Zephaniah 3:17
Confession, I did not know that Zephaniah was even a book of the Bible. But I looked it up and it is on page 1008 of my New International Version Bible. It even takes up 3 whole pages. Who knew?
So with that out of the way. On to today's study. It is about music. Right up my alley, NOT. I have shared before that I have zero rhythm. But this one speaks right to me. It is about going with the music that God has prepared just for you. The author has laid out a scene in a dance hall in which no one is dancing because there is no band. Then one lone musician comes in and starts to sing a beautiful song. Some are sceptical of his credentials, some sceptical of his skill, but some are willing to listen and dance. This can be the scene in life. We are all able to hear "the music" but not all of us are willing to stand up and dance. I for one like to dance in the privacy of my home. But I need to take it to the street.
The above verse says that the Lord will delight in you. What a humbling thing to hear. And in the reflection section of the devotional it asks, how would it affect you to hear God whisper to you "I delight in you." It would totally mess me up. Sometimes I fail to dance all the time and listen to what God is saying and doing in my life. But I guarantee if I heard it I would pay extra attention. I need to work on hearing the music 24/7.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Listening to God's Heart
Today's devotional lays out how to listen to what God want you to know. It lays it out in three simple ways:
Easy. Get into a routine and let in transform you. The scriptures tell us many things, we just have to listen and apply. It is important to make time. We all get busy and we all have to sacrifice part of our busy schedules to get into the word. But it will be well worth it. The next step is read, it isn't going to hit you out of nowhere. And then let it work in you. You have to apply. The Bible is meant for application, not just information. So dive in and get your feet wet.
Joshua 1:8
Psalm 88:13
John 14:26
Matthew 7:7
Psalm 1:2
Philippians 4:9
1. Pick a time and place
2. Open your Bible
3. Let it sink in
Joshua 1:8
Psalm 88:13
John 14:26
Matthew 7:7
Psalm 1:2
Philippians 4:9
Monday, October 26, 2009
Compassionate Heart
Colossians 3:11-13
Today's section was a continuation of the story of the leper. He is still seeking compassion and touch. He goes to where he used to live and looks upon his fields and the children playing there. That is where he decides to become bold and make a stand for what he desires. He sees a girl that makes eye contact with him and he thinks this girl is his daughter who is seeking to find her father. What a force to make us chase what we desire. As a dad of two daughters, I can understand that the desire to fulfil your children's wishes is strong. I would do everything in my power to make them happy. So he makes a choice, he is going to seek the Lord to ask him to heal his leprosy. When he sees the Lord he comes out from hiding and asks him to heal him with his words. The Lord speaks, "I will, be healed" This is enough for the man to be healed. But that isn't all that the man desires, and the Lord knows that. He yearns for the touch that he has been missing for five years. And without the man asking the Lord pulls him close to him and touches him. The power of a compassionate touch. This is what makes the man whole again. The words spoken alone could heal the disease, but His touch fulfilled the man's desires.
I want to share a personal story. That is what this blog has allowed me to do. It has given me a place to share and grow. This story is close to what is being discussed in the devotional today. Touch.
A few weeks ago at church I had the opportunity to talk to a young dad that came to service for the first time. He had been invited by friends and had made the decision to come early that day and meet with one of our staff members. He is my age but a totally different situation. He has 4 young children, and he is a single dad. So I can relate with the age and children, but I can not imagine having 4 and doing it on your own. What a man. And to handle himself the way he did I was in awe. So I walked him around and showed him our different ministry areas as we talked. We got his children checked into where they were supposed to be and he was on his way. I have prayed for him and his family many times over the past few weeks. I prayed that he would find a place that met him where he was and helped him in any way he needed. I prayed that his children would enjoy themselves and they would experience God in new ways. This Sunday he was on my mind. So during our first service I looked up his family in our computer system to see if his children were checked into our kids services, they were not. I was a little sad. So I prayed, and went on about my daily activities. Before the next service started I rounded the corner of the nursery and there he was. (As I typed that I got a little emotional all over again.) He was standing there with two of his friends. And when he saw me he immediately came over and shook my hand. I was overwhelmed. We shook hands and hugged like old friends. He said he came by to let us know he was there and excited about service this weekend. His 4 kids are young, but none are in the nursery at church, he just happened to be there right when I was. That was awesome. I checked the computer that day because just knowing they were there would have been fulfilling, but seeing him and that "touch" made it real.
So there is my story about how God is working in my life. How He is reaching out and touching me. I hope you all can acknowledge when He is doing the same for you.
