Mk 12:10,11 “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”.
Jesus doesn’t fit into our lives, but we can build our life around Him. He is that odd shape that will not be conformed or reshaped to fit into a God box that we have built , but we can completely trust that he is solid and secure and we can use Him to build our lives on, but we must shape ourselves to fit to Him, not the other way around.
(Originally posted 11/02/12)
I’ve got some good news.
I opened my bible this morning intending to continue reading in Psalms but opened to Isaiah 61. Isaiah 61 is the Gospel ministry spelled out in the Old Testament.
“61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.”
This is good news.
I am spiritually poor. My debt has been paid in Jesus.
I am broken-hearted. For my own situation and for the people of my world. There is help and healing and comfort in Jesus.
I am captive to sin. And sometimes held chained in darkness. Jesus can set me free. Jesus brings light into my world. Light shows me my depravity and also shows me the way out.
I’m not sure what the year of the Lords favor is. I think it might be the year of jubilee. That is where all debt is wiped clean. Anything mortgaged or pawned is returned. I would love a day of that. Can you imagine a year of that? No debt unpaid. Everyone reset to zero. Financially it would be incredible, spiritually it is life changing.
I mourn the loss of family. I mourn the loss of innocence and purity. I mourn for those lost and and alone. I mourn for those enslaved by addiction of any kind. I mourn the victims of abuse, the breakup of homes and families. I mourn. Jesus brings comfort to me.
Beauty for ashes. This part is special to me. I am ashes. I was burned as a child, my dad said my nose was a black cinder. He feared it would be gone. When my bandages came off my nose was there. All of it. I feared that I would never find a woman to love me but then one day while I was still a youth I met Mary and she has been the beauty that I traded my ashes for. Jesus provided love through my loss.
I have a family history. It’s not all good. There is abuse and alcoholism and pornography and fights and divorce and pain and base humanness. Jesus has come to restore brokenness that is generational. Walls broken down for decades, for centuries can be restored. Family sins, family patterns of abuse and pain can end now in Jesus.
“delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.”
Jesus has come to bring good news. That’s what the word gospel means, good news. We are forgiven and free in the covering Jesus provides us.
God loves us and longs for a relationship with us. The one who built everything we see and know, who created us , has also redeemed us. He has bought us out of slavery. That’s good news.
(Originally posted 11/01/16)
How do I get back?
Part of my job is to design operator interfaces. It’s a screen that symbolizes our factory process. I build it from pre-drawn pieces and parts. Last week I was drawing a pipe and I needed a tee. There was a tee on the page already but it was pointed in the wrong direction. I clicked on it, went to the properties window and I adjusted the rotation angle. I punched in 180 and suddenly a tee that was useless became useful. It was now headed in the right direction.
Sometimes in life we need to have our rotation angle adjusted.
“11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
I sometimes stumble and fall. I rely on Gods grace to forgive me one more time.
I read psalm 100 and it reminded me of this sweet reunion when the prodigal son returns.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
We have father who loves us and his son who died for us to pay for all our mistakes. If we find ourselves far away from home and disconnected from our heavenly Father, let’s go home to the father and celebrate together. We may have to get turned around first (repent), but God is waiting and watching for us to come home.
Acts 24
In jail for two years and no end in sight.
I kind of wonder what happened to the 40 men who vowed not to eat until they killed Paul? (Chapter 23). Two years without food can make a person hungry. And dead.
The high priest Ananias was there to accuse Paul. This is the same guy who had Jesus crucified. It was personal. The “sect” just wouldn’t go away. This group of people who believe that a man named Jesus was actually God in the flesh. And they believe that his death holds some spiritual significance. That it pays for sin. Only sacrifices pay for sin. Only a perfect sacrifice will actually wash away, forgive, sin. They said Jesus’ death was that, the perfect sacrifice. They also say that he didn’t stay dead. You just can’t keep a good man down and you just can’t keep a God-man dead. That’s what they say. That’s what they believe.
