Category Archives: Meet Jesus

Meet Jesus : Unswayable

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Matthew 8:16: When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

 Unstoppable: The unstoppable, unswayable nature of Jesus challenges my thoughts.  His persistence in the face of challenge is incredible.  Think about this situation.  He had just had a hard day, found Peter’s mother-in-law sick, settled down for a meal and relaxing with friends, and then the someone raps on the door.  “Jesus, come out quickly there is a mob of sick, demonized, bleeding, open-wounded, moaning people out here who want to see you.” 

 How would you respond?

 He healed all that were sick.  He cast out the spirits with His word. 

 ACT!  The next calendar challenge that comes to you, stop and take care of the interruption for the other person immediately.  See what happens.

 PRAY! Father, I want to be able to have the presence of mind of Jesus.  How incredible that He could stop at anytime and concentrate totally on the one pressing need in front of Him.  Teach me, Father.  Teach me to be ever able and ever present for people in need.

 

Meet Jesus : Family Love

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Matthew 8:14: And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15: And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Family: For all of us there are those special people we call family.  They may or may not be blood family.  They are special.  They are family.  For Jesus, Peter and anyone special to Peter became family.  This was Peter’s mother-in-law that moved the compassionate hand of God.  There is no hesitation in these verses.  It appears that Jesus went right to Peter’s mother-in-law.  Immediately, He healed family.

Family Followup: A new person came across the pastor’s path that week.  She was new to town and visiting church with her boyfriend.  On a follow up phone call, he found she had been sick for two days.  While getting acquainted a little more, he gently led into prayer.  The presence of God was sweet.  She needed that family touch.

 ACT!  Got family?  Maybe someone in your extended family or friend’s family is ailing in heart or mind or body.  Reach out a hand of friendship to them in prayer.  Let them know.

 PRAY!  Father of health and life.  I bring my family of friends before Your throne.  Take them into Your protection and love.  Take them into Your healing presence.  Bring them great joy today in You in Jesus.

 

Time to Lead

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You are born to lead.  It is in your genetic makeup.  Study over 54 world leaders from workplace, community, government, church, education, and home that changed their world.

Time To Lead

Cultural Imperatives 
Our nation of the United States is under testing. Other nations have similar challenges. There is nothing new about the tests before us. Trials come in waves over the centuries. Equality is always questioned by some group and requires a constant adjustment as a nation of ever new citizens grows. Racial barriers rise in differing manners, but they will never totally subside. Poverty will always be with us and require constant adjustment to address. Distribution of wealth through taxation and business legal edicts will never be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. Governance issues of when and how much to restrict use of common resources and contain greed through legislative restraint remain.
How we act today as states and nations leaves the next generation a different set of symptoms of problems than ours, but the same issues at the core. Leadership cannot rest once an issue is significantly addressed. Leadership is required for continuance of peace and community stability and economic prosperity.

 

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A Lenten Log

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Reclaiming Easter Facebook 403x403In 1999, I took a 50 day journey of prayer and fast.  This Lent, I remember those moments that recreated my soul.  Here are some notes from before blogging became blogging.

Go ahead and print this out and use for the next seven days.  I’ll post another next Wednesday.

Day One

As we begin our prayer journey for the saints, remember those who have gone before us. Men as Andrew Murray, Hudson Taylor, A.W. Tozer, C.T. Studd, Reese Howells, Jeremiah Lanphier, Jonathon Edwards, and others have at times seemed mystical in their quest for deeper understanding of God and at times seem mystifying. Gods way can seem mystical. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways. Hopefully, as we go into the insights of scripture in relation to praying for the saints, we will journey old roads for some and new trails for others. At a minimum, they will be exciting roads for us. Roads of change and passionate zeal for the heart of God.

There is much in the Word concerning prayer for the saints. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob blessed the ones to follow. Moses prophesied results. The prophets always prayed for Godliness.

Saints need prayer. Each day is a new opportunity for growth or regression. God goes for growth. Prayer paves the path.

