Psalm 37:3

Who am I Lord that you should come to me and speak these words?  I have told many others what you have done.  Yet still I do not fully appreciate what you did.  I desire to know You Lord.  For only in knowing You can I begin to love You.  In faith, I trust You.  I pray that I can learn what You are teaching me.  So that I can teach others too.

This world is passing away but forever is Your love.  Have mercy on us.  I love You Lord.

Stay Connected

You may not think much about the fruits and vegetables sitting at your local produce store but they are, in fact, dying.  No need for tears, for it is simply what happens to fruits and vegetables once they are harvested for us to eat.  Though they look healthy enough, and will continue to look that way for a while, depending on the type of produce and how it is stored, but they are in fact dying or spoiling and nothing can prevent this eventuality.

 

Similarly too, we need to stay connected to our source of life or we will die – not physically but, more important, spiritually.  As Jesus in John 15:5 said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”.  “Without Me you can do nothing”,  is a mighty and powerful statement that I am sure many disconnected secularists would laugh at, as they list the number of “things” they believe they can do without being connected to Jesus.  However, the fact of the matter is very similar to the disconnected produce.  It may for a time be quite editable and appear to be perfectly good, like the disconnected soul doing his circus act of “things”, but don’t be fooled they are both dying, the produce physically and the man spiritually.

More importantly, you will not have life (eternal life), if you are stay apart from the Lord as John 15:6 reads, “Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.”

So, I know what your next burning question is.  How do I stay connected?  It’s very simple, John 15:10 gives you the exact formula, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”  And what is one of Jesus’ commandments?  Well you don’t have to go much further to find that out too.  John 15:12-13 “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

May you always stay connected with Our Lord and Savior.  You will thank God you did!  Amen!!

Good Advice from Our Lord and Savior

How does Jesus tell us to think about our physical needs:

Matthew 6:25-34  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear.   Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds in the sky;  they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are not you more important than they?   Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?   Why are you anxious about clothes?  Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.  They do not work or spin.  But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.   If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’  All these things the pagans seek.  Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.  Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.  Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

In life we need food for our bodies to live but Jesus tells us:

John 6:35  “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

In life we need water for our bodies to live but Jesus tells us:

John 4:13-14  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

In life we need rest for our bodies to live but Jesus tells us:

Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.   Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves.  For my yoke is easy,  and my burden light.”

In life we need to protect our lives but Jesus tells us:

Luke 17:33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.

Are You 100% for God?

There has been quite a bit of talk these days about the folks who fall into the 99% category and the folks in the 1% category - how the 1% own everything and the 99% typically get the dirty end of the stick – and how we need to change this and fight/take back what is rightfully ours.  

However, I think our focus/attention needs to be directed in a more Christian manner.  This gift of life which we live (rich or poor), (sick or healthy) isn’t a battle between the have’s (1%) and have not’s (99%) read Ephesians  6:12 – no it’s a battle between the holy and the unholy.  And unless we understand this important lesson, Mark 12:17, “So Jesus said to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were utterly amazed at him,” we will miss the true purpose and meaning of our lives.

Which brings me back to the subject of this message, are you 100%?  John 12:3-5 tells the story of Mary who “wasted”, according to Judas, expensive oil on Jesus’ feet.  And Acts 5:1-10 where Ananias and Sapphira lay before Peter’s feet the proceeds from the sale of their home, yet lying about the amount. And finally Matthew 27:57-60 when Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimethea asks Pilate for the body and places it in his own new tomb.

Interestingly, Joseph and Mary, were both 100 percenters.  Both Joseph and Mary repaid God in the most excellent manner they could at the time.  Mary literally poured expensive oil all over Jesus’ feet, symbolically however, she was pouring out her heart and love for Jesus completely and unconditionally.  So much so, she was willing to incur the rebuke of Judas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.   Have you ever been willing to accept humiliation/rebuke for displaying or giving back your love to Jesus?  If so, then your 100%!

Joseph too gave Jesus something very special – his own, brand new tomb.  Joseph did not fear how this action would reflect on him.  He didn’t care if this display of love, affection and respect would hurt or endanger him within his peers or community.  No, Joseph gave Jesus more than just his own tomb, he gave Him his heart and soul too.  Do your actions label you as a Christian?  If so, then your 100%!

Finally, Ananias and Sapphira, sold their home and gave a significant amount of that to Peter for the new and growing Christian community.  On the surface, this was an extremely generous offering.  And when asked about the amount they both lied and told Peter this was the entire amount from the sale while holding back some for just them.  Divinely Peter knew this was a lie and told them so, in so many words, and they both instantly dropped dead on the spot.  They gave a lot but they lied and held back.  Maybe they even gave 99% of their proceeds.  But it was that 1% that caused their early demise.  They were not 100% are you?

When you give back to the Lord – give it all!

Defining My Life

It is interesting how people will ask you for some bit of information about yourself in order for them to, as they believe, define who you are in relation to them – basically, friend or foe, comrade or combatant, colleague or competitor, etc.   I believe it is a mechanism we've cooked up to convince ourselves we are going about the task of relationship building in a proper, logical and intelligent manner. 

However, I personally believe it’s all a bunch of malarkey.   Are you a Democrat or a Republican, do you support this or that, what school did you graduate from, sports fan, like music, do you invest…, do you watch…, did you read…, did you hear about…, what do you think about…, how much do you know about…, etc., etc., etc. 

Do you really want to know who I am?  OK.  I am a follower, right…not a fan, of Jesus Christ…period.  Everything else takes a back seat to that defining characteristic – including husband, father, son, friend, employee, neighbor, and all around good egg.  So what is YOUR next question?  

A Road Not To Be Traveled Alone

This road of faith is not one to be traveled alone.  As Luke 10:1 tells us, Jesus sent the bearers of His" good news" in pairs.  This was true then as it is true today.

We cannot “go it alone” in this world, if we want to be successful in carrying out our mission of spreading the “good news” of Jesus Christ - for Jesus warned them in Luke 10:3, “I am sending you like lambs among wolves”.  So what is a lamb to do without companions on the journey who “got your back”, surely not much.  A wolf is a cunning and powerful animal that would have no problem “taking out” a lone lamb.  Bottom-line, we need companionship in this journey of faith.

Your spouse, family members can be the perfect companions for the journey.  Also, we can find companions for the journey in our church, local prayer groups or even our local Cursillo Ultreya (hint).  

Regardless, don't "go it alone" here on earth.  In Christ we are one body, "make a friend, be a friend, and protect that friend in Christ from the wolves" - as if your life depended upon it. 

Today's Prayer

Lord you are my joy - You alone.  Don’t let me forget.  Keep me always mindful of Your presence and Your gift of life.  Keep me always grateful for Your gifts.  To see, to hear, to breathe, to laugh, to cry, to smile, but most of all - to love.  Teach me to love better, more deeply, more like You.

Humble me Lord.  Make me a servant of Your will.  Only in this way can I live life in a way that is pleasing to You.  Keep me on Your path.  Rescue me when I go astray.  Help me to see the truth.  Help me to speak the truth.  Help me to live the truth.