Ananias couldn’t crush the sect. No one has been able to. WE are still here. This sect that believes in a God-man who died for our sins and now lives forever.
He loves us enough to die for us. He loves you. Join us.
(Originally posted 10/30/19)
Acts 23
Paul has a meeting with the boss.
The boss takes this time to encourage Paul. We don’t have a record of very many encounters with Jesus after he was taken into heaven. This makes this significant.
“11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”’
Not a lot of detail in the message but the journey is laid out. Paul will end up in Rome. Paul will tell his story at every step and at every stop. Soldiers, governors, Sanhedrin, rulers and servants will all hear about Jesus through Paul.
Us too. We get to hear his story because Luke wrote it down.
Thanks Luke. Thanks Paul. Thank you Jesus.
(Originally posted 10/29/15)
Who is this God we serve?
Psalm 89 starts out with praise of God. It talks about how awesome He is. How he is the creator of everything and then it reminds God of his promises to King David and his line.
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
4 ‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.’”[c]
“11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
12 You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
13 Your arm is endowed with power;
your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.”
So God is good, he is powerful, he is creative and creator. He has promised special favors. Good good good. Yes.
But here’s the problem. Life is in shambles. Enemies have attacked and are tearing up home. Literally destroying and killing.
Now what? Why go through the process of recounting the goodness of God and his promises before telling God about the destroyer in the backyard banging on your door?
When we are reminding God of his power and his promises are we really reminding him? Does he forget? I think we are the forgetters. But it also sets up why we can expect anything more out of life than scraping up enough food to stay alive, procreating, getting sick and dying like animals. Aren’t we just animals? Not according to God. We wouldn’t know who we are or what we are or what more there was to life without Gods word. Reminding him reminds us that he is Almighty God. He is not some mighty, a little mighty, sort of mighty he is All Mighty. He is creator. He is sustainer. He is the maker and keeper of promises. Why did the psalmist have hope or expectations of David’s lineage? Because God said so. So what? We all make grandiose statements sometimes. God is the only one who can promise and keep his promises, all of his promises.
We can turn to God. We can vent. But while venting I will try to also say why I expect more from my existence. I have seen and heard God working. I have read his proclamation of love for me and for a sick and dying world and so now I have hope for more out of life.
“46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how fleeting is my life.
For what futility you have created all humanity!
48 Who can live and not see death,
or who can escape the power of the grave?
49 Lord, where is your former great love,
which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has[g] been mocked,
how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.
52 Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.”
Acts 21
Was Paul brave or was he stubborn?
In my mind the answer is yes. He was both brave and stubborn but he had a third quality that was at work here. He was trusting, he trusted God for his life and trusted his life to God.
“10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”’
Paul went on to Jerusalem. He went to the temple and there was beaten by a mob and arrested by a Roman commander.
We can only imagine what the world and Christianity would be like without Paul, his message to the people then and his message to us now. He wrote most of the New Testament 13 books. Much of that he wrote from prison.
Paul wrote in Romans 8: “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.”
God can use whatever situation we are in, and wherever we are for the good. Not just for our own good but for the good of the world. Jesus died to save the world, the people of the world. You and me, Us and our neighbors.
Good news. God loves us, died for us, lives again and is waiting to use us to enlarge his kingdom.
When is God worthy of praise? If he is who he says he is? Always. All of the time.
One of the many reasons I am still in love with my wife Mary is that she is an encourager. She is actively looking for the positive in people and in our life. With God you don’t have to search long to find something to praise. He is THE God. The almighty, the wise one, the one who knows, the one who loves, the one who forgives. It’s like looking at a diamond and trying to decide which facet is my favorite. It’s all good. It’s all beautiful. He is all good. He is all beautiful.
