Light for my path

I’m thankful to get the chance to share my favorite scripture with you this week.  Psalm 119:105 is a scripture I have clung to over the past four years. 

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.

Serving God is not easy.  Working and serving in the church has it’s struggles.  Following God’s call to, go where He leads does not ensure a smooth journey.  I have been challenged to rely on God’s word like never before. 

When I’ve wondered where God was I’m reminded, in his word, that he is near.  When the battle gets hard, I read that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual powers in the dark realm.

If we mess up and spend too much time satisfying our own selfish desires, we’re reassured that nothing can separate us from his love.  God’s word is filled with everything we need to direct us as we journey through life. It is shining for us, giving us just enough light to take the next step.

Genesis 39: 1-12

Joseph Tempted

We are all tempted on a regular basis. Allured by things that are appealing to the eye, heart, and body we are in a constant battle making moral and spiritual decisions. Through repeated enticement, Joseph resisted and remained sinless. How was he able to withstand the pressure? He was human.

“The Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered…” Genesis 39:2. He had God, and because his Egyptian master recognized this he made Joseph his attendant and entrusted everything into his care. (People recognize those who have God directing their life.)

As we have learned, with power comes responsibility. Joseph took that obligation seriously.  Even after repeated propositions from the master’s wife, Joseph resisted. He likely could not have done so without the Spirit of the Lord being with him. Joseph kept God front and center.

We too, are limited with our ability to make decisions that are pleasing to God when left on our own. The Spirit is always near as Jesus promised, yet we often ignore this presence and take matters into our own hands. The regrets I have in life are numerous, and I would be forever grateful for a couple of "do-overs." Perhaps you feel the same. It makes me feel slightly better knowing that in Romans 3:10 it is written “There is no one righteous, no not even one.” Yet it doesn't change the past.

The song; Through All of It by Colton Dixon (An American Idol finalist in 2011) reminds us of our challenges, inconsistencies and need for Him. One verse reads; “I have won, and I have lost. I got it right sometimes, but sometimes I did not. Life’s been a journey, I’ve seen joy, I’ve seen regret.

Oh but you have been my God through all of it.” 

Thank you Lord, that you are a loving and forgiving God no matter how human we are.

Read/Listen to Genesis39:1-12

Believe in Prayer -Just Do It

The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. (Hebrews 4:14-16 MSG)

Don't you love reading this version of the Hebrews text? We are given permission to seek God's Son for help. We are encouraged to take advantage of the fact that Jesus has God's ear. We are assured that Jesus understands what we might be going through because He has been through very tough times as well.

The Message version helps me to understand I can approach Jesus for whatever I need, I can call out to Him and He will hear me and respond. He is ready and willing to give me the desires of my heart. Sound corny? Think this is not likely?

Talking to God or His Son, is the practice of praying. Conversing with Jesus

throughout the day, is one way to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We get to know someone by talking to them. We build relationships when we share with one another. Praying accomplishes this.

What has been your experience with asking Jesus for help? Do you ask often? Do you pray with great expectation? I am learning to pray, believing it has already happened.  What do you think of that?  Want to give it a try? 

Won't you share a prayer story, tell what your journey has been like?

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Luke 19:1-10

It’s Personal

Do you remember the song about Zacchaeus? The one that begins this way:

Click picture to view 2 minute video

“There was a man in Jericho call Zacchaeus. There was a man in Jericho called Zacchaeus. Now the Hebrews, they were tall, but Zacchaeus, he was small, and the Lord loved Zacchaeus better than them all!”

I don’t know that Jesus loved Zacchaeus MORE than others, but He did make the time to seek Zacchaeus out, sit at his table and through his words and presence brought the tax collector out of death and into life.

Jesus was most at home in the midst of the lowly. He knew they needed Him. He often took aside those shunned by the majority and made example of them.

Every person matters to God. Our relationship with Him is personal. Many of us are searching but do not know what we are looking for, like Zacchaeus. We long for answers, hope and life but often look in all the wrong places. Jesus was the light that guided Zacchaeus out of his darkness. Perhaps a gloom he did not even realize.