Today's section was a continuation of the story of the leper. He is still seeking compassion and touch. He goes to where he used to live and looks upon his fields and the children playing there. That is where he decides to become bold and make a stand for what he desires. He sees a girl that makes eye contact with him and he thinks this girl is his daughter who is seeking to find her father. What a force to make us chase what we desire. As a dad of two daughters, I can understand that the desire to fulfil your children's wishes is strong. I would do everything in my power to make them happy. So he makes a choice, he is going to seek the Lord to ask him to heal his leprosy. When he sees the Lord he comes out from hiding and asks him to heal him with his words. The Lord speaks, "I will, be healed" This is enough for the man to be healed. But that isn't all that the man desires, and the Lord knows that. He yearns for the touch that he has been missing for five years. And without the man asking the Lord pulls him close to him and touches him. The power of a compassionate touch. This is what makes the man whole again. The words spoken alone could heal the disease, but His touch fulfilled the man's desires.
I want to share a personal story. That is what this blog has allowed me to do. It has given me a place to share and grow. This story is close to what is being discussed in the devotional today. Touch.
A few weeks ago at church I had the opportunity to talk to a young dad that came to service for the first time. He had been invited by friends and had made the decision to come early that day and meet with one of our staff members. He is my age but a totally different situation. He has 4 young children, and he is a single dad. So I can relate with the age and children, but I can not imagine having 4 and doing it on your own. What a man. And to handle himself the way he did I was in awe. So I walked him around and showed him our different ministry areas as we talked. We got his children checked into where they were supposed to be and he was on his way. I have prayed for him and his family many times over the past few weeks. I prayed that he would find a place that met him where he was and helped him in any way he needed. I prayed that his children would enjoy themselves and they would experience God in new ways. This Sunday he was on my mind. So during our first service I looked up his family in our computer system to see if his children were checked into our kids services, they were not. I was a little sad. So I prayed, and went on about my daily activities. Before the next service started I rounded the corner of the nursery and there he was. (As I typed that I got a little emotional all over again.) He was standing there with two of his friends. And when he saw me he immediately came over and shook my hand. I was overwhelmed. We shook hands and hugged like old friends. He said he came by to let us know he was there and excited about service this weekend. His 4 kids are young, but none are in the nursery at church, he just happened to be there right when I was. That was awesome. I checked the computer that day because just knowing they were there would have been fulfilling, but seeing him and that "touch" made it real.
So there is my story about how God is working in my life. How He is reaching out and touching me. I hope you all can acknowledge when He is doing the same for you.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Looking For Compassion
Hebrews 4:14-16
Today was about a story of a leper who was looking for some compassion. He yearned for someone to touch him. He knew everyone loved him and cared for him, he just had a desire to feel their touch. It is something that we can all relate to. That feeling of hopelessness that we sometime feel. The feeling that we want something that is just out of grasp. It feels like our hands are tied and no matter how hard we try we will just never get what we desire. Our desires don't have to be things that are physical, they can be emotions. We just can't touch them. In the Old Testament lepers would be cast away to camps where they were segregated from society. In our current times we can do the same to ourselves. We can cocoon ourselves so that we are untouchable, all the time wanting to experience something that we see as out of reach. In Hebrews we see that if we come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we will obtain it in our times of need. That is reassuring. Today was a day that included self reflection. And when I did that I felt a sense of helplessness. But was quickly reassured that with boldness I can acquire that which I desire.
Today was about a story of a leper who was looking for some compassion. He yearned for someone to touch him. He knew everyone loved him and cared for him, he just had a desire to feel their touch. It is something that we can all relate to. That feeling of hopelessness that we sometime feel. The feeling that we want something that is just out of grasp. It feels like our hands are tied and no matter how hard we try we will just never get what we desire. Our desires don't have to be things that are physical, they can be emotions. We just can't touch them. In the Old Testament lepers would be cast away to camps where they were segregated from society. In our current times we can do the same to ourselves. We can cocoon ourselves so that we are untouchable, all the time wanting to experience something that we see as out of reach. In Hebrews we see that if we come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we will obtain it in our times of need. That is reassuring. Today was a day that included self reflection. And when I did that I felt a sense of helplessness. But was quickly reassured that with boldness I can acquire that which I desire.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Forgiving Heart
Romans 5:6-8
What an awesome day to read. There are some big truths here. Things that we need to get in us so we can get to work. Forgiveness is hard to do. Well when it is a big thing you are forgiving it is hard. The little things, like leaving the seat up on the potty, those are easy. But the biggies are tough. I thought today's section was awesome. It showed me that even if there isn't something right now that we should be forgiving that our lives should model a constant revolving door of forgiveness. I could re-write the whole thing on here easy, but instead here are some great lines:
What an awesome day to read. There are some big truths here. Things that we need to get in us so we can get to work. Forgiveness is hard to do. Well when it is a big thing you are forgiving it is hard. The little things, like leaving the seat up on the potty, those are easy. But the biggies are tough. I thought today's section was awesome. It showed me that even if there isn't something right now that we should be forgiving that our lives should model a constant revolving door of forgiveness. I could re-write the whole thing on here easy, but instead here are some great lines:
Aside from geography and chronology, our story is the same as the
disciples'. We weren't in Jerusalem, and we weren't alive that
night. But what Jesus did for them he has done for us. He has
cleansed us. He has cleansed our hearts from sin.The cleansing is not a promise for the future but a reality in the present.