FOCUS: Prayer is a silent encouragement, a sure exhortation, a provoking to greater works through unseen and unheard motions in the realm of the heavens worked out on earth.

Psalm One and Proverbs One.

 

Day Two

God is my witness.

Over and over we need a witness that is reliable. God is my reliable witness. Think. Life assaults with dilemmas. People accuse of impropriety. God is a positive witness. He sees the good and reports it to others. Remember that God is my witness and the witness for all the saints.

Father, testify on my behalf. Declare in Your courts the good things. Speak favor for the saints in the marketplace. Boast for the saints as any Father for a child.

Praying for the saints should be with knowledge and discernment. Philippians chapter 1 includes prayer from Paul that includes both.

The objectives of prayer are growth, protection, restoration, expansion in all areas.

Necessity dictates too much in our lives. Life should follow God’s footsteps as our pathway (Psalm 85). Too much is determined by our lack of resistance. Resistance from the world system will always come. Our charter is persistence against resistance. Continued gentle and every so often violent persistence breaks the wall.

At Jerico, Joshua and God’s people broke through resistance. Beginning with a gentle determination they built their courage. Endurance was strengthened by daily obedience. Then came the violent break through. Paul constantly spoke on endurance. This key factor can be the major determiner of any battle. Who will endure? Who will fight on? Pray for endurance for the saints.

FOCUS: Change. Be violent to change to new ways. Don’t return to the old. Psalm 85.

Psalm Two and Proverbs Two.

 

Day Three

Creative juices flow best unhindered. The creativity of the soul is unbounded in Jesus. No matter what the conditions of life, he supplies fresh, living waters to refresh and fulfill us.

The supply is inexhaustible.

The supply is ample.

The supply is rich.

The supply is overwhelming.

He is the fountain of living waters, the well spring of eternal life.

Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord of hosts. His Spirit is a Holy Spirit. A life giving oil of supply that never runs dry is He. Our lamp is never dimmed because His anointing oil is ever strong and flowing. Drink of His oil. It is a river of oil. In this oil we grow fat and flourish strong.

FOCUS: Drink with peace. The river brings peace. Cease from fretting.

Psalm Three and Proverbs Three

 

Day Four

Weariness drains creativity and resolve. We must find rest in Jesus. No matter the reason for our restlessness, rest is in Him. “Come unto Me all you who are weak and heavy burdened and you will find rest for your souls.”

FOCUS: Rest in Him. He is the shadow of a great rock in a dry and weary land.

Psalm Four and Proverbs Four

 

Day Five

 

Rest is a state of being, repose of the spirit of man. In Hebrews the writer explains that faith enters into rest or does not enter to God’s presence. Rest ceases from works. Rest is more than peace. Rest is repose of the soul. Labor cease. Striving disappears. Rest takes confident possession of the territory promised and does not relinquish its position. “Come unto Me all you weary and heavy laden and I will giver you rest for your souls.”

FOCUS: Rest. Relax from labors and allow God His pleasure to fulfill our destiny.

Psalm Five and Proverbs Five

 

Day Six

I give you beauty for ashes.

I give you joy for mourning.

I give you light for darkness and brightness in the gloom.

I will give you grace for the hard days and strength for the task, endurance for the duration that always you will last and last and last and last.

Routine. It is routine that will produce these.

FOCUS: Step into greatness.

Psalm Six and Proverbs Six

 

Day Seven

 

God has great plans for us. They include those around us. They include the protection we need to accomplish them.

In life, we have dwellings. Our mind, our heart, our home, our marriage, our family, our workgroups, and our playgroups are all dwelling places where we spend time and thought. Our tomorrows are cultivated in these places. The environment we provide for growth is important. The cultivation of right relationship is crucial and impacts a long time our development.

FOCUS: Develop relationships. Blow off the dust of the years. Take action.

Psalm Seven and Proverbs Seven

Meet Jesus : Faith Seeker

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Meet Jesus : Faith Seeker

Matthew 8:5: And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,6: And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

 7: And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8: The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9: For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10: When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11: And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13: And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour

Faith is honored by God.  Faith based in understanding of authority, moves God quickly.  In our journey in this life, it serves us well to remember how Jesus honors faith in authority.  Remember, His authority was so evident the people marveled.   Authority is important to Jesus.  He looks for those that understand and invoke His authority through faith.