As people of God we still fail and begin again. We put our hope in things that do not matter eternally, forgetting that the will of God is what matters.  His will, in His time.

As we journey through this earthly existence, God asks us to seek those who are searching for life in places that can’t give life. May we, like Jesus open our hearts to taking the hand of another and sharing the hope that is within us. Who is your Zacchaeus?

The Longest of Trips ...

... Start with one small step.

 

You have heard that adage before, no doubt. No matter how big the journey or task, no matter how unpleasant or even how uncertain, you have to start … somewhere.

 

Sometimes you know where you are going and how to get there. But sometimes not. Nonetheless, if you want to reach your destination, you have to keep going, no matter how uncertain you are.

 

Today’s reading is John 1:43-51. Jesus had just been baptized and was now ready to begin his mission. His mission, of course, was to found his Church. He had to begin somewhere.

 

His first step was to get 12 disciples to follow him. A good leader, after all, needs followers. Jesus got followers, although there were not necessarily “good”. In the reading, Jesus recruits Nathaniel.

 

To Nathaniel, Jesus' mission, if he even understood it at that moment, must have seemed impossible.  He asked Jesus (of Nazareth), “Nazareth! can anything good come from there?”

 

Nazareth was the equivalent of a hick town: simple and unsophisticated. Jesus' hometown, it is not even mentioned in the Old Testament. Worse yet, the Zealots, who wanted to overthrow Roman rule, were from the general region. Calling someone a Nazarene could also imply that person was a political enemy of Rome.

 

Jesus started the early Church one person at a time. He had to start somewhere. And today we know how successful he has been, with well over one billion followers!

 

We are all on a journey, whether we know it or not. In fact, we may be on several, intersecting, journeys. My journey as a father was intimidating at first. My journey into the work force was exciting. My journey with Christ has been filled with ups and downs.

 

In all three cases, I did not always know where to start and then necessarily knew what the next steps were. Yet by taking the next step, sometimes the wrong next step, I eventually made progress.

 

What journeys are in your life? What does your journey with Jesus look like?

 

What is your next step?

Luke 1:39-56

Mary

In this scripture reading, Mary visits Elizabeth who is expecting a child as she is. Elizabeth’s son will be John the Baptist, and hers, Jesus. Two blessed women given the gift of life for the world.

“Mary’s Song” in Like 1, is one of glorifying the Lord and rejoicing in the Savior. Mary humbles herself as a servant of God, and speaks of His mercy extending from generation to generation. Mary’s incredible journey is unfolding. She understands her role and her humanness. 

The heart of a mother is strong yet tender, and the love for her child reaches great depths. We mothers will endure great pain for our child. Knowing the arms of our Lord are wrapped around us is sometimes the only way we get through. 

Thank you Lord, for always remaining with us through our deepest pain. For giving us the strength and courage to carry out your will in faith and love. 

Please view a unique representation of:  Mary’s Journey

God at Work in People

                                                                    Acts 8: 26-40

God is consistently vigilant. He works through us. Many are used for His purpose, who have no idea they are a vehicle for the Lord. Our Savior utilizes situations both joyous and devastating to impact the lives of his beloved.

I urge you to search your heart and memory. Depending on your age, you may have more memories than you can recall. That’s ok. We will all be there at some point. When have you been at work for God?

As it states in Matthew 25: 31-36, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on the throne in heavenly glory………..He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the king will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Matthew 25: 40; “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

We are all coming from our own place in this world, and if we are still and listen to the Lord, can be honest about where we stand with Him. Each individual created by God has been dealt their own hand to play, and as Chuck Swindoll is often quoted: “Life is 10% what happens to us, and 90% how we respond to it.” Our circumstances may be difficult, challenging, devastating, comfortable, pleasant, and even euphoric at times, but no matter where we are now, it will not last. Life is a journey of hills and valleys. We are to give, share, and pour out our help to others when we can.