Life isn’t always a great place to be. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it’s hard to keep going anticipating more of the same. But God is always good. He is always just. He is always loving. He is always compassionate. He is always all of the things he is. Like the sun is always shining, even on a cloudy day. Someday the sun will burn out but God will still be there being who he is and has been.
Psalm 86 is a plea for help but is dripping with praise for this God we worship. Why? Because he’s worth it.
“1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.”
I hope for us all that no matter what situation we are in today that we can pause just a moment and look at God and tell Him what we see in Him. Be honest. He can take it. An honest prayer of frustration is better than a fake prayer of praise. I believe He is worthy of praise, but I also know there is pain and hurt that we don’t understand and it can filter our view of Him like the clouds block the sun and make everything look shadowy and sad. I know he loves us. I know he loves me. I know he loves you.
How do I know that? Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, (Jesus) that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(Originally posted 10/27/16)
Sometimes when I’m hurt or angry I don’t go to Jesus first. I know what he will say, forgive as you have been forgiven. I don’t want to forgive, I was wronged or damaged or disappointed and it hurts. I want to be coddled and soothed and petted and sided with. I have unmet expectations and the world is not serving me like it should.
That’s a dangerous place to be. There is someone who will cuddle me and soothe me and take my side. He is no friend. He is the enemy of my soul. He wants me to build a case, build a wall, build my resentment, build my anger all the while he wants to tear me down, tear me away, tear me apart. He will do anything it takes to keep me from remembering Jesus’ words, “12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Matthew 6:12,14-15
If he succeeds in getting me to stumble, then he has a wedge between God and me. Now not only am I angry but now I am also ashamed. I want to cleanse myself before I approach God but there is no way to pre-rinse the stain of sin.
Jesus always meets me where I am. Meets me in my need.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8
If you who are reading this are stuck in the hurt/anger/sin/shame cycle too, let us both jump off of this not-so-merry-go-round and ask forgiveness and also be forgiven. I also want to go back up the path of my life and see where I can begin to apply God’s word in my life so I can avoid this Nauseating cycle.
Jesus forgive me. I also forgive those who’ve hurt me. Help me avoid this cycle Jesus, show me in your word how to live better. Amen?
(Originally posted 10/26/17)
Psalm 77 written by Asaph. 
He was suffering from insomnia and here is what he did.
““Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
13 Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.”
There is much trouble today. I need to remember that God remains the same. The same God that rescued the Israelites through (not around) the Red Sea, brought them through, (not around) the flood swollen Jordan river is working in my world today.
I’m not feeling strong or brave or even awake yet but I have this growing hope that God will be with me today.
I was wondering what I should add to this and that verse, God graciously giving us all things, if God is for us etc. I couldn’t remember where it was. Romans 8:28? I opened my bible randomly to start to find it and opened to the page. So here it is:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sometimes my faith feels like a month old get well balloon. It barely has enough gas to stay afloat. I need a refill. These verses help fill me back up. I hope they do the same for you.
(Originally posted 10/24/2016)
In my estimation the next section of Matthew 27 records the second most important thing to ever happen in human history.
