Peter’s Posts

Long term or short term solutions? Why not both?

Matthew 9 starts out with the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man. There is more details about the story in Mark 2 and Luke 5. The mans friends were so determined to get their sick buddy to Jesus that they hauled him up to the roof, made a hole, rigged some ropes, and lowered their buddy down from the ceiling. Kind of like a reverse jewel heist.

“Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”’

(Matthews version is underwhelming in suspense and drama. )

I wonder what his friends thought about going through all the trouble to get their buddy to Jesus, only for Jesus to forgive his sin. But the story continues.

“3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.”

My long term problem is the sin that separates me from God. If it isn’t taken care by the time I die I will go to hell. My short term problems, health, wealth (or lack of), clothing, shelter, they are what I pray about, what I worry about, what consumes my focus and energy but the real problem of sin is much more serious.

As I’m writing this I’m listening to an icy wind howling outside. It’s 19 degrees with a 9 mph wind. According to my weather ap It feels like 8 degrees. It reminds me of the harshness of our world and how real our problems are. Life can seem long but it’s measured in years. Death and what comes after? We can’t measure because you can’t measure something that continues forever. Eternity is eternal.

Is it easier for Jesus to heal me or forgive me? Which is more important? Healing seems very important when I’m sick but Since healing will only last my lifetime how important is it? Forgiving my sin will change my life for now and forever.

I am so grateful that I can go to Jesus and be forgiven and ask for healing. I know I will be forgiven, I don’t know if I’ll be healed. I think I’m still getting what’s important.

But wait, there’s more…

How many times have we heard that line in a TV ad?

The next story in Matthew 8 is about Jesus healing 2 demon possessed men that lived in tombs.

When I read it through I was distracted by the fact that Matthew talks about two men but when Mark and Luke tell the story they only mention one.

I did some extra research and read what the experts had to say. While reading about that, one expert mentioned the fact that while Jesus was in the midst of a successful ministry time, crowds were gathering, he hopped in a boat and went to the very place where two men who were being tormented by a demonic legion lived. No one could contain these guys. Not only were they busting ropes, they were breaking chains. If they couldn’t be contained then they also couldn’t be helped. Jesus dropped everything and crossed a lake in a storm to get to These men.

“28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[c] two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.”

Jesus knows us, knows our troubles. He knows where we are and what we are going through and how to set us free and is able to set us free. No matter who or what or how many, Jesus can set us free. These men were not able to be held prisoner by anything but were in fact enslaved by evil. Jesus set them free with a a word. He said to the legion, “go!” And they went.

I want add just a little from Luke’s telling of the story.

“34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

Jesus can restore us. He can bring release from enslavement to evil, he can bring sanity back. Jesus sought these guys out. He then set them free when no one else could. They couldn’t be chained or freed.

Today, right now, Jesus is still seeking the lost hurt and damaged. How do I know? I am one. I am damaged on the inside and the outside yet, Jesus loves me. He sought me out and is in process of making me whole.

He loves us. Will we allow Jesus into our lives and let him clean us, clothe us and set us right?

This is the anniversary of the day that I died.

The date was February 18, the year was 1972.

There were 5 of us in the old crewcab truck. My foster brother Rodney was driving, my sister Judi was sitting in the middle of the front seat, my sister Kitti and her boy friend Steve were in the back seat and I was riding shotgun. The truck was a Forrest service surplus. Seating for 6 and under the hood each passenger was represented by one cylinder, the long way to say it had a small 6 cylinder engine. It was not fast.

The night was foggy and cold. It was February fog, thick and sticky. We were driving from Milton-Freewater to Pendleton. The Loeffelbein’s had started a great adventure in leasing Curl’s Drive in in Milton-Freewater but were having trouble selling the house in Pendleton. The trip was supposed to be a chance for us kids to see our friends and help pack up the house. We didn’t make it very far.

Just outside of town there is a long steep grade that at that time had only two lanes. (I believe it’s 3 lanes now). I don’t know the ladies name in the slow car that was in front of us, I think she was driving a Rambler. Rodney thought it would be safe to pass. We were slightly ahead of her car when we saw the lights of the on coming car, they weren’t headlights, just park lights but it was a car in the lane in front of us. Rodney tried swerve back into our lane, there just wasn’t enough time.

