready andwilling to act.

2309 /thélō ("to desire, wish") is commonly used of the Lord extending His "best-offer" to the believer – wanting (desiring) to birth His persuasioHn (faith) in them which also empowers, manifests His presence etc.

Jesus understands that we respond to “best offers”.  He extended an invitation to them.  I am sure that all of us would have liked to hear his pitch.  It was engaging but also authentic.  He offered them the opportunity to change the world and they followed him.

Two thoughts about this verse that are worth dwelling upon. First, understand that Jesus desires ALL of us to follow him.  The desire to be a Christian does not originate within us.  He first loves us and we respond.  What is important is that He never stops loving us.  His desire to call us is based solely on His desire that does not change.  He loves us, desires us, wants the best for us, pursues us, beautifully communicates his intentions of accepting us, makes himself known.  If you do not recognize that Jesus desires for you to be whole, just ask him to make that a reality in your life.

Second, Jesus knew how “to pitch” his offer.  It was authentic and not some bait and switch offer.  Jesus communicated that he wanted them in his program, that he liked them, that he wanted them to be with him, that they were part of a select group that had a specific task to fulfill, that they were “going somewhere”.  That invitation is true for every believer.  True Jesus is no longer walking physically among us, but his pursuit  of us is just as specific.  “to those who believe in Him he gives the right to be called children of God and that is what you are.”

When we share about the wonderful opportunity to follow Jesus, may we become proficient in the invitation?  Yes, God works through all of our attempts of telling others about Jesus.  We can, however, include the same elements that Jesus did in his pitch to the Apostles.  He calls us by name, he desires us, he wants to be with us, he has a plan for us that is good, we are accepted and no longer isolated, he appoints us for specific tasks, he believes in us to send us out to do his bidding.  The Christian life is far more than just accepting a set of “beliefs”.  We are invited to live the Great Adventure with the best guide in the world, Jesus.  And we can become all things to all people that we may win some to the Lord Jesus.

Father,  thanks for the invitation to follow you.  I am glad that you want me to be with you.  I love gaining your perspective about others and me.  Please place your heart of compassion for the lost in us.  Show us those who are ready to follow you.  Help us to know that all of us are "sent" to be witnesses of the transformation that you have and are accomplishing in our lives.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

He said “Come, here!”

He said “Come, here!”

³ And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.”⁴ And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

I was going to the synagogue like I did every Sabbath.  The rumors were everywhere that the Teacher and healer might be here again today.  Judging from all of the people walking toward the synagogue something is definitely going to happen.  I gave a few hello nods and moved to the back corner.

Then Yeshua looked over in my direction.  I tried to avoid his eyes.  He then looked at my hand.  Prepared for his reaction like everyone else, I continued to look at his face.  Most were repulsed at the sight of my deformed and ugly hand.  It was of no use to me other than being an extension of my arm.  I don’t know any another person that has had to deal with this kind of pain and handicap.  But his face remained unchanged at the sight of me, of my hand.  I almost think that he accepts me.

Then he said, “Come, here.”  Surely he must be mistaken, why would he want me to come to him?  In fact, he is surrounded by some important people as I noticed their clothing and tassels.  I was never allowed into the important religious places because my hand made me second class, imperfect, not quite good enough.

Before I realized it, some fisherman brought me right into the middle of the circle,  I was with arms reach of Yeshua.  He raised his voice and said, “is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?”  No one answered him a word.  What am I doing standing here?  Why did he call me over, I have nothing to add to this discussion.

Then his face changed from the accepting look to one of disgust and anger.  I felt like I was in real trouble.  I wished I could disappear back into the crowd.  We all felt as if we just became smaller and Yeshua grew taller.  Except for the religious leaders who seemed to stiffen their backs and their face.  Why does a hard heart show itself in the face and body position?  Why would someone not want to do good on the Sabbath?  That doesn’t seem like a bad question.  But the religious leaders reaction definitely ticked off Yeshua.

“Stretch out your hand”, said Yeshua.  I hear the words but my brain can’t understand.  Yes, I wanted to do that all my life.  The movement that is so automatic with the rest of my body, my hand has never cooperated.  But NOW Yeshua is asking me, no he is commanding me.  OH MY, it is moving.  IT is becoming whole.  I can wiggle my fingers.  Tears are welling up at the same time laughter is beginning to overflow.  I’m laughing, crying, smiling, rejoicing all at the same time.  “LOOK, EVERYONE!”  “MY hand is restored”  “thank you Yeshua”.

I will never forget that Sabbath.  I am so glad that I went that day.  I am a miracle and all because Yeshua called me out of the crowd.  I can’t but tell others what he did for me.  Yeshua is good and all that He does is good.

Sincerely,

the miracle of the man who HAD a withered hand

Jesus wants to do good in your life.  He is seeking you out. He knows your pain.  Do not harden your heart, but follow his commands.