Those in the circle of Christ had no doubt of his love, those in our circle should have no doubt of ours.
Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Prayers!
One of our good friends has a family member on his way back to Iraq. She is a wonderful friend and we love her and her family dearly. Please pray for her little brother as he embarks on this journey.With Towel And Basin
Matthew 6:12-15
I have heard the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet many times. I have heard it, read about it, even thought about it many times. But I always thought about it was about the physical task of washing the feet. I thought it was about not being ashamed to do certain tasks in life. I thought it was about not getting to big for your britches. It is only today that my thoughts have totally shifted. I now can see that it is about forgiving sins and people before the sin has even occurred. It was about Jesus, just before the Passover Feast, knowing that the disciples where about to not stand with him, washing their feet and forgiving their sins. He said in John 13:7 "You don't understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later." When the disciples would later run and hide they would hang their heads in shame. Doing that they would look at their feet and know that their Savior had just hours before already washed the filth from them. What a powerful example of the forgiveness we should have. We should forgive with our hearts, but also put some action in it. We should show people that we have a heart of forgiveness.
I have heard the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet many times. I have heard it, read about it, even thought about it many times. But I always thought about it was about the physical task of washing the feet. I thought it was about not being ashamed to do certain tasks in life. I thought it was about not getting to big for your britches. It is only today that my thoughts have totally shifted. I now can see that it is about forgiving sins and people before the sin has even occurred. It was about Jesus, just before the Passover Feast, knowing that the disciples where about to not stand with him, washing their feet and forgiving their sins. He said in John 13:7 "You don't understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later." When the disciples would later run and hide they would hang their heads in shame. Doing that they would look at their feet and know that their Savior had just hours before already washed the filth from them. What a powerful example of the forgiveness we should have. We should forgive with our hearts, but also put some action in it. We should show people that we have a heart of forgiveness.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Stuckititis
The Constant Heart
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Today I read about having a committed heart like Jesus. My devotional talked about being stuck in situations that sometimes you are freaked out about being stuck in. And when you are stuck in situation how you can cope. You can flee, fight, or forgive. The first is easy, but doesn't solve anything, your problem will follow you. The second is more eventful, you will get some excitement, but it doesn't solve anything. The third is the hard one, and of course this is the one that actually works. If we want to model Jesus we have to get down and dirty. You can't take the easy road, you have to make some hard choices. Jesus modeled this when he walked with the same twelve men for three years. He knew all their thoughts. He knew all their mistakes. He even knew the mistakes and thoughts that hadn't happened yet. How hard it must have been to forgive all that junk and stay with that group. So for us we have to love, forgive, and hold tight to the relationships that we have.
Origin of the term stuckititis: Stuck means "trapped" ititis is what you put on the end of a medical term that you want to sound impressive. Thus causing the definition of Stuckititis to be the medical condition in which one is feeling trapped.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Today I read about having a committed heart like Jesus. My devotional talked about being stuck in situations that sometimes you are freaked out about being stuck in. And when you are stuck in situation how you can cope. You can flee, fight, or forgive. The first is easy, but doesn't solve anything, your problem will follow you. The second is more eventful, you will get some excitement, but it doesn't solve anything. The third is the hard one, and of course this is the one that actually works. If we want to model Jesus we have to get down and dirty. You can't take the easy road, you have to make some hard choices. Jesus modeled this when he walked with the same twelve men for three years. He knew all their thoughts. He knew all their mistakes. He even knew the mistakes and thoughts that hadn't happened yet. How hard it must have been to forgive all that junk and stay with that group. So for us we have to love, forgive, and hold tight to the relationships that we have.
Origin of the term stuckititis: Stuck means "trapped" ititis is what you put on the end of a medical term that you want to sound impressive. Thus causing the definition of Stuckititis to be the medical condition in which one is feeling trapped.