“On their way out of the city they met a man called Simon, a native of Cyrene in Africa, and they compelled him to carry Jesus’ cross. Then when they came to a place called Golgotha they offered him a drink of wine mixed with some bitter drug (or vinegar mixed with gall or myrrh in other versions of the New Testament), but when he had tasted it he refused to drink. And when they had nailed him to the cross they shared out his clothes by drawing lots. Then they sat down to keep guard over him. And over his head they put a placard with the charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Now two bandits were crucified with Jesus at the same time, one on either side of him. The passers-by nodded knowingly and called out to him, in mockery, “Hi, you who could pull down the Temple and build it up again in three days—why don’t you save yourself? If you are the Son of God, step down from the cross!” The chief priests also joined the scribes and elders in jeering at him, saying, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! If this is the king of Israel, why doesn’t he come down from the cross now, and we’ll believe him! He trusted in God… let God rescue him if He will have anything to do with him! For he said, ‘I am God’s son’.” Even the bandits who were crucified with him hurled abuse at him. Then from midday until three o’clock darkness spread over the whole countryside, and then Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Some of those who were standing there heard these words which Jesus spoke in Aramaic—Eli (or Eloi), Eli lama sabachthani?, and said, “This man is calling for Elijah!” And one of them ran off and fetched a sponge, soaked it in vinegar and put it on a long stick and held it up for him to drink. But the others said, “Let him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.” But Jesus gave one more great cry, and died. And the sanctuary curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The ground shook, rocks split and graves were opened. (A number of bodies of holy men who were asleep in death rose again. They left their graves after Jesus’ resurrection and entered the holy city and appeared to many people.) When the centurion and his company who were keeping guard over Jesus saw the earthquake and all that was happening they were terrified. “Indeed he was the son of God!” they said. There were many women at the scene watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to his needs. Among them was Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”
Matthew 27:32-33,36,38,45,47,51,54-55
It is the second most important because without THE most important thing, the second doesn’t matter at all. Jesus was a good man. Many good men have died. Jesus was an innocent man. Many innocent men have died. Jesus died for a cause. Many men have died for a cause.
The second most important and miraculous thing Jesus did was die.
The upper most important miraculous thing Jesus did? Jesus rose from the dead. One act without the other makes both unspectacular. You can’t rise from the dead without dying first so the two events are inseparable.
Without Jesus dying, our sins are unforgiven. Without Jesus rising from the dead there is no power at work and he was just a nice guy who came to an unfortunate end.
He did die. He died not for his crimes or sins, he died for my sins, for our sins, for all sin for all time.
Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 –
In his letter to the Romans Paul says this, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:6-11
When Jesus died, he became our sin. His death wiped away all of it. When Jesus died he showed how much he loves us, how far he is willing to go to provide forgiveness for us. When Jesus died, he took our punishment away.
When Jesus rose from the grave he showed his great power and his defeat of death.
Jesus has defeated our two greatest enemies, sin and death and he has bridged the gap between us and God so that we can be welcomed back into God’s presence again.
It is all a conversation (some would say a prayer) away. God has arranged it all, we just need to accept and show up.
This morning I received an email with a confirmation of my travel to Dalian China for our company. It’s all paid for, I just have to show up at the gate and show my passport. This Jesus thing is like that. All paid for. Just show up.
(Originally posted 10/23/15)
I originally posted this in October 2015. I don’t remember what the weather was like then. This morning it is is cold and foggy. My joints are aching and I am not looking forward to the 17 mile trip to work in fog. But God has a purpose for me today. He has a plan and purpose for each one of us. May our day be blessed and encouraged as we venture out into this October chill and put our hand to whatever God has planned for us.
Acts 18
The homespun chapter.
There is still much travel. We start out in Athens and then travel to Corinth, Ephesus, Caesarea and Antioch. How can this be the homespun chapter?
The chapter talks about making new friends, meeting Priscilla and Aquila, meeting Apollos. And old friends reunited- Timothy and Silas rejoin the team. Then it also talks about just living life, making tents.
“2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.”
I like this chapter. Maybe because it shows real life. Maybe because it shows friendship and fellowship, maybe because it shows discipleship and inclusion,maybe because God speaks encouragement. But I think mostly because it shows that Christianity isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. It’s a part of a life, a real life.
I know I haven’t arrived. I’m not done learning, growing or failing. I haven’t outgrown the need for grace and forgiveness. Thank you Jesus that you know me and love me and forgive me. Forgive me.
Save, heal, protect and bless my friends and family. Become more real to us Jesus.
Acts 15
One very joyous thing happens and one very sad thing happens. But the sad thing has good results.
Back in Acts 13:13 there is an event mentioned that I didn’t talk about. The helper and assistant to Paul and Barnabas left the mission trip to go back home. His name was John, also called Mark.
