Truth in Love

Today’s Reading: 7/26/2016 Judges 9; Acts 13; Jeremiah 22; Mark 8

Acts 13:38-39 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses“

Good Morning,

Acts 13 helped me reflect on the wonderful love from our Lord. What a timely and wonderful reminder that no matter our selfish driven mistakes, the true forgiveness comes from our Lord.  Now,  I understand you still may have those who may hold a grudge against you, or you can struggle with anger, but continue to show God’s truth in grace and love. I know, it’s hard at times to always show this love because of a past or present situation. But persevere with this love so these tribulations if not addressed with God can result in hurtful actions or negative words. I know easier said then done, I get it but allow yourself to have a growth mindset knowing with God He can do all things. With Jesus and prayer we have the strength to not give into these temptations. While in the midst of our own walk with the Lord,  we have to remember that God wants us to make a difference in others.  Those who know you are a Christ follower will see your relationship with the Lord. This includes in our words and actions.  Do I act in a way that I would in the presence of the Lord? Or can I fall into the hypocrite category by what I say and how I act. To others who I’ve just met I may be the only example of a Christian they know? Am I saying, doing, believing what God has asked? At small group the this last week we said what if Jesus was a guest at your house? – Literally sitting on the coach with you. We challenged each other to go into the next week thinking this. Would you be watching the same shows? Would you be saying the same words? Would you be thinking the same thoughts?  Would you be doing the same things? All along, the truth is that He is. Maybe not in the physical sense like we discussed, but in our hearts and soul. Applying this to your day will change all aspects of your life.

Acts 13:47 I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

This earth is huge and we encounter many people daily.  Am I bringing salvation in my Acts? Am I providing light to others?

Acts 13:26 Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.

What we share is the wonderful message that God loves us, cares for us, and wants us to be with him all the days of our lives and eternally.

Acts 13:32 We tell you the good news: what God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus.

So no matter where you are at, who you are with, and how your day is going….Jesus is with you. He will listen, comfort, and heal if you ask Him. I encourage you today and everyday to share this wonderful command and Love given by our Father.

Acts 13:29 O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord!

Dear God,

Thank you for who you are. I pray for us to share Your light with others and in our own week moments of flickering in the midst of darkness, share Your love to remind us to turn to you for the guidance we need.  Give us the reminder that our words and actions are representation of you. You love us more than we can ever imagine, please continue to be with us as we live out your Word.  Lord we need you. Amen

We have met the enemy…and it is us.

Today’s reading:  Judges 8; Acts 12; Jeremiah 21; Mark 7

Close up of old English dictionary page with word wicked.

It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and I’m on a long road trip home from a beautiful ten days in the northern most region of Minnesota. Our family joined my parents in an annual trip to the Boundary Waters for a week of quiet existence without any cell service, not a single computer screen and a whole lot of God’s creation.  We only had to make one trip to the hospital this time around and surprisingly it was for my husband.  Some sharpened kitchen knives found their way out of a grocery bag and into his leg!  Anyway, all is well now that the stitches are in place.  I mention this mostly to highlight the generosity and kindness of my Bible Journal author friends who are going to great lengths to get this post online as I am still in digital darkness!

I had the blessing of some uninterrupted reading and reflection time on the water this week! There’s a lot for us to learn today from all four scriptures.  Although I love Jeremiah, I read some really interesting and I think convicting work on Mark 7.  In the very beginning of the chapter Mark details an exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees (and some scribes).  The Pharisees gather around Jesus and begin asking him about some of his disciples and their practices regarding cleanliness.  Essentially, they are questioning why his followers do not follow the strict Mosiac Law regarding hand washing and washing of vessels before eating and drinking.  The Pharisees are implicitly criticizing the disciples.  Jesus responds with razor-edged clarity:

“And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Mark 7:6)

Man, I am really starting to like this Jesus guy!  Do you ever wish you could be more like Jesus?  He’s confident, strong, slow to anger but quick to get people on the right path! He’s not denying the validity of the law or its individual commandments.  Instead he is rejects how various interpretations can deviate too far from the intent of the law.  Jesus is citing Isaiah 29:13 in his teaching.