I’m not sure which car hit us first but both cars did. I’ve heard that by the time it was all over there were 17 cars involved. The impact tore the cab we were in free of the truck frame.

When my dad who was at work in Pendleton heard about the accident from the state patrol all he knew was that his kids were in an accident and that there had been a fatality.

When he and my brother arrived on the scene our crewcab was in pieces strewn around the hi-way. The cab was upside down just off the road.

I don’t know the sequence of events except from my experience so that’s what I’ll tell you. When I woke up I was laying on the ceiling of our truck. People were all around, there were flashlights and people were asking me questions. I tried to talk but the lower half of my face felt like jello. I would find out later that my jaw was broken in 5 places. Somehow all 5 of us stayed in the cab. None of us were using seat belts (seat belts?).

Rodney had been pushing so hard on the brake that his foot had gone through the floor. His femur was shattered. Judi broke her wrist. Kitti broke her ankle. Steve was the worst of us. He had a skull fracture. At that point we were busted up but alive. The driver of the oncoming car had died on impact. My condolences to his family.

Somehow they got me out of the truck and into an ambulance. As I lay there on the gurney I started to panic but I heard a voice in my head that said “Jesus will take care of you”. I relaxed and either passed out or fell asleep or died. I don’t know. I just know that I’ve never known rest like that before or since. It was blissful.

At the hospital things were a little hectic. My gurney was in the hallway and when my mom arrived the doctors in triage were working on me. When My mom arrived she saw the doctors walking away from me she asked if she could talk to me, one doctor answered, “well it doesn’t matter now “. She started gently rubbing my leg and I started to cough. The doctors spun around and started working on me with renewed vigor.

I remember this scene but I remember it from a view above my body. As the gurney was wheeled into a room I remember sort of sqooshing back into myself.

All of this kind of got shoved aside as the crisis of all of us was being taken care of.

My jaw was set with a plate. They were going to wire it shut but my burn scars were too tough to cut through so they went with the plate. At a follow up orthodontic appointment the doctor who had been at the hospital when I arrived told my mom that I was clinically dead when I arrived. She almost fainted. After we got home we talked about all the details. I remembered the weird way that I recalled the event, from above my body.

I’m not sure how to close this. I’ve given the facts but it doesn’t seem complete. Dying and coming back to life. It happened. It changed me I’m sure but since I was so young (11) I don’t know how different things would be without the experience . One thing that happened because I had the plate in my jaw. Mary and I broke up

My senior year. I was trying to get out of town so I signed up to join the air force. I was going to leave early, before graduation. I had scored pretty high on my ASVAB so they were excited to get me. Everything was a go until during the medical questionnaire they asked me if I had any pins or plates. I told them

About my jaw and everything came to a screeching halt. Due to the plate I would not be joining any of our armed services. I stayed in soap lake. I graduated in June of 1979 and eventually (August of 1979) Mary and I went to a movie and before the sun rose the next day, we were not only back together, but engaged. The rest of the story is our marriage and family.

I died, I don’t know how long I was gone. I have no other memories from that experience. I don’t know why it happened. I do know this, God works all thing together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. I do love him and he has brought good to me even though life, at times was very rough.

2 Thessalonians 3

The end of another book.

While we are waiting for the return of Jesus here are some things we can do:

1. Pray for the workers who are out there spreading The news that Jesus has come to forgive our sins.

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Wim and Jennifer Dufoort

Chris Bowman and his wife Vicky

Marc O’Dare Shaw and his wife Kathy

Rory Lewellyn and Debbie Lewellyn

Brandon Bee and Leanne Bee

Just a few that I know. Please join me in praying for them.

I’m not sure what all has to happen before Jesus comes back but when the very last person who will accept the message of salvation has heard about Jesus, I think he will come and get us. We should be praying for these to get those. And let us not forget our own role in sharing Jesus with our world, our neighbors and coworkers and friends, The folks we see everyday.

2. Work. Earn the bread we eat.

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”’

3. Live a life that reflects Jesus. Live morally, with grace and mercy.

“And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn him as you would a brother.”

My shift is almost over. I just want to finish up and go home.