Now here in chapter 15 Barnabas wants to let john Mark rejoin the team but Paul refuses.
“37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.”
It’s hard to see partnerships break up. When I was 14 I discovered the dynamic duo of Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon. It was 1974. The group quit singing together in 1970. I was so sad to find out this new thing I found was already over. There would be no new material.
I hate breakups. In show biz here have been many duos that split up. Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were a childhood favorite. Frequently one party continues upward and onward and the other lapses into obscurity. After this split Barnabas is not heard of again in scripture although John Mark goes on to write the first If the four Gospels. The gospel of Mark. We hear of him later in a letter written by Paul.
If fame and notoriety were the goal then Barnabas blew it. He disappeared. But his protege continued in the faith. Fame was not his goal. Telling people about Jesus and encouraging young believers was what he was all about. That we see in the later life of John Mark is a sign that he probably continued doing just that.
Change isn’t bad. The end of one thing in this case is the beginning of two new things. Instead of 1 group of 3 there were 2 groups of 2. Jesus would be preached in 2 areas at the same time.
The joyous thing is that the church leadership got together to discuss what the rules are for gentile believers, (that’s me) and the list of rules are:
“28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.”
The christian life is simple but it isn’t easy.
Psalm 69 vs 32 &33
I’ve been sick for a couple of days and I’ve used my early morning hours for sleep rather than study or devotions. On Monday before I got sick I read Psalm 69. It was on my reading list because of the messianic prophecies.
There are four verses from this Psalm that Jesus fulfilled through his life, ministry and death.
Vs4 “Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me with lies, demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.”
Psalm 69:4 -NLT
Fulfilled as he hung from a cross dying. Accused of crimes he did not commit.
Vs8 “Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me; they treat me like a stranger.”
Psalm 69:8 – NLT
Fulfilled at the cross, he was abandoned by his followers and his family. Only his mother and a few other women and his disciple John were there.
“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.”
John 19:25-27 – NLT
Vs9 “Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
Psalm 69:9 – NLT
Fulfilled when he was 12 and was left behind in Jerusalem by his family. They found him in the temple discussing scripture with the priests and elders. Then again as an adult, he cleansed the temple of the money changers.
Vs 21 “But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.
Psalm 69:21 – NLT
Fulfilled at the cross John 19:28.
“Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:28-30 – NLT
These verses show that Jesus is the one promised, the one hoped for, the messiah, our messiah, my messiah.
But wait, there’s more!
I was personally encouraged to read these verses below.
“The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged. For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people.”
Psalm 69:32-33 – NLT
I am not in prison but because of debt I am not free either. As the proverb says the borrower is a slave to the lender. I am morally and fiscally obligated to my debtors to remain employed and repay my debts. Things changed at work recently and I no longer have overtime. It’s a substantial drop in pay. Now although the debt stayed the same, the bills loom larger because the pay got smaller. We are having to work on our faith, not blind faith that says it will all work out but focused faith in the God who spoke and world and planets were formed, who created light, who heals the sick and raises the dead, who has his people, not walk around but walk through a sea on dry ground, who has provided for Mary and I day in and day out. I have had faith, faith in myself, faith in the status quo, and in some measure of faith in God but my faith in God has weakened with inactivity. Like working on a weak muscle, the only way to strengthen a weakness is to exercise it. Here we go, God make me stronger and God, supply all we need to pay our bills and keep food on the table, a roof over our heads and clothes on our bodies. “He hears the cry of the needy. “
Another phrase of the verse stuck out to me, “will see their God at work”. I believe what the writer meant is that we will see God working, but could it also mean that I will see God at my work place, in other people, or see him doing stuff “at work”?