“And the Lord said: Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men…” (Isaiah 29:13)

See what Jesus does there? He uses Isaiah to show the contrast between the lips/mouth and the heart.  In other words; impurity is a matter of the heart, not the mouth.  He shows us that the issue of defilement is not so much insignificant but raises the point that the basic tenant of the Mosaic Law is about restraining from evil.  He says:

“There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” (Mark 7:15)

He goes on to remind his followers (that’s us) that it’s wicked thoughts, wicked words and wicked actions that defile us. He is telling us clearly that the source of defilement is far more internal than external.  He warns against using words and rituals while setting aside God’s true commandments.  Jesus may have disagreed with the Pharasees and Scribes about the interpretation of the law but the message was clear.  It’s the quality, character and intention of the human heart that matters.  Joel Marcus, a professor at Duke University Divinity School wrote on this passage extensively.  He notes the concentration of the word Anthropos which translates to “human being” or “person”.  It is used eleven times in the span of Mark 7:7-23.

“The basic problem Christians should be concerned about, Mark seems to be saying through this striking pileup of the word Anthropos, is not how or what one should eat but the internal corruption of the Anthropos. It is this malignancy that chokes the life out of tradition, turns it into an enemy of God, contorts it into a way of excusing injustice, and blinds those afflicted by it to their own culpability for the evils that trouble the world.”

Therefore, my friends we have indeed met the enemy and it is ourselves. I loved the opportunity to dive deep into this short segment of Mark’s gospel this week.  I hope I can work to purify my heart and truly learn from the lesson Jesus has for us today.  We are so blessed to have these sacred words that are astoundingly so applicable to our everyday life!

The Thin Places

These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town…-Mark 6: 8-11

In 2007, as my wife Heather and I walked along the pilgrims trail between Florence and Rome, I was reminded of this passage from the Bible when Jesus sends out the twelve. Like the disciples, if we follow him, we need little more than our faith. Traveling light was the idea, not burdened by the things of the world. What was it about this place that tugged on my heart so strong? There was just something undeniable about the high places. They were called the thin places by the Celts, where that which separates us from God is less, where the sacred meets the secular. In these places we come closer to God.

Later we stood near the place Saint Francis of Assisi (circa 1205) had cast off his clothing, rejecting a life of wealth and power, choosing to follow Jesus and serve the sick and the weary, through hospitality and service.

Writing to you this morning from a rooftop in Paris, I can’t stop thinking about last Sunday when we traveled by train from Bern Switzerland to Mulenen, then by funicular, almost straight up the side of Niesan Mountain (I know, lazy Americans), also known as the Swiss Pyramid. imageHeather, my youngest son Cooper, my niece Chloe and I unloaded from the red mountain cable train, immediately stunned as we walked out onto this special mountain. Our breath was taken by three hundred and sixty degree unobstructed views of the Bernese Alps and the valley bellow that surrounded lake Thun.

Everywhere we turned the view was incredible. It felt as if you could reach out and touch the jagged glaciated peaks. We were suspended above the earth under a cobalt blue dome and we prayed. Each of our prayers were different and more than just words in our heads. And each heard the voice of God, overpowering and silent, in the splendor of our moment, above the earth and beneath the heavens.image

I watched my twelve year old son eagerly strike out on the switchback trail down the mountain. He had to go! There was no stopping him. imageOf course a four hour trek in tennis shoes wasn’t going to happen, but he was born again on the side of a mountain that day. Something about this place called out changing each of us forever. The magnificence of God’s creation was certain, God’s power undeniable, His calling tailored to each of us perfectly in this moment. For me it was sharing the message of hope found in Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. image

In the holy name of Jesus, I pray: please God, release us from the burdens of this world, those that separate us from you. Lead us to the thin places to see your brilliance, to hear your voice and feel your power. May our lives never be the same as we learn to walk with you, more sublime each day. Amen.

