SCRIPTURE
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
OBSERVATION
This scripture is awesome! The Pharisees were so "high and mighty" that they would not even allow themselves to associate with "sinners" and here, Jesus welcomes them!
APPLICATION
This is huge, not only personally, but on a corporate level. This is how we should be as a church! I don't want to be worrying about how many ex-cons, drug addicts, etc. are walking through the doors of the church! I want to be a person, who welcomes sinners just as Christ did! After all, no one is immune to sin!
PRAYER
Father, help me to be more open to accept people who might otherwise not be accepted! I want to learn from Christ's example!
Amen
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Seasoning Salt
SCRIPTURE
"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Lk. 14:34)
OBSERVATION
Jesus makes reference to salt in this passage, likely because it hit home to his listeners. Salt was very important to everyday life in that culture. It was used to enhance flavor and likely as a cure or preservative. Christ calls us to be the salt of the earth! We are to enhance the earth, preserve it's population.
APPLICATION
Being the salt of the earth is no easy task. We must first of all, be sure to keep our relationship with Christ, a strong one, and have regular "Koinonia" with other salty people. When we separate ourselves from other salt, or the source, our saltiness will begin to fade. Our priority should be our relationship with Christ. Stay close to the source and we'll be able to continually season the world with the love of Christ and in turn, one soul at a time, preserve the world!
PRAYER
Father, help me to ensure that I never lose saltiness! I want to do your will and be salt to this earth.
Amen
"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Lk. 14:34)
OBSERVATION
Jesus makes reference to salt in this passage, likely because it hit home to his listeners. Salt was very important to everyday life in that culture. It was used to enhance flavor and likely as a cure or preservative. Christ calls us to be the salt of the earth! We are to enhance the earth, preserve it's population.
APPLICATION
Being the salt of the earth is no easy task. We must first of all, be sure to keep our relationship with Christ, a strong one, and have regular "Koinonia" with other salty people. When we separate ourselves from other salt, or the source, our saltiness will begin to fade. Our priority should be our relationship with Christ. Stay close to the source and we'll be able to continually season the world with the love of Christ and in turn, one soul at a time, preserve the world!
PRAYER
Father, help me to ensure that I never lose saltiness! I want to do your will and be salt to this earth.
Amen
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
What's Your Motive?
SCRIPTURE
Ask all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? Zechariah 7:5
OBSERVATION
God was giving a motive check here. What was the true purpose for their fast? Were they fasting unto the Lord, or were they fasting out of obligation, religion?
APPLICATION
This scripture is significant as we're in the midst of our 40 days of fasting, Fasting for Breakthrough. This scripture has made me to check my motives. What is the reason for my fast? Is it because it's a church wide fast? Honestly, the length of my fast is likely due to the 40 day corporate fast, but the reason...Personal Breakthrough, Corporate Breakthrough, etc. It's not out of obligation or a religious thing, but rather something that God has called me to do for this specific time.
PRAYER
Father, help me to continually check my motives. Whatever I do, I want to do unto you and not because of some sense of obligation. I pray for real breakthrough to happen over the remainder of these 40 days.
Amen
Ask all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? Zechariah 7:5
OBSERVATION
God was giving a motive check here. What was the true purpose for their fast? Were they fasting unto the Lord, or were they fasting out of obligation, religion?
APPLICATION
This scripture is significant as we're in the midst of our 40 days of fasting, Fasting for Breakthrough. This scripture has made me to check my motives. What is the reason for my fast? Is it because it's a church wide fast? Honestly, the length of my fast is likely due to the 40 day corporate fast, but the reason...Personal Breakthrough, Corporate Breakthrough, etc. It's not out of obligation or a religious thing, but rather something that God has called me to do for this specific time.
PRAYER
Father, help me to continually check my motives. Whatever I do, I want to do unto you and not because of some sense of obligation. I pray for real breakthrough to happen over the remainder of these 40 days.
Amen
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Life on the Inside
SCRIPTURE
Luke 11:39-41
Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you."
OBSERVATION
The Pharisees went to great lengths to externally demonstrate that they were spiritual. They were concerned about what was seen by others on the outside. However, Jesus could see through their masks and knew that they were full of greed and wickedness. Jesus called them foolish for their unconcern over the spiritual nature of their inner heart.