That seems to interconnect with a memory verse I’ve been working on. Philippians 4:5 “let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near”. With this verse to I’ve been looking at it in more than one way. “The Lord is near”, I need to be gentle with people because my Lord and God is observing me. He is near me for my good, and to keep me aimed in the right direction. Like a good and watchful Father. There’s that way and another way, “the Lord is near”, near as in he is coming back, I need to be gentle with people because Jesus will be back soon and I have a job to tell people about him, in a gentle loving way. Mercy triumphs over judgement. I’m contemplating both of these aspects of this verse while I spend my days at work.
In all circumstances and over all our lives, thank you God for your heart of care and concern for me, for us. You are near. Provide for us God, financially and also lead us into the fields of yours that are “ripe unto harvest”.
Acts 14
The cities change but the message never changes. It is the good news that all of our sins are forgiven through the sacrificial death of Jesus. 
Timex watches had a slogan, “takes a licking and keeps on ticking”. They were tough. The energizer bunny uses the power within his batteries to outlast the competition. Paul and his companion appear here as both Timex tough and energizer empowered.
Jews and Gentiles (we are all one or the other) all have the same gift from God. Jesus is the savior for everyone, for every one. Jesus is the savior for every Jew. Jesus is also the savior for every gentile.
This chapter is encouraging to me, not just because a great number believed in every town they went, and not just because miracles followed them, but because they just kept on going.
“8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”
Not just that but also because not everyone accepted the good news, in fact Paul was stoned and left for dead by a crowd who opposed the message of good news.
“19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.”
They just kept preaching. I sometimes determine whether or not I’m doing the will of God with the opposition test. No opposition to little opposition means I am in Gods will, opposition means try something else but that isn’t what we see here. When opposition came they changed locations but not vocations and message stays the same. Jesus came to save sinners.
“21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.”
I don’t think that God is asking me to travel and share his message for a vocation. I think God is saying through this text that the opposition test is not a valid test.
Share the good news everywhere I go and don’t be deterred by opposition.
That’s what I’m hearing. What are you hearing?
(Originally posted 10/18/15)
Acts 13
What did Paul look like? I’d like to think that he looked Tom Hanks, medium build, handsome, friendly, approachable. But what if he looked like Woody, not the doll, but the actor writer, director Woody Allen? It’s more likely. He was Jewish. What about Barnabus?who did Barnabus look like? I think of Patrick Warburton. The voice of Kronk in the emperors new groove.
Now with that picture in mind read the chapter.
“Acts 13:2-5New International Version (NIV)
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
On Cyprus
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.”
Saul changes his name to Paul. And he begins to do what he was created for, build out and build up the Church.
“9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”
Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.”
“15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!”
Paul then goes onto do a very thorough explanation of the person and mission of Jesus.
The Jewish people would reject him and so he immediately began to speak to the gentile population.
I think that Paul was a small man in stature but a giant in intellect, in passion and in purpose.
He jumped into the new role of traveling evangelist with everything he had and everything that he was.
So a guy who looked like Woody Allen and a guy who looked like Patrick Warburton walked into a synagogue….and the world would never be the same.
“49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus use me to change the part of the world that you have set me in.
Of course their is no way of knowing what these men of God looked like and some people might be offended that I use Woody Allen as an example because of some of his choices. Sorry. That’s what I see in my brain. Besides, what would Woody Allen be like if he knew Jesus? can you imagine? He might be like Paul.
(Originally posted 10/17/15)
I don’t know what your view of God is. My default view is, and It really shouldn’t be as long as I’ve known him and as faithful as he has been and is being, that he is cool and distant.
Psalm 103 paints a picture that shows a better and more accurate description of who God is.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!
Psalm 103:8-18 -NLT
I need to take a snapshot of this view of God and paste it up in my head, heart and soul so that I remember who God is. He is my father, tender and compassionate. With a love for me, for us, that remains forever.
Acts 10
And the rest…..
Here is where we come in.
Up to this point in the story Christianity was as a sect of Judaism. God had other plans. God had bigger plans. God had plans that would eventually include me, not exclude me.
