Boating with the Father...

4.19.12

Mark 5:40 NLT

"The he asked them, 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

If you read chapter 5 of the book of Mark in the New Testament than you'll find that Jesus is asking the question above after he has just calmed a storm. Now what we may not take the time to realize is that the storm that he calmed was not just a little rain shower. He and his disciples were out in the middle of a lake and the wind and the waves were so bad that the disciples were afraid that the boat was going to be sunk and they would all drown.

While this huge storm was overtaking the boat the story says that Jesus slept in the bottom of the boat. The disciples run up to Jesus freaking out that they're going to die and they don't know what to do. I would have loved to have been there to see Jesus' face when they woke him up. (I don't wake well when I've been asleep so I would have liked to have seen how Jesus handled that)

Jesus gets up and calms the storm with one simple sentence "SILENCE, BE STILL!!!!" After that he turns to his disciples and asks the question in verse 40 of chapter 5. He is basically asking them do you guys not get who you are with right now? That a simple storm is not going to keep me from fulfilling my Father's plan. He is reminding them that no storm is more powerful than the power of God.

The disciples needed to be reminded that when they decided to follow Jesus that they are walking with someone who says that nothing and no one is going to stand against them. I believe when he said to the wind and waves "SILENCE, BE STILL!!" he was saying that to the disciples at the same time. He wanted their hearts to find comfort and peace in the fact that they were on the boat with their protector and their shield.

In the book of Psalms in the 46th chapter, tenth verse it says "Be still and know that I am God..." How often do we fear what is going to happen us? How often do we try to figure out the future before we even realize that when we decided to follow Jesus that we decided to get on the boat with our protector and our shield. How often do we let the wind and the waves of what is happening around us distract us from the fact that Jesus is with us? How often do the winds and waves keep us from being still and know he is GOD???

Jesus wants us to realize that he is for us and with us. He wants us to have faith that he is for us and not against us. He doesn't want the winds and waves of life to distract us from him. He wants to draw us closer and closer to him.

This doesn't mean that if you follow Jesus that your life is going to be perfect and never experience winds and waves again, but it does mean that when the winds and waves of our lives hit the decks of our boats we shouldn't be distracted because Jesus is along for the ride. We follow a God that is not just for us, but that is with us. He calms storms because he is our shield and our protector.

Thought question: What distracts you from the fact that Jesus has your back? When is the last time you felt Jesus saying to you "Silence, be still and know that I am God"?

It hurts so good....

4.16.12

Jeremiah 4:19 NLT

"My heart, my heart-- I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still."

When I get away and spend time with God I always like to dive into scripture as well as pray. When I am reading I usually choose a book to focus on and read through. Over the last couple of weeks I have been digging into the book of Jeremiah. It always amazes me what I can learn about a person in the scriptures in just the first few chapters of a book.

When God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, his first response is to say "No way, I'm too young". God's response is to tell him to relax and remember that I'm going with you. After Jeremiah comes to his senses and agrees God explains to him that the people of Israel and Judah have turned their backs on Him. He describes in detail how they have given up and began to worship fake idols and false gods. God equates their lack of faith, to adultery towards Him. He wants so desperately for Jeremiah to reach the people with the power of salvation in the one true God.

As God describes to Jeremiah all that is happening, he can't help but respond back. In chapter four of the book of Jeremiah we read that Jeremiah is responding to God and his first sentiment, through tears, is that he is writhing in pain knowing that the people of God have turned their backs on the Lord. He says he is WRITHING in pain knowing this fact. So much so that he can't even sit still it is hurting him so bad.

God instilled, in Jeremiah, a heart that yearns for his countrymen to come back to God, to stop turning their backs on the one true God that offers salvation. His heart isn't just aware of the fact that God's people are rejecting Him, the scripture says he is in tremendous pain knowing it. He wants desperately for them to know the salvation that only God offers. With love in his heart he wants the people of Israel and Judah to know the truth.

I believe that the book of Jeremiah is a good charge for those of us who are walking in a relationship with Jesus Christ. This book paints a picture of how God wants us to yearn for those around us to know about and walk in a relationship with Jesus. We should not be able to sit still knowing that there are people in our everyday life far from the Lord.

I want to encourage you all to think about who you can be praying for and inviting to church. Who is it in your life that is far from the Lord? Who is it that your heart is writhing for? When you think about where you work, your neighborhood or maybe even in your own family, who is it that God has called you to tell about Him?

We don't have to win the argument about who Jesus Christ is and what He's done. He did the work, He's proven who He is, but we should have a heart to share it with people. This can be done by the way pray with each other, care for each other and love those who matter to God, which is every single person that has ever lived. Our burden should be the same burden that God has, and that is for those who are far from Him to come closer and closer to a Father whose arms are always open ready to love His children.

Do we spend more time asking God what He can do for us or more time asking what we can do for Him?

Thought question: What weighs the heaviest on your heart? Do you ever pray that God would help you realize who you need to reach with love?

Just one text...

4.05.12

Hebrews 10:24

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,"

I have never been one to text. I'll be quite honest I used to avoid texting at all costs. I would much rather call someone or go see them. I am finding more and more though that it is almost impossible to avoid texting in today's day and age. With the growth of the "smart phone" in the world, texting has become common place. It has replaced the hand written love note between students on the bus on the way home from school. We all remember that note, "Do you like me? Check Yes, No or Maybe. Now it's "Do you like me? Text 1-for Yes 2- for No or 3- for you'll know by my Facebook status later".

All that said I am beginning to embrace texting. That isn't to say I still don't prefer a nice phone call or the occasional unannounced drop by visit, but I am have begun to text more and more. I've come to realize that a well placed text in the middle of the day can be exactly what they need. It doesn't have to say much, but it can be the difference between someone having a horrible day and an amazing day. Sometimes it is exactly the kind of encouragement that someone needs. Just a one line "Hey thinking about you" or "Praying for you" can absolutely change someone's perspective on their day. For someone it may be as simple as "Hey I would love to have you come to church with me this Sunday" or "Hey when are we doing lunch?"

Everyone wants to know that they are being thought of and everyone wants to be told they are thought of and cared for. I believe it is our job, as we walk with Christ, that we spur one another on toward love and good deeds. What I am being reminded of is that God can use something as simple as a text message to bring joy into someone's day. It could be one simple message that can be what spurs them on that particular day. My encouragement to everyone today is to be the one today to spur someone else on toward love and good deeds. Be the light in a dark day. Be bold enough to send that little text message that might spur someone on. You never know you may be exactly what God will use to help them press on. I believe that is what it means to consider "how" to spur one another on. Due whatever it takes to encourage someone, and realize that it may be as simple as a short text message.

Technology is replacing a lot of what "used to be", but that doesn't mean that God can't still use these things for HIS advantage.

Thought question: Is there someone that you know that could use a great encouragement today? Is there someone out there waiting for YOUR text that invites them to something? How can you spur someone on today with something as simple as a text message?