Today’s reading link: Judges 7; Acts 11; Jeremiah 20; Mark 6

Ordinary People

Grandma A

Today’s reading:  Judges 6; Acts 10; Jeremiah 19; Mark 5

This coming week we will celebrate the life of Flora E. Armstrong, my husband’s grandmother, who passed from this earth this past Thursday. She was a woman from an ordinary, humble beginning.  Growing up on a small dairy farm in Colfax Illinois, she learned the value of hard work when her mother became disabled.  At around 13 years old, Flo stepped in and took over the things her mother could no longer do – household chores, milking cows, delivering milk to customers and more.  With two younger siblings to watch, and no indoor plumbing, this was a pretty tough life for a 13 year old.

Perhaps it was this ordinary, humble beginning that propelled Flo Armstrong to become a courageous leader. She was a tireless volunteer for MANY organizations.  From serving as the President of the Fairbury Hospital Auxiliary, to a State of Illinois’ delegate to the 1976 Republican National Convention, to stepping out as the inaugural President of the very first chapter of the American Business Women’s Club, and serving as an Illinois Wesleyan University trustee, just to name a few, countless organizations are better because of Flo Armstrong’s leadership.

Flo Armstrong also had a distinct impact on people. It has been fun over the last couple of days to hear the stories from people whose lives she touched.  From inspiring an up and coming civic leader to reach her potential to reaching out and caring for a fellow IWU ambassador’s children in a time of vulnerability, Flo Armstrong cared for others.  She will be missed by many.

In Judges 6 we find the account of Gideon, an ordinary person doing something extraordinary. The backdrop of the story is God’s people living under the oppressive rule of the Midianites.  For seven years, God had been permitting the oppression because of his people’s disobedience.  As expected, God’s people were wasting away to nothing and begging for deliverance.  In verse 11 we pick up the story of God calling Gideon to deliver his people.  Although an angel of the Lord appeared directly to him, Gideon was still convinced he wasn’t qualified to save the Israelites from their oppression – his clan, Manasseh, was the weakest clan and he was the least capable person in his family.  God proved himself to Gideon through 3 tests / miracles and Gideon, with God’s supernatural oversight, went on to be a courageous leader.

Does this story sound familiar? Do you remember when God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage in Exodus 3 and 4?  Moses was a shepherd, he wasn’t well spoken, nor did he have any credibility with his potential followers.  Despite God appearing to Moses in the burning bush, Moses was still convinced he wasn’t qualified to save the Israelites from their oppression.  God pressed on, he proved himself to Moses through 3 tests / miracles and Moses, with God’s supernatural oversight, went on to be a courageous leader.

I could go on and on with examples of ordinary people God used to do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God. What qualified Old Testament figures like Abraham, Moses and Gideon, and New Testament figures like Mary and Jesus’ disciples to be God’s courageous leaders was the condition of their hearts.  Willingness to submit their own will and earthly desires to God’s divine purpose allowed God to use each one of them in extraordinary ways.

I believe God has placed in each of us a desire for significance, a desire to do something extraordinary and leave a lasting legacy. Unfortunately if you’re like me, I don’t have exceptional talents that are ever going to lead me to something extraordinary on my own.  Fortunately, God has a plan for every one of us.  Will you put your trust in him?  Will you yield to his divine purpose for your life?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Blind but now I see

Have you ever been metaphorically blind to something in your life, then later ask “what was I thinking?”. Oftentimes the truth, the right path, or even something incredible awaits us but yet it is almost as though we are blind to it. Brainstorming thoughts on the potential causes of this blindness:

  • Selfishness. We can be so focused on ourselves; whether it be our own pleasures or even needs, that we miss the bigger picture.
  • Fear. What we don’t know scares us so we avoid it.
  • Pre-conceived notions (invalid assumptions). For example, taking one bad experience or hearing about someone else’s bad experience we assume something will “always” be like that. Google some reviews on your favorite and most reliable restaurant or hotel and you’ll soon learn that someone has deemed the restaurant “low grade dog food”, and the hotel has bed bugs. My favorite here is beach vacation resorts when people say the mosquitoes were as big as birds, there was sand on the floor in the room (can you imagine?), or the walk to the beach was horrible – a whopping three minutes. Spoiled!
  • Arrogance. My way is probably better so why change?
  • Distractions. Follow your favorite baseball team through the playoffs and the World Series and you’re in for a minimum of 11 games (that’s if they sweep all three rounds). Assuming the team loses four or five games and each game lasts around three hours that is somewhere in the 45 hour range over the course of a few weeks. Not judging here; you’ll find me watching some baseball this post-season. The point is that we need to be cognizant of our distractions.
  • Carelessness. Just plain old “not paying attention” or not caring enough to pay attention.
  • Deception. Believing lies.

Today’s scripture readings include the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-19) and while this was true physical blindness, it is also a great example of one who was metaphorically blind to the truth of Jesus Christ but through a miracle, he came to see and believe.

8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; (Acts 9:8-9, 17-18)

One of the things I love about journaling is that it has challenged me to do a lot of self-reflection, and document some of the things of my past. This week I took some time to consider my prior “blind spots” and their causes. The list below is about a third of what I came up with in a short period of time. Writing this list gave me a greater appreciation for God’s mercy and grace in my life as there are so many areas where I’ve been blind to the truth and missed out on the joy that our lord and savior Jesus Christ has for me.

  1. beetsBeets. Okay, so it starts out light but it was the first thing that popped into my head. Quite a few years ago I claimed this was the only food I despised and wouldn’t eat. I was so blind… beets are colorful, nutritious, and delicious!!! They can’t be beat! If you’ve ever seen (or heard) me eat really good food, you know that I do find joy in some of the little things.
  2. Career. Opportunities were right there in front of me. My priorities were not in place. I was selfish, arrogant, careless, distracted.
  3. Tobacco. I “dipped” tobacco as a teen and through college. Literally throwing up upon trying it, I still went on to become addicted to nicotine. The habit of placing a known cancer causing substance between my lip and gums went on for years. Blindness.
  4. Frequently getting home from school and playing video games for countless hours, or procrastinating (or simply not following) other worthy pursuits. These distractions were detrimental to my education, and personal/professional growth.
  5. Recognizing friendships that were good and healthy vs. those that were toxic. Do your friends lift you up? Do they encourage you to follow the straight and narrow path or the path of destruction?
  6. This next one has been on my heart for a while, in part because of some of the marriages that I’ve seen fall apart. Too often I have been blind to my own wife; the person I voluntarily chose and promised to spend the rest of my life with, for better or for worse. It is blindness to not recognize her beauty inside and out, all the time. We (talking about humans in general) invest so much time into education, career, kids, and retirement but how much do we invest in our relationships with our spouses? Simply living in the same house and trying to get along is so not enough, it isn’t even funny. Sometimes I realize Amy is waiting for me to notice her, and I’m just blind. However, when I get it right and pay attention, I receive the most beautiful smile imaginable. She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met and I’m so thankful for her. She is a true gift from God. Husbands: love your wives. Pay attention.
  7. What greater blindness is there than missing the significance of the cross? Upon Saul’s conversion he proved his belief by immediately taking action. If we are not actively sharing the gospel with those who are lost, what does it say about what we believe Jesus has done for us?

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20)

What am I blind to now? Lord, please remove the scales from my eyes. Let me see my sin as you see my sin. Let me see others as you see them; lead me to love others more and myself less. Amen.