Busy Like a Bumble Bee
I have once again neglected my time in study. But it was because we were busy people. Isn't that always the excuse.
Mandi had to work Saturday morning. Then we went to look for the girls Halloween costumes (see we are equal opportunity procrastinators.) Then off to worship. Again an exciting experience. Ed Young started a new series on being a "fan." Then it was home for a quick bite to eat before bedtime routines. We lounged for a while then to sleep for the big kids. Sunday is my early day. I get to church early to set things up for that day's childcare. Then we come home to rest. I got the house back in order during the day yesterday. Ran some errands. Got the oil changed. Did some laundry. And started a little part time job last night (more to come on that later.) So as you can see we were busy as little bumble bees. Oh in all of that Landon decided that she was going to be scared of flies. So there were many hours logged chasing flies and calming down a freaked out 2 yr old.
So back to it....
Mandi had to work Saturday morning. Then we went to look for the girls Halloween costumes (see we are equal opportunity procrastinators.) Then off to worship. Again an exciting experience. Ed Young started a new series on being a "fan." Then it was home for a quick bite to eat before bedtime routines. We lounged for a while then to sleep for the big kids. Sunday is my early day. I get to church early to set things up for that day's childcare. Then we come home to rest. I got the house back in order during the day yesterday. Ran some errands. Got the oil changed. Did some laundry. And started a little part time job last night (more to come on that later.) So as you can see we were busy as little bumble bees. Oh in all of that Landon decided that she was going to be scared of flies. So there were many hours logged chasing flies and calming down a freaked out 2 yr old.
So back to it....
Friday, October 16, 2009
Heart of Humanity
2 Corinthians 3:16-18
Alright I like a good surprise. But normally they are at the end of a book. Not this one. It decided to throw it out there on day 3. Threw a kink in the way I think. It shows in scripture that Paul in 1 Corinthians says "Strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ." So why is it not easy peasy to make all of our decisions? Why do we struggle? Then it lays it out. It says we are tethered to the source but we do not always live in the light. We have the ability, we just choose to ignore it. We are not always open to the transformations that God is going to allow us to experience. Something is holding us back. We have to start turning on the light all the time. Not just choosing when it is easy or convenient. We have to open, we have to be learning, we have to be experiencing life change.
Alright I like a good surprise. But normally they are at the end of a book. Not this one. It decided to throw it out there on day 3. Threw a kink in the way I think. It shows in scripture that Paul in 1 Corinthians says "Strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ." So why is it not easy peasy to make all of our decisions? Why do we struggle? Then it lays it out. It says we are tethered to the source but we do not always live in the light. We have the ability, we just choose to ignore it. We are not always open to the transformations that God is going to allow us to experience. Something is holding us back. We have to start turning on the light all the time. Not just choosing when it is easy or convenient. We have to open, we have to be learning, we have to be experiencing life change.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Heart Like Jesus
Colossians 3:9,10
In this section I learned about the characteristics of Jesus' heart. His heart was pure, peaceful, purposeful, and spiritual. All direct and exact characteristics. There is no questioning any of these. Yet when I think of these attributes as applied to my heart there are some questions whether they apply to me 100% of the time with me living them out every step of every day. I was challenged with the question "If your heart was replaced with Jesus' for one day would people notice?" during the introduction to this book. And I think now that I know the characteristic of His compared with mine, the answer would be yes. Yes people would notice. Should they be able to tell? No. We should have our hearts so in sync with the heart of Jesus that no one would notice. I will be challenged to live every opportunity that I encounter on a daily basis with this in mind. Live with the characteristics of the Jesus' heart and your daily walk will be pleasing to the Lord.
(How do the words "in sync" not make you want to get up and dance?)
(Aint no lie, baby, bye bye bye)
In this section I learned about the characteristics of Jesus' heart. His heart was pure, peaceful, purposeful, and spiritual. All direct and exact characteristics. There is no questioning any of these. Yet when I think of these attributes as applied to my heart there are some questions whether they apply to me 100% of the time with me living them out every step of every day. I was challenged with the question "If your heart was replaced with Jesus' for one day would people notice?" during the introduction to this book. And I think now that I know the characteristic of His compared with mine, the answer would be yes. Yes people would notice. Should they be able to tell? No. We should have our hearts so in sync with the heart of Jesus that no one would notice. I will be challenged to live every opportunity that I encounter on a daily basis with this in mind. Live with the characteristics of the Jesus' heart and your daily walk will be pleasing to the Lord.