APPLICATION
How often do I focus on what others see? How often do I judge my spirituality by what I do externally? If I listen to the words of Jesus, I need to focus on the inner life of my soul. My thoughts, inner attitudes and emotions can serve as a barometer to my true spiritual maturity.
PRAYER
Father, cleanse me from the inside. Renew my mind, my heart, my soul. Help me to not try to impress others, but to live my life in dedication and devotion to you.
Luke 11:39-41
Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you."
OBSERVATION
The Pharisees went to great lengths to externally demonstrate that they were spiritual. They were concerned about what was seen by others on the outside. However, Jesus could see through their masks and knew that they were full of greed and wickedness. Jesus called them foolish for their unconcern over the spiritual nature of their inner heart.
APPLICATION
How often do I focus on what others see? How often do I judge my spirituality by what I do externally? If I listen to the words of Jesus, I need to focus on the inner life of my soul. My thoughts, inner attitudes and emotions can serve as a barometer to my true spiritual maturity.
PRAYER
Father, cleanse me from the inside. Renew my mind, my heart, my soul. Help me to not try to impress others, but to live my life in dedication and devotion to you.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The One Thing Needed
SCRIPTURE
Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
OBSERVATION
Here we have two sisters. Both sisters recognize Jesus as Lord. However, they respond to Jesus' presence in their home differently. Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to him teach. Martha becomes busy playing the role of a hostess. Presumably, she is preparing a meal for Jesus and the disciples, a task that needed to be accomplished. However, she becomes frustrated with her sister not helping in the chores. And who can blame her? However, Jesus responds that Mary has made the better choice. While Martha has become concerned with many things, Mary has focused on one thing (becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ). And Jesus says this is the one thing that is needed.
APPLICATION
Life is full of distractions and there are many things that we think we need to do. However, Jesus tells us that there is one thing that is truly needed, and that is him. What we need to do is sit at his feet as his disciple and learn from him; to spend our day with him. To try to become like him. The great thing is that we can do this while we walk throughout our day. We can be busy making preparations for life, and rather than seeing them as distractions, see them as moments to spend with our Rabbi, our Teacher, our Lord. I can spend time with Jesus as I wash dishes, drive my car, struggle with patience or go to the grocery store. The question is, will I choose the one thing needed as I walk throughout my day?
PRAYER
Father, help me to choose the one thing needed. Help me to "sit at the feet of Jesus" as I go from moment to moment, experience to experience, interaction to interaction. Help me to be a disciple in every moment of every day.
Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
OBSERVATION
Here we have two sisters. Both sisters recognize Jesus as Lord. However, they respond to Jesus' presence in their home differently. Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to him teach. Martha becomes busy playing the role of a hostess. Presumably, she is preparing a meal for Jesus and the disciples, a task that needed to be accomplished. However, she becomes frustrated with her sister not helping in the chores. And who can blame her? However, Jesus responds that Mary has made the better choice. While Martha has become concerned with many things, Mary has focused on one thing (becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ). And Jesus says this is the one thing that is needed.
APPLICATION
Life is full of distractions and there are many things that we think we need to do. However, Jesus tells us that there is one thing that is truly needed, and that is him. What we need to do is sit at his feet as his disciple and learn from him; to spend our day with him. To try to become like him. The great thing is that we can do this while we walk throughout our day. We can be busy making preparations for life, and rather than seeing them as distractions, see them as moments to spend with our Rabbi, our Teacher, our Lord. I can spend time with Jesus as I wash dishes, drive my car, struggle with patience or go to the grocery store. The question is, will I choose the one thing needed as I walk throughout my day?
PRAYER
Father, help me to choose the one thing needed. Help me to "sit at the feet of Jesus" as I go from moment to moment, experience to experience, interaction to interaction. Help me to be a disciple in every moment of every day.
Friday, September 26, 2008
A Dangerous Question
SCRIPTURE
Luke 9:18-20
Luke 9:18-20
One day as Jesus was alone, praying, he came over to his disciples and asked them, "Who do people say that I am?"
"Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead."