Judges 5; Acts 9; Jeremiah 18; Mark 4

Smoke and Mirrors

Young Magician playing with Magic Powder

Judges 4; Acts 8; Jeremiah 17; Mark 3

I am intrigued by Simon the Sorcerer. He is successful at his craft, which is evidenced by a good following. People, all kinds of people, paid attention to him. In fact, his acts were so impressive that people thought he was a god. Imagine his life. He was a more than a celebrity. He was called on to help out in all kinds of situations, that is, Until Phillip showed up.   Phillip came to Samaria casting out unclean spirits and healing the paralyzed and the lame in the name of Jesus. When the people of Samaria heard him speak and saw him work, they quickly realized the falsehood of Simon, exchanging it for the real power of God.  Simon’s work was nothing more than smoke and mirrors.  Phillip, however, was teaching the real deal. This new understanding led them to believe and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Ironically, Simon did the same. Verse 13 explains that “even Simon believed.” This is a great story, right? Simon and all the people recognized that God has greater power. Their response was belief and baptism. It sounds easy.  But, was it really surrender? As the story of Simon the sorcerer continues, we get a deep look into his heart. In fact, we get to see some things that even he himself was probably not aware of. Why not? Jeremiah 17:9 tells us today that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.” Simon proves this in dramatic fashion. When he sees Peter empowering people with the Holy Spirit by laying hands on them, he wants the same power for himself. He asks Peter to give him the same ability. “How much do you want for it,” he asks. Now, Peter was a quick character study. I’m guessing that he had questioned Simon’s motives since the first time they met. With Simon’s request, Peter is able to see his heart clearly. What does he see? “The gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:23).  Obviously, this is not the condition of a surrendered and saved heart.

Simon’s response to Peter offers us another glimpse at his heart. He asks Peter to pray “that nothing of what you have said may come upon me” (Acts 8:24). This is request again reveals the iniquity in his heart. Contrast Simon’s response with one of true surrender. Surrender requires that we recognize our iniquity and trust God with it. When we do, God promises us renewal and transformation (Romans 12:2), assuring us that, “our hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ” (Colossians 2:2).

When I read about Simon, I get nervous.  If Simon was not able to detect the deceitfulness of his own heart, how can we detect and identify sickness in our own hearts? Jeremiah has the answer. He reminds us that it is the Lord who searches our hearts and tests our minds (Jeremiah 17:10). The trick is getting out-of-the-way long enough to let him. Are you willing to submit to the Lord today?

The Gospel is absolutely unique and complete

Today’s reading: Judges 3; Acts 7; Jeremiah 16; Mark 2

July 20th, 2016

JK’s sermon this Sunday, Victory Realized, made clear the prophecy of the Great White Throne from Revelation 20:11-15; you are in or you are out. The decision is final and perfect. In Mark 2:21-22, Jesus helps the Pharisees along to with this idea. They were struggling. Their religion, passed down from generation to generation, was quite comfortable to them (Luke 5:39). They had it figured out. They lived according to the law of Moses, or at least they thought they did. They certainly had each other thinking they were good to go (Matthew 6:5, Matthew 23:5).  Judaism did not recognize Jesus as the Christ. They were constantly trying to fit what Jesus did in to their ideas of their salvation plan: saved through works. A heart wrenching denial for me to read about (Matthew 23:37). God’s children, His chosen people, chose themselves and their adherence to the law to save themselves (John 12:43). God would you rescue them? Please God?

Jesus was constantly fulfilling their law. The fruit of the Spirit filled it all up (Galatians 5:22-23); check, check, check; and this confused them. They confused the fulfillment of the law with breaking the law (Matthew 5:17). It was as if they never really knew God (John 8:9). It became more and more obvious to those that followed Jesus that the Pharisees did not know the law after all (Matthew 23:24).

In the scripture for today, Jesus had just called Matthew Levi, a despised tax collector that the Pharisees would not associate with, to follow Him as a proclaimer of the Gospel. As if they could not stand this outrage, the followers of the Pharisees challenged Jesus with a question in an attempt to illuminate how He and His followers were out of step with the law. “How come your followers do not fast?” Jesus used one of their manufactured documents to help them understand. The Rabbi’s produced a document called the Megillat Taanit, translated as the scroll of fasting. While Yom Kippur, or day of atonement, was the only prescribed day to fast per the law, and certainly voluntary fasts to accompany life’s circumstances seemed true to the spirit of a true fast, they had manufactured other prescribed fasts. Some even subscribed to a twice a week fast on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, etc. When they fasted they fasted to please men (Matthew 6:16), they fasted publicly and because of this, this scroll of fasting set out rules that would be sure not to let fasting interrupt with other important celebrations, like a marriage feast. Apparently a public fast meant showing up to a celebration looking disheveled. Perhaps they thought drawing attention to oneself at a celebration centered on someone or something else would be in bad taste.