(How do the words "in sync" not make you want to get up and dance?)
(Aint no lie, baby, bye bye bye)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Be Like Jesus
Philippians 2:5-13
This is all about knowing that God loves you just as you are but refuses to leave you that way. God loves us. That is easy for us to understand. He even loves us in a flawed state. But He refuses to let us stay that way, He has big plans for us and desires for us to have a heart like Jesus. We are to learn about Jesus's heart and desire to transform ourselves to be more like Him. He is humble, He is a servant, He is obedient. We should all strive for that.
God is going to love us no matter what we have in our mouth. We can have dirt or delicacy. Wouldn't we all prefer to have the delicacy that God desires for us? Lets choose to spit out the dirt, let God wash our mouths out, and get a taste of the life He has planned for us.
This is all about knowing that God loves you just as you are but refuses to leave you that way. God loves us. That is easy for us to understand. He even loves us in a flawed state. But He refuses to let us stay that way, He has big plans for us and desires for us to have a heart like Jesus. We are to learn about Jesus's heart and desire to transform ourselves to be more like Him. He is humble, He is a servant, He is obedient. We should all strive for that.
God is going to love us no matter what we have in our mouth. We can have dirt or delicacy. Wouldn't we all prefer to have the delicacy that God desires for us? Lets choose to spit out the dirt, let God wash our mouths out, and get a taste of the life He has planned for us.
Lets Get This Party Started
Alright, confession, I didn't really want to read the new devotional. It is big. It is way bigger and more in depth than the Next Step Guide I was reading. The Next Step Guide was short and right to the point. This one is big and makes you think, pray, reflect, and journal. And I was scared of what it would push me to do. But..... I decided to read the introduction, and Bam, I was hooked. So lets get it going.
If the Next Step Guide had hands this is how I think it would interact with you:
It would gently put its hand on your shoulder to get your attention. Turn you to look into its gentle eyes as to show you it was going to nurture you. Hold your hands as you read the Bible. Gently turn you in the right direction. And then give you a little at-a-boy pat on the back side to encourage you to chase your dreams.
Now, if the Just Like Jesus devotional had hands:
It would grab you by the collar of your shirt and jerk you straight towards it. Stare straight into your eyes with a very deliberate glare to show you it means business. Reach directly into your chest to transform your heart. Grab the core of your body to shake some sense into you. And then thrust you forward, not to point you toward where you were supposed to go, but to force you to take some steps.
Now I'm excited! I was a little nervous as to where this thing was going to go. But now I'm fired up. I read Day 1, and I'm pumped. This thing is going to force me to get real with myself, make some transformations, and get moving.
If the Next Step Guide had hands this is how I think it would interact with you:
It would gently put its hand on your shoulder to get your attention. Turn you to look into its gentle eyes as to show you it was going to nurture you. Hold your hands as you read the Bible. Gently turn you in the right direction. And then give you a little at-a-boy pat on the back side to encourage you to chase your dreams.
Now, if the Just Like Jesus devotional had hands:
It would grab you by the collar of your shirt and jerk you straight towards it. Stare straight into your eyes with a very deliberate glare to show you it means business. Reach directly into your chest to transform your heart. Grab the core of your body to shake some sense into you. And then thrust you forward, not to point you toward where you were supposed to go, but to force you to take some steps.
Now I'm excited! I was a little nervous as to where this thing was going to go. But now I'm fired up. I read Day 1, and I'm pumped. This thing is going to force me to get real with myself, make some transformations, and get moving.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Creativity is Flowing
Well thats it folks. Done with the Next Step Guide. So now I'm ready for whats next, and next, and next. I shared with a friend when I was done with this study that I am truly more blessed now than ever before. I accredit that to starting to dive into scripture, there is something supernatural that takes place when we turn those little thin pages of our Bibles. It was and will continue to be an exciting experience.
So about the title of this post:
I am thrilled that I am a member of a local church that is pushing the limits of creativity. I have seen and experienced things at my church that have truly moved me, and it is all because they are willing to push hard every day. For example, the music is amazing. The guys who sing and write the worship song are great. The people who put together videos for service, they rock. The lighting crew that makes everything run smooth, the are talented. And Pastor Ed, AMAZING!! This guy can take any topic, even the mundane, and make it speak straight to you.
And then this weekend they did it again. Yet again I stand in awe of what they are able to do and God's perfect timing. So I just wrap up the Next Step Guide. Start getting plugged into the Bible, and what do they do? They put together some awesome videos that highlight the scriptures where our worship songs originate from. And then, boom, the message is about the Bible. Seriously? Was this weekend's worship experience designed with me in mind? Thank you Fellowship Church for meeting me right where I am. You inspire to me to elevate myself.