I will end today with what I grew up hearing at the beginning of every sermon,

“Grace and peace to you, from God our father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Our little town of Ephrata experienced a weird thing last night. There was an explosion in a substation. The substation is behind our house about 4 blocks away. Because of a low hanging cloud cover the blue/green light from the arcing filled the night. The explosion behind us was shining in front of us. Just briefly I thought to myself, is this it? Is this how Jesus returns? Then all the lights went out.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

We are in the harvest season. Ice and snow with drifts up to our knees. Yet it’s harvest.

In case you are reading this and you don’t know who Jesus is or what he is done I will give a highly condensed version.

Jesus is the son of God. He came to earth through a virgin, he lived a perfect life, no sin, he was falsely accused yet submitted himself to a horrifically cruel death but rose from the dead 3 days later. Then he went back up into heaven to prepare a place for us to live. His death paid for our sin, our mistakes. I use the word our because all of humanity has sinned and is separated from God. But we were created to be with him so he made a way to bring us back together again.

The Bible says that God so loved the world, the word world there refers to the people of the world, us, you and me. God loves us. He gave up his son Jesus to bring us back together.

There is a little bit of business that must be transacted. The Bible says that if you confess Jesus is Lord, that he is your boss, your master, that he is your God, and believe in your heart that he rose from the dead, you will be saved.

If you just did that please PM me. I want to talk more with you about becoming a child of God.

For the rest of us who already know the story and are already part of the family, can we start sharing it? Can we tell someone that God loves them? Can we show someone that God loves them?

Jesus is adding to his number daily.

Our pastor has recommended that we, his congregation, read this journal. I have been reading. It has been a good experience for me. There is a 60 second reflection period followed by reading out loud a short scripture, reading up to 3 times, and then a space to write out a prayer, responding to what we have read and there is a contemplation where we digest the words from God.

It’s been good. The readings seem to be random, Proverbs, psalms, Gospels, epistles, history like Kings Chronicles and Joshua.

Yesterday’s was from John chapter 2:1-11. Jesus turns the water into wine.

The verses that stood out to me were what Mary said, “do whatever he tells you”.

And how the servants respond.

6 stone water jars each holding 20 to 30 gallons, “so they filled them to the brim”.

When Jesus tells me to do something, do I do it? I’m going to say yes I do the majority of the time because my obedience only has to be 50.0000000000000000001% to be in the majority. But do I do it like these guys did, to the brim? My obedience could be better, and my whole hearted response, to the brim mentality could change.

But no matter how I respond, Jesus is the one who changes ordinary into extraordinary.

“and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

John 2:9-10

The party that is my life frequently runs out of wine. Will I follow Jesus’ instructions and receive new wine? Filled to the brim?

2 Thessalonians 2

The thrill of a good carnival ride is when we get taken right to edge of danger… And then we are yanked back to safety. The thrill is seeing the danger and then not going past it.

Our world economy is like a carnival ride right now taking us right to the edge….but this carnival ride is not built of welded steel, it’s made from a stack of playing cards. How strong can it be?

Are we scared yet?

We are waiting for Jesus. We have been waiting for 2000 years. When will he come? What is he waiting for?

“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”

We have never been closer to Jesus return than we are right now. The stage of the world, the political unrest, the fragile economy, it could be the his return is immanent, or maybe it’s just one more twist and turn of the carnival ride.

He will return. It could be today.

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

I say this to myself, fear not little one. Your God is able to save you. From the next chapter, “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. “

There may be a catastrophic global economic collapse. If there is Jesus will be our strength. If the economy recovers Jesus will be our strength. Jesus is our strength. Living for him and telling other people about him, what he has done in our lives does not change. Our master and our mission remain the same no matter where the ride of life takes us.

The next day two guys who used to be blind walk into a bar.

“Aren’t you the blind beggars?”

One of them answers.

“I was blind but now I see”.

“That’s impossible. How, how can you see now? What happened?”

“I’m not supposed to say anything. The guy that touched me asked me not to tell anyone.”

“The guy, what guy? Who touched you? Who healed you?”

“This guy, some teacher guy. His name is Jesus. He..he can do things, can fix things.”

“He’s a healer then?”

“Yes, the first thing we saw once we were healed was him

Casting a demon out of a mute and then he could talk. But its more than that. He says things, he talks about God. I can’t explain it. You should meet him. You need to hear what he says. Ah, I’ve said too much already..”

“Two blinds guys, healed…”

“Yup, we once were blind but now we see.”

“His name is Jesus you say, I gotta meet this guy…”

The day before.