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. – Mark 2:19–22

John MacArthur explains it this way in his sermon The Matchless Distinctiveness of the Gospel:

So our Lord is simply saying, in effect, the Messiah’s here, this is not a time to fast. It is completely inappropriate for Jesus’ disciples to fast and moan while He, the long-awaited Messiah is present. He has come. He has arrived this day as He said in the synagogue in Nazareth, the Scripture is fulfilled in your ears, He is present. The fasting of the Pharisees, the fasting of the followers of John the Baptist, that’s what’s out of place, completely out of touch with God’s purpose and what God is doing, completely out of touch with the reality that the Messiah was there.

Jesus makes clear that He was the Christ, He brought with Him a new covenant, and it stood on its own. It could not fit into their ideas of salvation through works. It would break them. It would not work. They were incompatible. So then the decision is yours, do you believe or don’t you? Will you abandon your salvation plan for Christ’s or won’t you (Acts 13:39)? Like the pearl of great price, Jesus’s invitation requires you to sell everything to buy it. All your beliefs of how you might be saved, how you ought to live, what is right and wrong, who you are and who God is, what is the truth and what are lies. You have to give it all up, have faith and trust in God. Are you in or are you out?

Jesus Heals!

Today’s Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 

I love stories about our Lord’s healing.  It encourages and builds my faith when I need it most. Stories upon stories have been shared and lived out about Jesus healing. How awesome is He! What are the ways in which he has healed you?

Today’s Reading: Judges 2; Acts 6; Jeremiah 15; Mark 1

As we read through Mark you will hear some of these healing stories.  Jesus healed and continues to heal.  Are you in need of some healing?

Last week you heard an amazing story from Jennifer Armstrong and the healing that Jesus provided to her in Great is Thy Faithfulness.  Truly, when it comes down to healing we will need to examine our faithfulness. Let’s look at a few of these amazing stories in Mark 1 and grow together in believing that when our faith is strong our Lord is near and can heal anyone at any moment spiritually, mentally, and physically. (1 Corinthians 1:18, Luke 6:9-10, Mark 10:52, Luke 7:47-50).

Once Jesus heals the man with an Unclean Spirit in Mark 1:24-26 everyone is amazed and realize his authority over all. Jesus then heals Simon’s Mother-In-Law bringing the whole city to allow Jesus to heal many who were sick.

 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

We recognize and receive God’s healing through our faith.  Many times Jesus would heal those who had faith (ex. Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48) and got frustrated when others would want some kind of sign to show he could heal others. (ex. John 4:48, Luke 24:25 ) Keep the faith!

We also get the opportunity to share God’s grace of healing to others through our faith or confidence in God’s Word. This is an active faith not passive faith. We must share our faith with others. This could be through our prayers with others who are in the middle of tribulations. Mark 11:24

Jesus is our healer. His calendar is never too full for any of us.  No situation is too big or small when you ask. His treatment is gentle and results are wonderful. The way a believer receives God’s healing power is through faith. God’s healing power is available to us through the grace of Jesus Christ. We are Living in God’s Grace. Viv Anba Gras Bon Dieu.

So where do you need healing? Is it physically, mentally, or spiritually? It’s hard to do anything when you are in pain. Life is not filled with JOY. What about those you interact with throughout your day? God heals!  He is the great physician and He can heal anyone of any affliction, whether it be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. There are going to be times in your life when you’ll need God to heal you or a loved one, so pray to God for the healing that you need.