So, what is next? Funny question. I didn't have any idea where this thing was going to go. Kinda worried me a little when I started getting closer to the end of the study. I didn't have anything planned, until the day of Lillian's birthday party. I was on day 22. My grandfather came to my house (I have no idea if he even reads my blog) and when he came in he handed me a 30 day walk with Jesus devotional. Timing is everything. So I can't deny that that's the book I am supposed to read next.
So about the title of this post:
I am thrilled that I am a member of a local church that is pushing the limits of creativity. I have seen and experienced things at my church that have truly moved me, and it is all because they are willing to push hard every day. For example, the music is amazing. The guys who sing and write the worship song are great. The people who put together videos for service, they rock. The lighting crew that makes everything run smooth, the are talented. And Pastor Ed, AMAZING!! This guy can take any topic, even the mundane, and make it speak straight to you.
And then this weekend they did it again. Yet again I stand in awe of what they are able to do and God's perfect timing. So I just wrap up the Next Step Guide. Start getting plugged into the Bible, and what do they do? They put together some awesome videos that highlight the scriptures where our worship songs originate from. And then, boom, the message is about the Bible. Seriously? Was this weekend's worship experience designed with me in mind? Thank you Fellowship Church for meeting me right where I am. You inspire to me to elevate myself.
So, what is next? Funny question. I didn't have any idea where this thing was going to go. Kinda worried me a little when I started getting closer to the end of the study. I didn't have anything planned, until the day of Lillian's birthday party. I was on day 22. My grandfather came to my house (I have no idea if he even reads my blog) and when he came in he handed me a 30 day walk with Jesus devotional. Timing is everything. So I can't deny that that's the book I am supposed to read next.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
He Will Come Back
Day 31
Acts 1:1-11
The Ascension
- This section takes place with Jesus and the 11 apostles talking after He has died. Jesus reveled Himself to the apostles and talked to them for 40 days to tell them stories and prove to them that He was still alive. It was when He was telling them to not concern themselves with God's timing on restoring the kingdom that He rose into the heavens. He ascended up into the sky so that a cloud shielded Him from being seen. This is when two men appeared beside the apostles and said "Why do you stand here looking at the sky?" This same Jesus, that has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. And that is what we believe, and that is why we believe. We know that our Lord ascended into heaven after He died a sacrificial death for our sins. And we know that He will come again. That's it. All the other stuff that we do and learn is the filler in between these 2 absolute truths. We know that there are wars waged and struggles that take place in the middle. But we rest assured knowing that we know the final outcome.
Acts 1:1-11
The Ascension
- This section takes place with Jesus and the 11 apostles talking after He has died. Jesus reveled Himself to the apostles and talked to them for 40 days to tell them stories and prove to them that He was still alive. It was when He was telling them to not concern themselves with God's timing on restoring the kingdom that He rose into the heavens. He ascended up into the sky so that a cloud shielded Him from being seen. This is when two men appeared beside the apostles and said "Why do you stand here looking at the sky?" This same Jesus, that has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. And that is what we believe, and that is why we believe. We know that our Lord ascended into heaven after He died a sacrificial death for our sins. And we know that He will come again. That's it. All the other stuff that we do and learn is the filler in between these 2 absolute truths. We know that there are wars waged and struggles that take place in the middle. But we rest assured knowing that we know the final outcome.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Great Commission
Day 30
Matthew 28:16-20
- Alright this is it. The great commission given by Jesus after His resurrection. And He made it simple. Go make disciples of the nations, baptise them, and teach them. Three simple steps. I don't know about everyone else, but when I think about the Great Commission I think there is going to be some grandiose speech and instructions. But Jesus kept it simple. Don't get me wrong; it is powerful, it is commanding, and it surely isn't an easy task; but He kept it simple. And that is what we are to do. We have to first do those things our self, but then we are called into action to go and make progress and take territory for the kingdom.
Alright I know I kept a major section of scripture simple. That's what He did, so I can follow in His footsteps. Now for the rest of the girls nap time I am going to watch a sermon that I downloaded onto my i-pod. It's titled "Darwin, Disney, and Democrats" should be an interesting one.
Matthew 28:16-20
- Alright this is it. The great commission given by Jesus after His resurrection. And He made it simple. Go make disciples of the nations, baptise them, and teach them. Three simple steps. I don't know about everyone else, but when I think about the Great Commission I think there is going to be some grandiose speech and instructions. But Jesus kept it simple. Don't get me wrong; it is powerful, it is commanding, and it surely isn't an easy task; but He kept it simple. And that is what we are to do. We have to first do those things our self, but then we are called into action to go and make progress and take territory for the kingdom.