Then he asked them, "Who do you say that I am?"
Peter replied, "You are the Messiah sent from God."
OBSERVATION
On this occasion, Jesus asks the disciples two questions. The first question, "who do others say that I am?," is a safe one to answer. It's based on other people's opinions, beliefs and commitments. The answer to it has no bearing on the lives of the disciples. The second question, "who do you say that I am?," can be a dangerous one to answer. The obvious emphasis here is on you. The reason it is dangerous is because the answer has the potential to change the very nature of one's life. Peter boldly answers, "You are the Messiah, sent by God." One cannot give this answer without having his or her life radically altered. In the following verses (v. 23-27), Jesus tells his followers that they cannot be his follower without putting aside their selfish ambition. The proclamation that Jesus is Messiah leads one to a new life.
APPLICATION
Knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ is always a personal discovery. There is always an emphasis on "who do you say Jesus is?" And the answer can be dangerous to the way life is lived. The answer to this question impacts our understanding and interaction with the world. It should direct our decisions and plans. It should influence the way we spend time, resources and money. It should lead us to a point of sacrifice, a willingness to give up our selfish ambition in order to gain a new life found in Jesus Christ. The answer to that question goes far beyond the mental ascent of belief and cuts to the heart of our life. I have proclaimed that Jesus Christ is Messiah, but has that answer impacted the core of my life? Does it impact everything I think, say, do... Had it impacted who I am?
On this occasion, Jesus asks the disciples two questions. The first question, "who do others say that I am?," is a safe one to answer. It's based on other people's opinions, beliefs and commitments. The answer to it has no bearing on the lives of the disciples. The second question, "who do you say that I am?," can be a dangerous one to answer. The obvious emphasis here is on you. The reason it is dangerous is because the answer has the potential to change the very nature of one's life. Peter boldly answers, "You are the Messiah, sent by God." One cannot give this answer without having his or her life radically altered. In the following verses (v. 23-27), Jesus tells his followers that they cannot be his follower without putting aside their selfish ambition. The proclamation that Jesus is Messiah leads one to a new life.
APPLICATION
Knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ is always a personal discovery. There is always an emphasis on "who do you say Jesus is?" And the answer can be dangerous to the way life is lived. The answer to this question impacts our understanding and interaction with the world. It should direct our decisions and plans. It should influence the way we spend time, resources and money. It should lead us to a point of sacrifice, a willingness to give up our selfish ambition in order to gain a new life found in Jesus Christ. The answer to that question goes far beyond the mental ascent of belief and cuts to the heart of our life. I have proclaimed that Jesus Christ is Messiah, but has that answer impacted the core of my life? Does it impact everything I think, say, do... Had it impacted who I am?
PRAYER
Jesus, help me to be willing to make sacrifices in my life, to give up my selfish desires, and pursue you wholly and fully.
Jesus, help me to be willing to make sacrifices in my life, to give up my selfish desires, and pursue you wholly and fully.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Boldness & Worship
SCRIPTURE
Luke 7:36-38
This story about the woman with the alabaster jar compels me to ask the following questions:
Luke 7:36-38
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a women who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
OBSERVATION
OBSERVATION
What a spectacle this must have been. We have a woman breaking social rules and coming to a dinner that she wasn't invited to. And not just any woman, but a woman who had lived a sinful life going to the home of a religious leader. Many would consider this scandalous. She washes Jesus' feet using her tears and her hair. Her tears and her hair! And then she takes expensive perfume from an expensive jar and pours it on Jesus' feet. This is a extravagant, even ridiculous act. The woman ignores the ridicule and judgement of others. She is not concerned with the thoughts of others as she lavishly adores Jesus.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
This story about the woman with the alabaster jar compels me to ask the following questions:
1. How much do I love Jesus?
2. How do I express my love for him?
I say that I love Jesus, but at the same time I don't believe I passionately express my love for Jesus. I allow social norms to get in my way. I wonder what people might think of me if I do something different or unexpected in the midst of worshiping Jesus. I need to be less self-conscious and focus more on adoring Jesus.
PRAYER
Father God, help me to step out in bold ways while worshipping Jesus.
Father God, help me to step out in bold ways while worshipping Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