“27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

34 But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”’

I have been touched by Jesus.

He has forgiven all of my sin. He has set me in a family. He has provided for me. He has shown me love and mercy and grace.

I’m writing this today to tell people who don’t know about Jesus that he has died to Pay for our sins. I’m also writing to remind those of us who do know Jesus to tell others about him.

We get today. We only have today. What will we do about this Jesus? Believe him and receive him?Please do.

If we already know him will we tell other people about him? Will we live in such a way that we honor him and attract others to him by our gracious way of life? Please do.

2 Thessalonians 1

Prelude

When I was 5 years old we lived in Moses Lake on Stratford road. My mom told me that my grandparents were coming to visit. I spent the morning straining my eyes, watching the road from the south, the direction my family always came from when driving to my house. I gave up watching at some point but I wouldn’t have seen them because they came from the north. I was overjoyed to see them but I remember being perturbed because they surprised me by coming from the other direction.

The people of Thessalonica were watching and waiting. Watching and waiting for Jesus to come back for them. Some had sold everything and basically sat down by the road to wait. This letter from Paul is to encourage them to continue to wait, but to stay busy until he comes. The first chapter sounds harsh but may have been intended to re-energize the waiters to get busy and share Jesus because eternity is hell for those who don’t accept him as savior.

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

I saw an interview with the magician Penn Jillette who although did not accept Jesus yet, talked about an encounter with a christian who was praying for him. Penn reprimanded all Christians because if we believe God is sending to hell all those who don’t believe, then we should be better at telling the world. Otherwise it shows that we don’t really care if the world burns in hell. We have our salvation, too bad for the rest of you.

So what am I to do? What are we to do?

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I was listening to a radio pastor yesterday and heard

something new or at least fresh. A fresh thought.

As I get closer to Jesus , the light he brings into my life continues to expose more and more of the mess in my life.

Like if I were with Jesus in a dark room. He asks me if the room is clean. Hmm, the room is dark, nothing under my feet, I say yes. He then lights a match and we see just a little way around us. There are dirty dishes, litter, a pair of underwear that didn’t make it to the hamper. Then he turns on a flashlight and we see deeper into the room, more mess, then he flips on a light and we see clearly, smudged walls, mildew and mold.

The longer I hang out with Jesus the more stuff he exposes. Sometimes the pain and shame of a life exposed is too much and I want to push Jesus back out of my life and shut the door and please oh please, kill the light. The mess doesn’t go away when Jesus leaves and the light goes out, but if we don’t have to see the mess of our lives, we can pretend it isn’t there, and the pain and shame fall and fade.

Meeting Jesus and inviting him into my life will not make my life a blissful rose garden. Well not just the flowery part. Jesus will begin to clean up and the fascinating thing he will do is to use the poop of my life to grow beauty. The bible says the he will give us beauty for ashes. Ashes are the waste product of the end of something, something gone and useless. God has the ability to turn that part of life, and poop is a useless waste end of life product too, the poop and ashes and reuse them to bring us beauty, like roses.

This will only happen if we allow him into our lives and trust him enough to expose the mess behind the door. Denying a mess doesn’t make it go away. Admitting to a mess doesn’t make It go away either but it can start the process of cleansing.

Isaiah 61:1-6 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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 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. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.”

Today will you let Jesus into your life to help you declutter your your heart and soul? He will turn it around for you. Beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise for despair. He loves us and just wants to help.

“The answer is Jesus, now what’s the question?”

Sometimes I can sound like that.

How true is it?

Who am i going to call? When Life is overwhelming and doom is looming. Who do I call? I call a carpenter. I call Jesus. That’s what the disciples did in Matthew 8.

“23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”’

One thing that I saw in this story is the humanness of Jesus contrasted with his divinity.

Jesus was exhausted. I don’t want to be glib or irreverent but God was tired. The needs of the people had exhausted Jesus. He understands my human need for rest.

The disciples woke him up. What did they think he was going to do? He wasn’t a sailor. He was a carpenter by trade and a pastor/teacher/healer by practice. They were surprised when he calmed the storm. They wanted help in the storm but from their response it seems they didn’t expect the storm itself to go away.

Jesus shows us his divinity in his authority over the wind and the waves.