Alright I know I kept a major section of scripture simple. That's what He did, so I can follow in His footsteps. Now for the rest of the girls nap time I am going to watch a sermon that I downloaded onto my i-pod. It's titled "Darwin, Disney, and Democrats" should be an interesting one.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Road to Emmaus
Day 29
Luke 24:13-35
Alright back to the next step. Last night I really wanted to get back into my study, but I had to tell myself that it was Sunday and I needed to rest. That is something that my wife and I are trying hard to do, take time to rest. Last night after a weekend of worship and being in God's house I was on a high, I wanted to soak up more of His Word. But I took a step back and now it is time to get going again.
- In these scriptures there are two men walking along the road to Emmaus. They are talking about what had just happened in Jerusalem when the women went to the tomb. They were greeted by a man walking with them, little did they know that this man was Jesus. They talked and bounced questions off each other in a casual conversation. Kinda funny to think about this scenario. These guys were clueless at the time. They didn't know that they were talking to Jesus until He broke bread with them at the dinner table that night. I wish I could have seen the looks they gave each other.
- These were the men that got to go back to the 11 and tell all the people that Jesus was in fact alive. They had seen Him with their own eyes. I bet they RAN the 7 miles back to Jerusalem to tell of the good news. How exciting it is to know that our Lord will use common people to deliver extraordinary news. He trusts every one of us to tell His story and share good news with others. It isn't just a job for pastors, deacons, and other heavy hitters, this job is for us. The common folk that get to tell an uncommon story.
Luke 24:13-35
Alright back to the next step. Last night I really wanted to get back into my study, but I had to tell myself that it was Sunday and I needed to rest. That is something that my wife and I are trying hard to do, take time to rest. Last night after a weekend of worship and being in God's house I was on a high, I wanted to soak up more of His Word. But I took a step back and now it is time to get going again.
- In these scriptures there are two men walking along the road to Emmaus. They are talking about what had just happened in Jerusalem when the women went to the tomb. They were greeted by a man walking with them, little did they know that this man was Jesus. They talked and bounced questions off each other in a casual conversation. Kinda funny to think about this scenario. These guys were clueless at the time. They didn't know that they were talking to Jesus until He broke bread with them at the dinner table that night. I wish I could have seen the looks they gave each other.
- These were the men that got to go back to the 11 and tell all the people that Jesus was in fact alive. They had seen Him with their own eyes. I bet they RAN the 7 miles back to Jerusalem to tell of the good news. How exciting it is to know that our Lord will use common people to deliver extraordinary news. He trusts every one of us to tell His story and share good news with others. It isn't just a job for pastors, deacons, and other heavy hitters, this job is for us. The common folk that get to tell an uncommon story.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Lightning
Day 28
Luke 24:1-12
The Resurrection
- When the women whom had rested to prepare the spices and perfume returned to the tomb, surprise, it was empty. The Son of Man had risen, just as He had told before. The women were greeted by two men whose clothes gleamed like lightning. I have written before that I wonder what our eyes will see. Here it is written the best an earthly person can put words to, their clothes gleamed like lightning. Now that is a vivid picture. When I am even semi-close to lightning I squint because my eyes cant handle what they are trying to process. And here are angels that are clothed in a pure light that shines forever. How can we not be in awe of what is waiting for us?
Luke 24:1-12
The Resurrection
- When the women whom had rested to prepare the spices and perfume returned to the tomb, surprise, it was empty. The Son of Man had risen, just as He had told before. The women were greeted by two men whose clothes gleamed like lightning. I have written before that I wonder what our eyes will see. Here it is written the best an earthly person can put words to, their clothes gleamed like lightning. Now that is a vivid picture. When I am even semi-close to lightning I squint because my eyes cant handle what they are trying to process. And here are angels that are clothed in a pure light that shines forever. How can we not be in awe of what is waiting for us?