Philip took the opportunity in Acts 8 to explain the scripture reading to an Ethiopian official, and he in turn was baptized and received the spirit. We may not be baptizing and preaching the gospel in the same way Philip did, yet the way we conduct our daily lives is a testimony to who we are and whom we serve.

Read/Listen to Acts 8: 26-40 

The Story – Chapter 26 – The Hour of Darkness

Luke 22: 39-53

Matthew, Mark and John wrote of the same exact experience as this passage in Luke. Their words may vary, but the stories corroborate each other. Today’s reading in Luke revisits the time when Jesus and his disciples were at the Mount of Olives and Jesus instructed them to “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He then went a short distance away, fell to his knees, and prayed like no one else can. He was in agony, knowing  the night of his crucifixion was very near. He prayed fervently, dreading the cross but submitting himself to his heavenly Father’s higher purpose.

The Journey (Bible For Seeking God and Understanding Life) says something I must share regarding the heart of Jesus, and how we can take example from Him in one of His darkest moments. “We will face deep anguish in our life-everyone does. When that happens you can do what Jesus did; PRAY. Pray hard, pray deep, pray honestly, pray out all your feelings-not a formula. Pray until you sweat and cry and fall down in exhaustion. Pray with others. Pray alone. Pray as long as it takes, and then pray longer. Pray because nothing else works, and keep praying when it doesn’t seem to work. Pray because Jesus prayed, pray because you want to pray, pray because you don’t want to pray. Pray out loud, pray quietly. Pray whenever you think about it, pray instead of just thinking about it. Pray when you walk and when you drive and when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Pray before you forget. Pray right now.”

This 3 minute video is worth watching:

John Piper - Prayer Causes Things to Happen

 Read/Listen to Luke 22: 39-53

Acts 1:15-26

We have just spent seven weeks walking with Jesus and his disciples, learning about love.  Not just any love, but the unconditional LOVE Jesus has for us.  During these past weeks we have walked difficult paths where sin lurked in the shadows of Corinth.  We heard warnings about sexual immorality, idol worship, and other inappropriate behaviors.

Love, was the underlying theme on this journey.  God loves us even though we behave poorly.  Jesus loved his disciples, even when they deserted him or denied they knew him.  We witnessed the ultimate love Jesus displayed by his sacrifice and death on the cross.

Now we find Jesus is has been taken up into Heaven, leaving His followers behind.  Peter is the leader and he recognizes the need to replace Judas.  He also knew it was important the person be part of the contingent that was with Jesus from the beginning.
 
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21-22)

Jesus fulfilled His promise to send His Holy Spirit to teach and guide them and us.  We will be spending the coming weeks leading up to Pentecost, learning about the Holy Spirit and the impact He has on our lives as Christians.

Read all the text for today here at Biblegateway.

Apollos to Corinth - Acts 18:17-28

For years, Paul Harvey hosted a popular radio program called "The Rest of the Story."  This broadcast was famous for searching out people or situations many were familiar with and digging even deeper for more information.  The broadcaster would present an account to the audience that was familiar to most listeners.  He would build up the tension, laying out facts widely known. Then, just before delivering the punch, there would be a commercial break preceded by the words, "In a moment...the rest of the story."

It is this type of situation we find ourselves in today, as we journey to Ephesus with Paul and his missionary team consisting of Aquila and Priscilla.  While in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila heard a young Jewish man named Apollos, speak in the synagogue. They invited the man to their home and instructed him more fully about Jesus.

It seems Apollos knew of John the Baptist and the repentance he preached so boldly, but did fully understand everything about Baptism.  Once his mentors taught him about Jesus Christ's death, resurrection and our resulting salvation, he was fully equipped.  He knew the rest of the story and could share it with others. And he did.

Heavenly Father, I pray that you would put someone in my path to share Your wisdom with me.  I pray too that I be equipped to mentor disciples for You as well.   Amen.


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