Mary and I joke about scary situations and will usually say, “so this is how we die”. Somehow those words can take away the terror. There is in us an innate fear of death. This last hospital stay for Mary I don’t remember saying those words. I was trying to keep Mary from thinking that way. It was another brush with death. We didn’t say “so this is how we die”. Instead we prayed fervently that it wouldn’t be her death.

The answers to life’s questions, why am I here, what is my purpose, what is my value? Those can be answered in Jesus.

I was created, created for a relationship with God, and when that relationship was separated by sin, God made a way for us to be together again through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

What is death? Why are we so afraid?

The answer is Jesus?

Jesus died and rose again.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Sometimes the questions we are asking boil down to , who cares, who can help, where can I go?

Jesus.

“We’ll follow the old man wherever he wants to go as

long as he wants to go, opposite to the foe…”

The slam bang finish, The song on White Christmas just before the enemy planes fly over and disrupt the party. They joke in the song about following the general as long as it’s easy. But the next few minutes of the movie shows the real story. They followed orders even into danger and death.

Following generals into battle. Many people have done it and died for their loyalty and obedience.

Following Jesus has its own risks and rewards. Matthew 8 has a story about that.

“The Cost of Following Jesus

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”’

Jesus is my general. I am following him. So far in my life following has not cost me much. I have a warm house on a cold night. He has provided a job for an income. There may be a day when Jesus asks me to step away from my comforts and follow. Many Christians around the world are living without the comforts I have now and yet they follow Jesus our leader.

Thank you Jesus for the comforts you have given me. Help me to continue to choose to follow you even when the choices get difficult. Help me help others with the bounty you have given me.

I want to be touched by Jesus.

It’s the next story in Matthew 8 that make me wish Jesus was still physically here on earth. I want To be touched and immediately changed by Him. There are people in my life that I want to be healed. I long for that. Change in my life life is slow , like turning around an ocean liner.

“14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities

and bore our diseases.”[b]”

Jesus healed everyone from everything, every sickness he encountered, he healed the person. “He healed all the sick”.

I am not sick. Wait, I do have diabetes. It’s one of those illnesses that’s always there but it slips my mind because there is no cure, just management. So I am sick. But if Jesus were here on earth, sitting in a room I would take my wife and my grandsons Liam and Jonah and Clive to him and ask him to heal them.

As it is now Jesus is in heaven preparing a place for us. He sent his Holy Spirit to be here with us, to live in us when we have given our lives to him. He is still at work here, healing happens but not for every one or everyone.

We continue to ask for healing, Believing that God is still in that business. I miss and long for the touch of my master that heals and sets free.

Jesus please touch and heal Mary and Liam and Jonah and Clive.

Do I believe in Jesus? How much do I believe in him? To What lengths will my faith take me?

Matthew 8 tells the story of a Roman centurion who not only believed in Jesus but had an excellent grasp of Jesus power and authority and mission.

“5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.”

I admire this soldiers faith.

When I ask God for something can I just walk away trusting God to answer my prayers in the best possible way? Or do immediately start working on plan B?

How much does that say about what I believe to be true about God? Does he know my situation? Does he care? Can he act? Will he act? Does he love me? Does he have a good plan for me? For us? For all of us humans?

So I go back a few verses and reread and review.

“7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Father God forgive my lack of faith. I want to be more like the centurion. Show me who you are. As I understand who you are let my faith grow. Help my faith grow. Lead me and my family. Even now I’m second guessing my request for building my faith, fearing what tests you will bring to me. Are you a Father who loves me? Show me your love and make my faith in you more like the centurion.

In the fall of my 5th grade year I got the mumps. Mom and dad both worked full time so I stayed home alone for a week. I had a children’s bible that had been given to me by my God parents, Mr & Mrs H. H. Rieky. (I’m probably spelling that wrong). I read it. I read the entire Old Testament and the gospels and acts. I tried reading the Epistles but got bogged down when there was more words than pictures.

My home life wasn’t perfect. My dad would drink, then get angry. My parents would fight. My dad has bought into the Playboy philosophy and had his stack of Playboy magazines in the living room, available anytime. I wanted a way to make my life and my home better.

At the back of the Bible was a sinners prayer, a place to confess your sin and receive forgiveness, accept Jesus as Lord and savior. I did that. And waited. Nothing changed. My dads stack of Playboys didn’t go away, mom and dad still fought, my dad still drank and got angry.