Friday, October 2, 2009
Lunch with Mommy
Friday around here mean lunch with mommy. It is something that we look forward to all week. Each Friday we take naps early so that we can go pick up mommy from work and head straight to the pizza shop. Landon get so excited, me too. Its nothing fancy but we love it. Its our little tradition and we wouldn't change it for anything.INRI
Day 27
Luke 23:26-56
- The Crucifixion
What a sad day to read about. There is much pain and many tears on this day in history. The day our Savior was mocked, beaten, and hung with common criminals. But I knew what I was about to read, and today I am reminded that even though we know the story it is still important to re-read these things. I noticed in the text that there were many things that I now see new importance in. Basic teachings that are intertwined in this story. One of the criminals on the cross next to Jesus acknowledges that he had done wrong and takes ownership of it, repents, asks Jesus to save him. Simple. And Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise." Another basic teaching is keeping the sabbath holy. After His death the women who were going to prepare spices and perfume for His tomb stopped and rested on the sabbath. How easy it would be to work right through the day and night when you are preparing the tomb for Jesus, but these women rested.
Luke 23:26-56
- The Crucifixion
What a sad day to read about. There is much pain and many tears on this day in history. The day our Savior was mocked, beaten, and hung with common criminals. But I knew what I was about to read, and today I am reminded that even though we know the story it is still important to re-read these things. I noticed in the text that there were many things that I now see new importance in. Basic teachings that are intertwined in this story. One of the criminals on the cross next to Jesus acknowledges that he had done wrong and takes ownership of it, repents, asks Jesus to save him. Simple. And Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise." Another basic teaching is keeping the sabbath holy. After His death the women who were going to prepare spices and perfume for His tomb stopped and rested on the sabbath. How easy it would be to work right through the day and night when you are preparing the tomb for Jesus, but these women rested.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Double Dose of Fun
Day 25
John 17
- Prayers of Jesus
OK, busted again for having a wandering brain. Yesterday I read my daily reading during the normal girls nap time. But I didn't blog. I got sucked into a podcast that I had downloaded. My plan was to give it a peek and then do some blogging. But right away I was hooked. It was a sermon by Pete Wilson called Religion Lies. The title says it all, shocking and intriguing. Then that led me to checking out his blog. That guy has it going on. So he blogged yesterday about his prayer life, wow, making a circle back to what I had just read about. So back to the prayer of Jesus. This was Jesus' prayer to His Father about Himself, His disciples, and all believers. You can't help but get caught in the majesty of His prayer. It is powerful. Unlike a lot of the other stuff I have been reading this is the first time that I have read this. And I was excited. It charged me up that way back then Jesus Himself said a prayer here on earth for me. Well and for everyone else too. He tells us to become one with other believers just as He and The Father are one. So lets get hooked up and plugged in together and make an impact for the kingdom.
Day 26
Luke 22:47-23:25
- Trials
Now I am back to reading things that I know what is going to happen. And this is one that is hard to read. I know what the end result of the trials of Jesus are going to be. I know that it fulfills what Jesus was to do on earth. I know that without it our sins aren't washed clean by His blood. I know that He knew what was going to happen, and was OK with it. But for me, it still pains me to know that my Savior had to go through this for all of us. We don't deserve what He went through. There were many times after He was taken that He was almost let free. And for us it is easy to wish that He was. But because He wasn't, and because He went through the crucifixion, we are now free. We can embody the freedom that we wished for Him during His trials. We can stand up for Him.
John 17
- Prayers of Jesus
OK, busted again for having a wandering brain. Yesterday I read my daily reading during the normal girls nap time. But I didn't blog. I got sucked into a podcast that I had downloaded. My plan was to give it a peek and then do some blogging. But right away I was hooked. It was a sermon by Pete Wilson called Religion Lies. The title says it all, shocking and intriguing. Then that led me to checking out his blog. That guy has it going on. So he blogged yesterday about his prayer life, wow, making a circle back to what I had just read about. So back to the prayer of Jesus. This was Jesus' prayer to His Father about Himself, His disciples, and all believers. You can't help but get caught in the majesty of His prayer. It is powerful. Unlike a lot of the other stuff I have been reading this is the first time that I have read this. And I was excited. It charged me up that way back then Jesus Himself said a prayer here on earth for me. Well and for everyone else too. He tells us to become one with other believers just as He and The Father are one. So lets get hooked up and plugged in together and make an impact for the kingdom.
Day 26
Luke 22:47-23:25
- Trials
Now I am back to reading things that I know what is going to happen. And this is one that is hard to read. I know what the end result of the trials of Jesus are going to be. I know that it fulfills what Jesus was to do on earth. I know that without it our sins aren't washed clean by His blood. I know that He knew what was going to happen, and was OK with it. But for me, it still pains me to know that my Savior had to go through this for all of us. We don't deserve what He went through. There were many times after He was taken that He was almost let free. And for us it is easy to wish that He was. But because He wasn't, and because He went through the crucifixion, we are now free. We can embody the freedom that we wished for Him during His trials. We can stand up for Him.
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