ACT!  Do you have a situation requiring authority?  Invite Jesus into it.

PRAY!  Father, I place myself under the authority of the name of Jesus.  Even as the centurion placed his servant under Jesus’ authority, so do I place me and my household.  Cover the property entrusted to me.  Cover my family’s health.  Cover the thoughts of my mind.

 

Meet Jesus : Customary

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evotions.orgMatthew 8:2: And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3: And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4: And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

 Under the covenant, a leper was required to be declared clean by the priest.  Also, he was required to stay away from other human contact.  Jesus supported the law.  Even knowing the man was no longer a leper, Jesus asked him to handle it according to the custom of the people.  He was not interested in putting fear in people or disturbing the custom without need.  He is considerate of others, their customs, and the law of the land.

ACT!  How can you honor a custom of someone you know?  Is there a custom in your workplace that you have been violating?  Think about it.

PRAY!  Father, give me the sensitivity of Jesus to customs.  In my limited life, I only see through my filters.  Help me to see what is important to others.  Help me to build their comfort so that they might receive the rich treasure of Jesus in me.

Meet Jesus: Worth Following

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Our leadership examples today are flawed and full of gaping holes

Matthew 8:1: When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

“Make sure you are doing what God wants you to do–then do it with all your strength.” George Washington

Follow Me: Few people in life seem to be worth following. Honesty is out of style. Truth is irrelevant. Integrity wanes to the way of the world. Our leadership examples today are flawed and full of gaping holes. Jesus is worth following. Not only that, but He changes us to be worth following. His example and presence change us to be more like Him. Follow.

Follow Jesus: Jake was ready to follow this Jesus again. The morning back in the presence of God at church had impacted him. He wasn’t sure how to explain his feelings to his wife or to his old friend, Greg, or to Sally, who had invited him. He just knew he needed to get back in line and follow. Whatever that meant! He was going to find out…..

Act! Be worth following. It was his confidence, authority, and kindness that resulted in so many following. Find a place to be kind today and reach out to someone who can’t help themselves at the moment.

Pray! Father, help me to be a leader worth following. It is my example to which others look. Help me to be the Christian of integrity that You seek. Encourage my faith to be bold in those areas in which you have commissioned me. Empower me to continue to do good to those around me in You. Let people see Jesus and follow Him in me.

This devotion is #17 and final of a bigger storyline… Watch the category GSJ Story for miniseries.

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Meet Jesus – Authority … GSJ16

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There is no doubting His positions.

Matthew 7:24: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26: And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.28: And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Marie Curie

The Author: Too often we hear varied opinions that sound right. The argument is logical. The reasoning seems to flow. Yet, there is no ring of truth to what we hear. Jesus has the ring of truth. There is no doubting His positions. There is no doubting His stance. There is no doubting whether living like Him will work. It will work. His life example is a solid rock on which we can stand. He has authority because He is the author.

Shaken To Rights: The morning message shook Jake out of his thoughts into a fresh world. Immediately, his attention went to the words being spoken. How could Jesus have authority over his life? Hadn’t he ignored his relationship with Christ for many years. Yet, somehow the message was challenging his thoughts and the most hidden secrets of his soul. He did not even know this preacher lady in the pulpit. Yet, the words had a ring of truth that took him back to his first days of commitment to Christ in college. It was unsettling and settling at once. He was discomforted and placed in a comfortable position. How could this be? How could Christ take him back so quickly after so many years? Yet, that is how he felt. He felt as if Christ were standing right in front of him and holding out the hand of an old friend.

Act! Think through some of your foundational thoughts. Do they match His?

Pray! Father, it is Your authoring in my life that makes such a wonderful difference. Let me move with You. You are in me and I am in You. Your life moves within me. Let me build on the example of the rock of Jesus Christ. He is the chief cornerstone. Let me built from the starting point of Jesus example each day. Let my thoughts find their origination in Him..