“34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
Jesus had said that they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, the city, Judea, the area, Samaria, the area next door, and the utter most parts of the world, and the rest. I think that they were thinking geographically. That they would travel and tell their story to the Jews in the utter most parts of the world but God wasn’t talking about land masses. He didn’t come to save the land masses. He didn’t come to just save Jewish people. Jesus came to save the masses. Jesus came to save the masses that are messes. I am one one. I am one of the mass that is a mess. I am a sinner. I’ve done things. but more than that, I still, even after accepting Jesus as my savior want to stray away. My heart is self centered and bent on wanting what it wants. Jesus knew all that and he died for me.
Because of Cornelius and his family, and Peters obedience I can be welcomed into the family of God without becoming a Jew first. I don’t know all of the details but The process was not easy and would leave a convert always on the outside.
Bob Denver wanted equal billing for all of the characters on Gilligans Isle. The theme song during the first season didn’t mention the names of two supporting cast members, it said ” and the rest”. Again I don’t know all the details but after the first season we get to sing, “the professor and Maryanne,”. Because God so loved the world, the masses of people not the masses of land, he gave his only Son that whosoever would believe in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life.
Good news for ALL of us. In Gods song of salvation our names can be included.
(Originally posted 10/14/15)
Acts 9
Saul/Paul’s conversion.
“9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.”
The word ‘tool’ has gotten a new use. We now say someone is a tool and it means something bad. Not in my garage, not in my daily life, (I’m an electrician by trade), not in my vocabulary. A tool is what you use to get things done. I have one tool called an 11 in 1, which is a screw driver with 8 bits a 3 sizes of nut drivers. As an electrician It is indispensable.
Chapter 9 has stories of 4 men who were tools in Gods hands. Each used in specific ways for specific tasks.
Ananias, used to minister to death threatening Saul. To heal him, baptize him and teach him. To accept him and bring him into fellowship.
Saul, who’s heart was changed on the road to Damascus. He immediately began to teach that Jesus was exactly who he said he was, the messiah and there was no turning back for Saul or for anyone Saul would encounter.
There was Barnabas, his name means “son of encouragement”. He was used to befriend Saul and bring him into fellowship in Jerusalem. I imagine him as a Yukon Cornelius type who brought the bumble into Christmas castle just in time to put up the star. An encourager, an includer, a bold and fearless follower of Jesus who knew that Jesus can change the heart of a man.
And then we have Peter. Everywhere he goes miracles happen. The sick are healed, the lame walk and even the dead are raised to life.
I hope that I am a tool. Only in the best sense. Jesus use me to tell about you. You have forgiven all of my sins. You have changed me so much already but I am still in process. Continue the process you started in me and use me.
I want to be a Christian 11 in 1.
(Originally posted 10/13/15)
“Del, It’s a gift…. ”
That’s what Neal Page tells his friend Del Griffith when Del frets about repaying a debt. (Planes, Trains and Automobiles)
Being indebted to someone or something is a terrible place to be. I got money from the US. Government to go to college. I don’t have to ever pay it back because it was a grant. That’s what you do when you give something of value to a person when you know they can’t repay you. It’s a gift. It’s a grant. No payments, no interest, free. A gift.
That is what God has done for us in Jesus. He has gifted, granted, graced us with forgiveness. It’s a debt we cannot pay. Our sin is a stain that we are powerless to wash away. We can’t pay for it. We cannot clean it up or cover it with a pile of good deeds.
Do you know what God calls our good deeds? He calls them filthy rags (think used feminine protection). Our good deeds look like used tampons to God. How can we ever expect to pay for our sins with used tampons?
The good news is we don’t have to. “Though our sins be as scarlet, he will wash them whiter than snow”.
We cannot pay for a gift. If a gift is a gift then it is free.
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:4-10
We are forgiven by the grace of God.
(your name, my name here)It’s a gift.
(Originally posted 10-13-19)
Peter’s Posts 