Father, thank you that we see the heart of our Father God in the life of Jesus.  He is worthy of all praise and honor.  Father gives us the boldness to believe that you still heal physically, emotionally and spiritually.  There is power and authority in your name.  Thank you that you pursue us.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

The Sabbath was made for man, what are we doing with it?

The Sabbath was made for man, what are we doing with it?

²⁴ And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”…²⁷ And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”  Mark 2:24,27-28

Did you realize that the Sabbath is the only day of the week that God declared as “holy”, Gen 2:3?  In fact in Jewish traditions, all days are spoken of in relation to the coming Sabbath.  Hence, the first day of the week is the first day looking forward to the Sabbath which is sun down on Friday until the first 3 stars appear on Saturday totaling about 25 hours.

The Pharisees had made many other traditions to carry out the letter of the law concerning the Fourth of the 10 commandments.  They were looking for Jesus to break this commandment thereby losing his integrity and authority.  They had created elaborate laws so that one could feel justified by observing every one of the traditions.

The fourth commandment of keeping the Sabbath has the longest explanation of the Ten.  ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

“Remember” the Sabbath.  Not observing the Sabbath on a regular basis has more to do with Remembering than the definition of what day of the week or the definition of the Sabbath.  Why should we “remember”?  This is not thinking about a past event as if you were to remember a vacation.  This is present tense.  Like waking up and remembering the date that is coming later that day.  It includes anticipation and expectation about a good event. 

Remembering also has a specific focus.  It is not just a day for your mind to flow into neutral.  This is a day to remember the God who created the Universe.  There is great joy and thankfulness that arises as we admire all that God has done in creation.  We order our days and nights by the sun and the moon.  We breathe fresh air after the rain.  We copy the brilliance of colors that are arrayed in the splendor of all of creation.  How many shades of green are found in just trees alone?  God is so awesome to create all the diversity of life forms, yet they coexist in a beautiful interdependence.  We appreciate God the creator as we remember this day.

The Sabbath is also a principle of rest, that is we desist from our labors.  God included all of creation for this day of rest.  Every single person regardless of their social status was to observe this day of rest.  God knew that a day of rest is similar to a night of sleep.  He did not create us to be in perpetual motion.  When we slow down, our body, mind, and emotions have an opportunity to regain strength.  Violating the Sabbath of rest will take its toll on our lives. Observing rest has a wonderful impact for us.

Finally, this day was blessed and set a part, meaning holy.  It should not be like every other day.  The six days of work was sufficient to bring that week to a close.  The day of rest was not a day to strategize how to be more efficient in the next six days.  We should not use it as a free day to worry. Neither is it a day for housework.  Yes, you can do housework but how are you differentiating this day as holy? This is a day to grow deeper in your relationship with God and with one another.  Laughter, play time, good coffee, meaningful conversation, letter writing, phone calls to parents or children are all examples of focusing on important relationships.

For the early Jews Sunday was not the Sabbath.  It was the first day of the week.  They met as a church as a first fruit offering of their week.  They would meet before their work day to encourage one another and remember God at the first of their week and day.  If we are busy all day on Sunday, how is that day like the Sabbath? 

Let’s close by asking three questions.

1.    Are you consistently “remembering” one day of the week for a Sabbath rest?  Could you write down what that day would be for you and how it is going to reflect the principle of rest?

2.   What is the biggest struggle to implementing a day of rest in your life?  Calendar too busy?  Unsure how to start?  God created this day to allow you to rejuvenate your life.

3.   Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.  Ask him to reveal the importance of establishing this day of rest.  Ask for his help.  There is a reward that He gives for remembering this day found in Isaiah 58:13-14

“Keep the Sabbath day holy.
    Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
    and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.
Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,
    and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
¹⁴ Then the Lord will be your delight.
    I will give you great honor
and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

The Sabbath is a day for joy.  Praise the Lord for His wisdom. 

Who Invites You to their Party?

Who invites you to their party?

^15  16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mark 2:16-17

Matthew was a tax collector that responded to the call to follow Jesus.  He was so excited about his new found friend that he threw a party.  He invited his friends, most of whom did not attend religious functions.  His friends saw lots of hypocrites in the church. They had a lot more fun in their own parties.

Matthew invited Jesus to hang out with his friends.  The religious leaders of the day were watching Jesus to catch him “doing something wrong.”  Would a truly spiritual person spend time with known sinners?  They started the smear campaign against him.  As religious hypocrites, they understood that it “takes one to know one.”  He hangs out with sinners.  Today we may say he is a friend of druggies, alcoholics, prostitutes, clubbers etc.  Somehow we know like the religious leaders that he would be “guilty by association”.

On one level, I have counseled my children and many youth to stay away from trouble.  The adage is very true that “Bad Company corrupts good morals”.  Many parents have understood that their children would have fared much better had their child not befriended those “troubled” kids.  So that brings us to the question, “Why was Jesus at the party”?

Thankfully, Jesus answered his own question.  He was not looking for friends.  He was not just trying to fill his free time with fun activities.  He was not “hanging out” to show that he could fit in.  He was not running low on his social itinerary.  He had a correct view that these men and women were “sick”.  Not physically sick, but spiritually. They needed a physician.

