pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Answering “Yes”

Elisha is a most faithful friend to Elijah.  As the time has come for Elijah to be taken into heaven, Elijah and many other prophets tells Elisha to not follow along.  But Elisha remains close to his friend right up to the very end.  He held no fear for himself.  He gave no thought to his own well-being.  It is a truly sacrificial relationship.

How many of our relationships have this sacrificial component to them?  Maybe those relationships with your spouse or children?  Maybe those with a really close friend?  Maybe with Christ?

We are not often asked to walk into a dangerous situation on our own accord.  We may find ourselves in the midst of a good friend’s emotional or relational crisis that is uncomfortable, but we are in no danger.  In our earthly, personal relationships we seldom find ourselves in a place where we are called to truly sacrifice for another.

But there are opportunities to sacrifice.  We could forego sitting with our friends at lunch and instead sit with the one who always eats alone.  We could give of our time to the one who is hard to love yet still needs a friend.  We could assist the fiercely independent one who is really struggling at work.  God provides us with chances to sacrifice if we have open eyes and willing hearts.  May we be able to answer ‘yes’ when Jesus asks, “for the least of these?”

Scripture reference: 2 Kings 2: 1-12


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His Presence

Have you ever had an experience or a moment where you felt God’s presence unexpectedly?  Most of our encounters tend to be either in worship during a song or sometimes during an intense time of prayer.  But have you ever had a visit from God outside of these cases?

At times maybe you have been moved by God from something in nature – a beautiful sunset or a powerful thunderstorm.  Maybe it was in a moment of tragedy or in an experience with an act of heroism where you could sense His presence.

In all of these cases where suddenly God is in our midst, how do we respond?  Are we like Peter, scrambling for something to do, or do we move on quickly, made uncomfortable by the unfamiliar?  Or is yours a different reaction?

When God is present in a song or time of prayer during worship, I hope the moment never ends, that the song or prayer just goes on forever.  I find the same desire to extend His presence during a storm or other event in nature, but that too always ends.  Although all of these experiences come to an end, there is no denying that God has been intimately present.

And what is our repsonse?  What do we do with this amazing divine encounter?  Immediately after the expereience, our common feeling is awe – sometimes we are hardly able to express what we feel in words and sometimes we feel as if we cannot believe what we just experienced.  As the feeling of awe passes we usually move to thanksgiving and often to praise.  It is the natural response of a grateful heart.  It is essential that we always offer our thanksgiving and praise, for we have been directly blessed by the living God.  Today, may you be blessed by our living God!

Scripture reference: Mark 9: 2-9


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Times of Rest

After healing many and casting demons from many, Jesus got up early and headed out alone to find a quiet place to pray.  After spending a lot of energy He needed to connect with God to be renewed and refreshed.

We too are called to this practice of Sabbath and rest.  We too are called to find times of rest where we lay aside job and other responsibilities to center in on God – to reconnect, to renew, to refresh.

Pretty soon Simon and the rest of the team find Jesus and call Him back to work.  They tell Him all of those people need something and He is the only one that can provide what they need.  Can’t you almost hear Jesus’ heavy sigh and see the slumping of His shoulders as He rises to return to the people?

We too hear the cell phone ringing or we cannot silence the voices in our own heads calling us back into action.  Maybe we are pretty good at convincing ourselves or just maybe the world really needs us that bad – and our rest ends all too soon.  We have only claimed a bit of the rest, renewal, and reconnection that we needed.  We too sigh and shrug our shoulders as we head back to the world.

Just as the times of rest were essential for Jesus to be most effective in His ministry, so too are times of rest essential for us.  Today may we all find some space to slow down, to center in on God, and to enjoy a time of rest with Him.

Scripture reference: Mark 1: 35-39


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One Small Step

At the very beginning of the story in Mark, Jesus was just a rabbi.  The news of who he really was wasn’t out yet.  In Mark, he began his formal ministry teaching in the synagogue, where he also cast an evil spirit out of a man.  What stood out to the people was the authority by which Jesus taught.

That day Jesus also went to Simon’s house, one of the first disciples.  There he healed Simon’s mother-in-law.  News of the man Jesus began to spread because by night many people from the town were brought to Jesus for healing and others were brought so that he could cast out their demons.  Someone more than a good teacher was present.  But Jesus would not let the demons speak – they knew who He really was.  As the day wore on, people must have been wondering just who or what this Jesus was.

For some today this is still Jesus – a nice person who had good teachings and maybe healed and did a few other amazing things.  Some call them ‘miracles’ but…  They like and respect him but do not commit to Him.  They may even follow some of his teachings but are not all-in for Him.  They are not quite willing to surrender their lives to this man Jesus.

Yet this step of knowing about Jesus is a first step.  It is a beginning.  It is the start of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.  It is the first evidence of seeds planted and starting to take root.  As believers we must be sensitive to the curious and the seekers among us.  We must share our stories and experiences, to help faith become more ‘real’ for them.  We are just one small step along their journeys of faith.  May we be a good step for all.

Scripture reference: Mark 1: 29-34


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Be Like Paul

Paul went to Corinth to share the gospel with any who would hear it.  He adapted his approach to the audience he was working with at that time.  The message or central truths did not change, but his techniques, styles, and approaches did.  He became like his audience each time to best reach them.

Paul also chose to not receive a salary for his apostolic efforts, instead laboring as a ten maker to pay his way.  By choosing to do this he was free to preach how he wanted and to whom he wanted.  This approach allowed him to be all things to all people so all could best hear the gospel. Paul only answered to God.

One of the old pastors at church liked to go to bars to shoot pool with the regulars.  As they shot pool he’d drink a Coke and they would talk about God and faith.  He did this on his “day off.”  Even then some in the congregation questioned it. I think that is sad.  Maybe you do too.