Dear God,  You are our healer. Let us call on you when we are in need and recognize that you alone are the one who we need to have faith in. Thank you for your love, grace, and healing you have already provided and for being there when we fail to remember. Amen

 

Listening Pleasure: Kari Jobe ~ Healer

 

All In

businessman keeping a tight grip on his money

Today’s reading:  Judges 1; Acts 5; Jeremiah 14; Matthew 28

 I just love Acts. When I made a big change in my life and first started learning about Jesus Christ, it started with the book of Acts.  I love the story about the apostles being arrested only to have the Lord send an angel to unlock the door in the middle of the night.  Did you notice in Acts 5:17 that Luke actually tells us the reason that the high priest imprisoned the apostles was because they were “filled with jealousy?”  I really got to thinking about that.  The high priests were jealous because the apostles and Jesus’ followers had something they wanted.  When I think about my Christian journey I don’t ever think of it in the context of jealousy.  I don’t think about the folks around me comparing their spirituality to mine and feeling jealous.  But you know, when I think about it, that’s exactly how I felt about Christians before.  I felt like they had a closeness and kinship that I could just never attain.  I wished I had their ability to stay cool and level headed in a crisis. Honestly, I felt a little left out.  Now that I’m living on the other side of Christianity, I’m beginning to understand more deeply the responsibility that comes with being all in.

I spent a little time this week with Ananias and Sapphira. Luke tells their story in the very beginning of Acts 5.  Ananias (Hebrew for the Lord is gracious) and Sapphira (Aramaic for beautiful) are a married couple that sell a little property and embezzle some of the profits.  Ananias in collusion with his wife chooses to hold back some of the money from the sale of his property rather than giving all of it over to the apostles for the church.  This sounds so bad, right?  But who among us hasn’t done a little bit of this?  I know I have.  I have most definitely held back some dollar amount details from my husband when it comes to buying things for the girls or a little ditty for myself.  I’ve sat in church and listened to our pastors appeal to us to put our faith in God and trust in him for security.  But guess what…I still closed by grubby little hand around my money because I’m too tempted by that earthly security.  Well, somehow Peter knows about Ananias’ little stunt and calls him out on it.  He says:

“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?” Acts 5:3

Did that strike a little fear in your heart like it did mine? Do we have a casual approach to entering the kingdom of God as this husband and wife team?  Are we too tempted by the short term gains in life to really be all in?  Ananias and Sapphira ostensibly are justifying this sin as an offense against their church community but the truth is that all sin is not against human beings but against God.  When we endeavor to lie or adjust the truth, Satan wants us to believe him that this is a covert act.  Really this is the enemy attacking Christ’s mission from within.  One of the commentaries I read for this reading today said it like this: “For Christian’s today that deliberately sin and remain unrepentant this is still a temptation: to so luxuriate in the love and grace of God that we do not take seriously the consequences of our deliberate sinning.” (Bible Gateway Commentary).  So we know what happened to Ananias and Sapphira at the end of the story.  Peter says to Ananias,

“Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God. When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last.” (Acts 5:4-5)

Three hours later Peter questions Sapphira and she too cannot resist the temptation to lie. Sounds so bad, I know but I know I’ve done it.  After she does it, Peter says to her,

“How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?” (Acts 5:9)

Oh my gosh it hurts to read, doesn’t it? Can you think of something worse than planning and scheming with your spouse to test the Holy Spirit.  Well, if you are like me you may be wondering why you haven’t been struck dead yet!  Both Ananias and Sapphira are given a dishonorable burial and their story serves as an example to the church of the importance of being all in. As I mature in my faith I see now that the integrity of the Christian church really depends on us all being all in. We are greatly blessed by the love and grace of our God.  We live in the rich luxury of knowing that our God is for us.  Knowing that he is in control of all things and that we get our eternity with Him.  But he requires us to be all in!  We can’t afford to be casual in our pursuit.