Most likely they were not even aware of their need for a savior.  They were, however, very cognizant of not being as “good” as the church people. The religious leaders made sure to remind them of their “low” status in society.  But Jesus knew a secret about people.  Anyone can tell when you don’t accept them for who they are.  If you have a hidden agenda for being their friend, they can smell it quickly.  Jesus acceptance of a person is pure and genuine.  People can tell when you love them for “no reason”.  It gives you instant credibility.  Jesus could speak to the emptiness in their heart because they could tell that He cared.  Jesus never had to lower his standards in order to be friends with those who are lost.  He always called them to live a full and meaningful life that he offered.

You must use great wisdom in determining when and how often to spend time with spiritual needy people.  If they feel as if you perceive them as a project, you lose street cred.  If you approach them as if you are better and they are lower, you will be disappointed.  Don’t perceive them as a people that you do “ministry for”.  However, you don’t have to smoke, drink or do drugs with them to show that you identify with them.  Your testimony of true transformation by Jesus in your own life will communicate volumes to those who are in need of spiritual healing.  Jesus speaks through your changed life.  So here is the big question…Name your lost friends that invite you to their party?

Father, forgive us for removing ourselves from those who are so needy.  Jesus was known as a friend of sinners.  Teach us how to have good friends some of which are lost.  Show us any place in our lives in which we feel that we are “better” than the lost.  Thank you that you searched for us when we were lost and empty without you.

Forgiven of sin, Are you?

Forgiven of sin, Are you?

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”  ⁶ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  Mark 2:5-7

This is a wonderful story of healing.   Four friends of a paralyzed man bring him to Jesus for healing.  They even have to lower him through a roof to get him close enough to Jesus to be noticed.  Jesus uses the event display his authority.  Not only can Jesus heal but he can also forgive sins!  There is a secondary question which I will not be able to address in this post, is sin the reason for sickness?  Even the disciples asked on another occasion, “who sinned, this man or his parents”?

“Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  Jesus said that he had authority to forgive sins and to heal the paralytic.  The man was healed in front of all of the people…so Jesus also has the authority to forgive sins.  What exactly does that mean? To be forgiven of sins?

In the greek the word is “harmatia”.  It is an archery term, meaning missing the mark or the perfect bullseye.  In the ethical sense, it means not being perfect to God’s standard or missing the mark of His perfection.  The bible says that all of have sinned, missed the mark. It is a spiritual DNA curse of mankind that is passed on to every person.  Adam sinned and all have become sinful.

In the western culture this is expressed through Paul’s teaching of “guilt”.  We may say, “Don’t you feel bad or guilty about lying?”  We are looking for some sign that we can tell this person truly understands that they did wrong.  Guilt is felt as they understood how they violated the rule…missed the mark.  When guilt is not addressed properly, the heart becomes hardened.  The person feels “less guilty”.  They are still just as wrong as before.

Next we begin to compare our marks with other marks.  You know you missed the mark, but not near as far as that other person.  He has killed someone or physically abused a child or…whatever you perceive as “really bad.”  But the reality is all have missed the mark.  Sin is not just feeling bad, it is our standing status before a holy God.  His perfection reveals every sinful action that we have every done.

Mankind is incapable of removing sin.  It is not just being free in our mind of the memory of the poor decision.  You can’t get rid of it through religious activities like “hail, Mary”, fasting, knelling to pray 5 times a day, going to church every Sunday or any kind of medication.  Sin has planted itself upon your soul with permanent marking that can not be removed through any effort on our part.  It is the stain that will not go away by time or anything else “we” try to do.

Jesus has authority to forgive, because he earned the right to forgive.  His death on the cross was a sacrifice.  He was stepping in to pay the penalty that sin deserves, death.  He earned the right, because he lived his entire life sinless.  He did not have to die.  But he offered up his life, blood was shed, and he died on the cross on our behalf. 

For those who accept his death on their behalf, their sins are forgiven and then removed.  Jesus blood sacrifice cancels the sin (permanently removes) and the power of sin that has controlled our lives (Romans 6).  There is no other way!  There is not another method or person who can remove and forgive sin.  Forgiveness originates from the one who was offended.  That is why it can not be removed by our efforts.  God was offended, He has the authority, the right to forgive.

This is such good news.  You don’t have to hang on to your guilt for one more moment.  Even if you are a Christian, you can walk in true forgiveness.  Humble yourself.  Agree with God that you had chosen wrongly.  Receive the fact that He can forgive you completely for your penalty was paid for by Jesus.  Pray these words, but believe them in your heart.

Father God,  I am a sinner.  I want to be clean and free from guilt.  I know that I have done wrong.  My mind keeps thinking there is another way to erase that stupid action in my past, but there is none.  Will you forgive me?  Will you wash the sin away from my life?  Will you renew my relationship with you?  Thank you that you said if we confess our sins to You, you are faithful and just to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I am clean because of Jesus.

I would love to hear from you, if you prayed this prayer today.