But… how often do you choose not to engage someone in a faith conversation or choose not to go ‘there’ because of what others might think or say?  We too mush be like Paul – totally unashamed of the gospel and willing to share it on their level and in their place with whomever we meet.  May we too be so bold for the gospel!!

Scripture reference: 1 Corinthians 9: 16-23


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A Good Love

Love is not something that we instinctively know and understand.  Love and the ability to love others is something developed, nurtured, taught.  We all learn to love because others first loved us.

When a baby is born it first stays close to his or her mother, soaking up both her physical presence and her emotional presence.  As a baby grows it is showered in love.  Almost all children’s first word is ‘momma’ or ‘poppa’ or some version of one of these.  As the young child grows they learn what love is and how to express love.  But alas, not all homes are the same, so for some ‘love’ is distorted or hard to understand or difficult to express.

At some point in life, most often in early childhood but not always, one begins to learn what God’s love looks and feels like.  Through the stories we read in the Bible, through the messages we hear in church, and through how we see Christian love lived out we begin to see what pure and perfect love looks like.

This evolving relationship with God becomes personal at some point.  We realize how much Jesus loved us to die on a cross for our sins and we offer our lives to Him in response.  We begin to know pure and perfect love not because of anything we did or do, but because He first loved us.  This love continues to grow ad develop as we deepen our understanding of and commitment to Christ.  As this love consumes us it begins to spill out into our other relationships – both to those we love and to the stranger on the street.  It is a good love.  It is a love that must be shared.  It is a love that grows as we offer it to others.  It is a good love.  Thanks be to God!

Scripture reference: Psalm 147: 7-11 and 20c


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Walking in Love

God loves all people.  He especially loves those who love Him.  God loves all that He created.  He calls the stars by name and counts the hairs on our head.  His love is do vast that it is hard to comprehend.

God calls the broken to himself.  He calls those suffering physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially to find healing and rest.  Sometimes the healing and rest come directly from God, sometimes He uses one of us.  God’s love is vast.

As we grow in faith and in relationship with God, we come to love and know Him more and more.  As our connection to God deepens, we come to trust Him more and more as well.  As our trust in Him grows, we become increasingly used as a vessel to bring God’s love, mercy, and healing to those in need.

In Jesus we see God’s deep, deep love for the poor, the sick, the downtrodden, the outcast.  In Christ we see how we are to love those in need.  As our trust in God grows, our love for Him begins to extend to all of our brothers and sisters.  May we walk in His love each day, seeking opportunities to be His hands and feet, bringing light and love to a world in need.

Scripture reference: Psalm 147: 1-6 & 20c


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One Day We Will Know

In my daily walk with Christ there are two things I wrestle with: how to explain why God allows tragedy to occur and why we continue to be tempted.  I wrestle with these two especially because they are things that cause one to question or doubt God.

God loves us as His children.  He provides for our needs as our Father.  God even offered His only Son on a cross for our salvation.  There is no question that He loves us and wants the very best for us.

Maybe part of the necessity for these things that we wrestle with is to remind us that daily we must make the choice to live that day for Christ.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, there is an overarching peace and presence that permeates our lives, a sense of knowing that where our eternity rests is secure.

Another part of the wrestling comes from our inability to fully comprehend God.  We know He loves us, just not how much.  We do not know why tragedy occurs or why we are tempted often, but by faith we trust that God knows.  Sometimes, after a time has passed, we are blessed with some understanding or insight into ‘why’ but not always.  Sometimes we must simply trust into Him who loves us more than we can understand.  In faith we live into this, fully confident that one day we will know the fullness of His love.

Scripture reference: Isaiah 40: 21-31


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Hard to Wait

Our God is an everlasting God.  All that was and is and ever will be is in His hands.  God is the sole creator of all that has life.  He loves all of His creation with a love so big it is unfathomable.

At times we can feel lost and insignificant.  At times we can feel like God is distant.  At times life can be hard and we can question why something is happening or wonder where God is in the midst of a struggle we are having.

When we find ourself here, it is hard to wait for God.  In the tension and uneasiness we want God to fly in and fix it all instantly.  But sometimes we do have to wait.  Waiting for God to act is hard.

Back in Isaiah 40 we hear these words: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…. those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”  In the midst of it, hold onto this hope.  In the midst, be faithful.  Read His word, meditate upon it, go to Him in prayer, seek His presence.  Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

It is hard to wait.  It is hard.  But we must trust in God and in His plan.  He is faithful and He loves all of His creation.  All of us.  Wait in the Lord, rest upon this hope, soak Him up, and He will strengthen you.

Scripture reference: Isaiah 40: 21-31


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Able and Strong

Evil exists in our world in many forms.  It can be in the actions of people who have come to believe all of Satan’s lies.  It can be in the emotions that rise up in us: greed, envy, lust…  It can be in the unkind thoughts we have and in the cutting words we spew.  In many ways Satan is trying to turn us away from God, to divert our attention.

What can we do?  To whom can we turn?

As Jesus taught in the synagogue the people sensed His authority.  The demon in the man called out and acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God.  In our own battles with the forces of evil, do we turn first to Jesus Christ and make the same acknowledgement?  We must, for only He can save.  Our only chance in this battle is to call upon His name and to claim the power and protection that He brings.

Whatever our hurt, whatever battle we are fighting, whatever temptation is pulling at us – it matters not.  Jesus is able.  Jesus is strong.  Jesus is waiting for us to turn to Him and to admit our need because we cannot do it alone.  Then we too can call on the powerful name of Jesus and find healing, comfort, relief.  Step into His presence today and find rest.

Scripture reference: Mark 1: 21-28