This devotion is #16 of a bigger storyline… Watch the category GSJ Story for miniseries.

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Meet Jesus – Reality Based .. GSJ15

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The mirror of His love reveals the truth of our pretense and provides opportunity to change.

Matthew 7:21: Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

“It takes generosity to discover the whole through others. If you realize you are only a violin, you can open yourself up to the world by playing your role in the concert.” Jacques Cousteau

Outside In: All of us have acquaintances that appear on the outside with one manner, yet inside are quite different. All of us have masks of pretense in some area ourselves. Jesus is interested in reality. Show, pretense, and explosive displays of seeming wonder are meaningless to Him. It is an inside job that is important to Him. When we connect with Him, we connect with reality. The mirror of His love reveals the truth of our pretense and provides opportunity to change. He looks for the change.

Quizzical Stick: Sally looked quizzically at Jake. All morning in Sunday School class he had appeared to be okay. He even knew the scripture which they were studying and the parable of the seed and the sower. Yet, she knew he was not in any Christian fellowship. They had talked about it. Who was this person? What was his real background? She thought she knew him. Now, she was not quite so sure.

Jake laughed on the inside. “If they only knew?” he thought to himself. It had been years since he had studied any scripture or allowed anyone to teach him. Even his wife was surprised at his knowledge of the scriptures. In college, when Greg had separated from his friends, Jake had been driven to find out why. All through the rest of his college years, he attended a small group at a local church. He had even made some commitments of his life to live for Christ. That was a long time ago. The group had blown up over petty arguments. He wasn’t impressed with the reality of this faith after that episode. He wasn’t ready to step into these waters again. Was Jesus really real?

Act! Strip off one mask. Where is pretense ruling in your life? Dig for the truth and let Jesus build His reality into you in that area.

Pray! Ouch! Father, I admit I have areas of pretense. Before You and You alone can they be revealed in an atmosphere of healing. Never are You interested in destruction. Never are You interested in my downfall. You are always on my side to become more like Jesus. Help me to undo the pretenses of my life. In all areas, I want You to be able to say, “Yes, I know that one. Let him enter in with my son, Jesus, into the everlasting kingdom of life.”

This devotion is #15 of a bigger storyline… Watch the category GSJ Story for miniseries.

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Meet Jesus : Fruit Inspector,,, GSJ14

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Each of us has a flavor of which comes out

Matthew 7:16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20: Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

 Daily Produce

Ever thought about what it is you produce daily?  Each of us has a flavor to what comes out.  A friend of mine has a perfume she has worn for years.  It is her trademark, her flavor.  Whenever she is around, you know she has been there.  Some years ago I worked with an individual that flavored the room.  Upon entering the workplace the entire atmosphere would become sour.  Each of us has a flavor of what comes out.  Another friend is vivacious and sparks excitement in whatever he does.  By our fruit are we known.

Pain Carry

For years, Greg had carried pains from his early years.  Memories haunted him.  At times he would accuse people of actions and motivations they never had.  It was an unwelcome memory bursting out into distrust and accusation.  It just wouldn’t shake.  Now he was looking for forgiveness.  He wanted to be free. He wanted to free himself from the flavor of the fruit of the past.  So many times he had been betrayed.  It had built a rage inside that needed to go away.  It created a distance from others that needed healed.  Greg was ready to change the flavor of his relationships and life.  Maybe he could start with Jake.  Maybe he could go back and start over.

ACT!  Inspect your flavor.  Are you goofy grape or excited orange?  Are you passionate purple or negative needles? What is your flavor?  Is it what Jesus wants your flavor to be?

PRAY!  Father, help us flavor the day with Jesus.  Grant us grace to give out Your sweet incense.  Enable us to let others know that You have been in the place.  Cause our fruit to come from the true vine, Jesus.  Let only fruit from His life veins come out from us.  Let our flavor be the scent of Your presence that men and women would come to You.

This devotion is #14 of a bigger storyline… Watch the category GSJ Story for miniseries.