I thought my Prayer didn’t work. I expected my world to change but it was my heart that changed. A transaction had occurred but I wouldn’t realize it for 11 years, when I finally understood that salvation comes by grace.

Matthew 9 talks about how you can’t add new things to old. They don’t go together.

“14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”’

Christianity is a new way of life. It’s not Judaism. It’s not animal sacrifices and rituals. Christianity is about Jesus, what he did for us. He forgave, once for all and all eternity, our sin. He paid for it, covered it over. It is no longer animal sacrifice. It is a human sacrifice, one human man died to redeem all of mankind.

The transaction is simple.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

It’s a new life in the same world. The sin and sadness and anger and will all be there, but now we can shine on it.

Darkness does not overcome light, light overcomes darkness.

Jesus is the light of the world.

As I reread this i see that it’s not very cohesive. I wrote about my childhood because the memory bubbled up when I read the verses and I hoped as I wrote it would come together. Maybe the memory was just for me, reminding me how my journey with Jesus started. I hope there’s something in hear to bless you and to draw you closer to Jesus, the new wine.

Matthew chapter 8 starts out with one of my favorite stories.

8 “When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy[a] came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”’

I like this story because I identify with the leper. I don’t have leprosy but I do have a deadly highly contagious condition that I cannot cure myself of. No one can. No one, except Jesus. The condition is sin. I have sin in my life.

For example:

In second or third grade I stole a green plastic army truck from my friend Miles Hancock. It was premeditated and well planned out. I did not wear black but even now thinking about it I hear the mission impossible theme song in my head. He had it, I wanted it. I took it.

Even if I could find Miles, repent and replace that truck right now my act of thievery wouldn’t go away. I am forever stained with that sin.

This leper had a condition hat made him an outcast. He had to leave his family and friends. He could no longer be a part of society. He couldn’t worship. He was excluded from life.

Jesus touched him. He was untouchable yet Jesus touched him and healed him.

What about me, The truck thief, What is to become of me?

Between God and me there is gap, a break in our relationship. I have confessed my sin and asked God to forgive me because I have accepted Jesus death as payment for my sin. With that simple transaction I am made right with God again.

“9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Then there is the practical side. I took something that didn’t belong to me.

Miles, if you are out there I am sorry. I don’t have the truck anymore. Contact me so I can make amends.

1 Thessalonians 5

Sum it up.

“for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

We don’t know when Jesus will come back. It could be today.

Live expectingly. Like as a kid you waited for grandma & grandpa, excitedly on your best behavior.

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

A couple more things, do these too.

“12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.”

I now make Paul’s prayer for them my prayer for us;

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify us through and through. May our whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls us is faithful, and he will do it.”

Sanctify is a word we don’t use very often. It means to clean, To purify cleanse or absolve. Cleaned inside and out, by God himself. The thought of it is a little intimidating. Much like Mrs. Pearce taking Eliza Doolittle in for her first bath. Cleaning will take place. It may feel strange and uncomfortable. We will need to expose our most private self to our father but his goal is not to shame us but to cleanse us.

I am in your hands Father, clean me.

1 Thessalonians 4

That thing that you did yesterday, where you lived a selfless life, loving and serving the world around you? Living like Jesus and telling the world about him? Do that again. And again. And again.

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.”

Part of this lifestyle, a big part, is living a sexually pure life.

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

His (or her) own body. I must learn to control me.

Be quiet and mind your own business.

” make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

I have seen some very precious people laid into their graves. It hurts but I have hope that we are not separated forever.

“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

I am waiting for that day. Meanwhile I strive to keep moving forward.

No turning back, no turning back.

1 Thessalonians 3

The ideal.

“But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.”

I want to be that church. I also want to be that Paul. Passionately involved in the spiritual welfare of a group of people he spent 3 weeks with.

Now a prayer for my friends and family:

“11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

May we all have strong hearts and pure lives as we wait for Jesus to come back. It could be today….

Looking at house plans is different than buying house plans. And buying house plans is different than building a house.

The 3 most important thing about buying or building a house, Location, location, location.

The last part of Matthew 7 is about location. Where will we build our future? What will our foundation be?

“24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”

Where or on what or on whom will we build the foundation of our life? Foundations are important. They are …… foundational.

“My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand: all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

I built on Jesus.

Won’t you be my neighbor?