Lord, help us to remember that your word isn’t just a story for us, but the truth we must obey. Lord, help us to mature in our faith, keep our ears open to hear your voice and not the whispers of the enemy.  We love you Lord and we desperately want to be ALL IN!

Tears of Truth

It began like a dream: I was in a temple, being bathed in the blood and tears of hundreds of souls that spoke to me across the centuries, all clambering to be noticed. They demanded to be heard like spoiled children.image

The walls were covered with windows that opened their hearts into mine, and I was blessed and changed all at once and forever. This was a religious experience the likes of which I cannot remember. It was the summation of the epiphanies that had come before. God spoke to me, not only then, but throughout the day, into the night and in the days ahead. He spoke through the lives of the artist who’s voices time couldn’t contain — the perverse and the profound, the tormented and the enlightened.

I felt that God was painting a picture in my mind with their blood. The author of life was writing a book on my heart with the ink of their tears. He was opening my soul like a surgeon, slowly cranking my ribs apart, going deeper. I was being changed again. This was the next step in a seemingly endless succession on the stairway to heaven!

It was like a door had opened and I was able to enter another world, more real than the one I knew. Through it, I glimpsed a larger picture than ever before. Somehow I was able to see how pathological my constant self justification had really been. While I had fancied myself as a good man, when I had the chance to see what was really there, I was appalled.

Self justification may be a survival mechanism for this world, but it was an iron gate, padlocked and barred, preventing my passage to the next.

imageSin was real and in it I was constantly deceived. Finally, I was able to see the far reaching implications of even my smallest acts. Like ripples through time, they moved in all directions at once. It made me think of the viral spread of a message, or an idea, across social media. It was like a succession of infinitely wider rows of dominoes, expanding in a chain reaction across never ending horizons. People have no idea how powerful they really are, or the impact they are having on others, constantly. And yet, if this power isn’t subordinated to The One who understands its reach, it is either random or destructive but always lacking its intended potential.

The soul of man was epic, but at the same time like a grain of sand on an endless beach. When we are wrapped in the will of the Creator, who then fills our fragile vessels of clay with His Holy Spirit, things get interesting. God’s unlimited power brings alignment to our lives that are otherwise mostly struggle and rest. But in our struggles we begin to discover truth.

It all finally made sense. Our struggles were the hammer of God, and his brush was the cross that painted us in the transforming blood of Christ! God was the first artist and we were his greatest creation, forged in His image.

Today’s reading: Joshua 24; Acts 4; Jeremiah 13; Matthew 27

We had just been to the Museum of Art in Zurich, the Kunsthaus, and their collection had a such a powerful emotional and spiritual impact on me it was surprising. It actually brought me to tears twice in the middle of the museum. I hesitated to share the experience described above due to its extraordinary nature. Yet, I didn’t think I could keep this one to myself. I had awakened to a flood of tears that night, feeling this incredible sense that I had shared directly in both misery and the rapture from the lives of these amazing artists. I felt the heaviness they felt and it overwhelmed me, and in it all, I believed I had heard the voice of God. Certainly, my lack of sleep and the power of some of the most remarkable impressionist art in the world had blended together somehow with my Bible reading and prayers. This had all come together just in time for this week’s posting at the begining of my Summer’s vacation.

While I was reading today’s Bible passages I thought about the profound proclamation from Joshua:”….But for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15). It came in the midst of hesitation and resistance from his fellow Israelites, and reminded me of the always present temptation to follow other Gods. This made me think about all the people that don’t even understand that this is a choice or what it means.

In Acts I read about Peter, who spoke to the the rulers, elders and keepers of the law. After healing a man who was lame, he proclaimed: “… It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “’the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12). And this made me realize how difficult it was to see the this powerful truth, how easy it was to be deceived.

Jesus was a real person, but my relationship with Him required faith and hope. My struggles and suffering produced perseverance, character and hope. (Romans 5: 3-5) These were the things that came from the active pursuit of a complete understanding and full allegiance to the most significant figure in human history. Jesus was God in the flesh. He came into the world to save it.

I thank God that he came to save us! Amen.