The “Go” of Renunciation

. . . someone said to Him, ’Lord, I will follow You wherever You go’ —Luke 9:57

Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, “for He knew what was in man” (John 2:25). We would have said, “I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!” Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what was in man.” If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.

Luke 9:58 . These words destroy the argument of serving Jesus Christ because it is a pleasant thing to do. And the strictness of the rejection that He demands of me allows for nothing to remain in my life but my Lord, myself, and a sense of desperate hope. He says that I must let everyone else come or go, and that I must be guided solely by my relationship to Him. And He says, “. . . the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Luke 9:59 . This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his father. We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost.

Luke 9:61 . The person who says, “Lord, I will follow You, but . . .,” is the person who is intensely ready to go, but never goes. This man had reservations about going. The exacting call of Jesus has no room for good-byes; good-byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us from the call. Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop.

http://utmost.org/the-go-of-renunciation/

Going Through Spiritual Confusion

Jesus answered and said, ’You do not know what you ask’ —Matthew 20:22

There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.

The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?

The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.

The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.

http://utmost.org/going-through-spiritual-confusion/

Getting It Right

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Matthew 16:13

There’s lots of talk about Jesus these days. From The Da Vinci Code debate to Jesus’ claims to be the only way to the Father (John 14:6), there’s nothing like a little Jesus-talk at the water cooler to get a heated discussion going!

In the early 90s, a gathering of professors picked through the gospel accounts asking, “Did Jesus really say that?” They would bring their opinions to the table and then all would vote on the authenticity of Jesus’ words. When all the votes were counted, any confidence in the words of Christ was resoundingly discredited.

Wrong answer.

The movie, The Da Vinci Code, spun another view of Jesus that comes to the staggering assertion that Jesus never claimed to be God but married and fathered a line of offspring that continues to this day.

Wrong answer—big time!

But these “conclusions” don’t just surface in the scholarly and literary worlds. It seems that most people are more than happy to think of Jesus as being what they want Him to be. Everyone is okay with a Jesus who is merely a “good teacher” or a “noble example.” Even Muslims and Hindus view Jesus as a sage prophet. And gay activists speak of Jesus as being tolerant and loving.

But all this Jesus-talk hits the wall when the exclusive claims of Christ are put on the table. When Jesus claims to be the only way or when He talks about heaven and hell and judgment, the Jesus party is over! Our seemingly tolerant society is not interested in the actual claims of Christ. Happy to discuss Jesus in vague, ethereal terms, the average guy resists any thought of personal accountability to Him as Lord and Savior.

And yet that’s exactly what Jesus claims to be and what He calls us to embrace!

When Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” it was no coincidence that the question was asked in Caesarea Philippi. No place could have been more threatening, politically and spiritually, to the disciples. And Jesus asked that question, not because He was uncertain about His identity or His rating in the polls, but because He wanted to be sure that the disciples knew whom they were following.

Peter moved straight past the politically correct, carefully couched answers to a bold declaration—that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and the Son of God. Right answer! Jesus pointed out that this was a God-given insight and that those who believe are blessed in their declaration.

Today, Jesus asks us the same personal question: “Who do you believe that I am?” Announcing that He is the true Messiah—our Savior—starts us on a journey of faith that stretches through eternity in heaven. A life that embraces this truth is blessed and bolstered with confidence in His character and delivering power.

But it’s more than just believing. When the question arises in conversation, we have the privilege of becoming His witnesses in the swirl of so many dead-end opinions about Jesus. Whether it’s a friendly chat about a spiritually oriented movie or a discussion about the turmoil in the Middle East, the topic of Christ may well surface.  And when it does, let’s be sure to present the real Jesus in a gracious yet confident manner. The right answer may just be the key to someone’s eternity!

YOUR JOURNEY…

• What perceptions about Jesus have you seen in your co-workers, family, and friends? Do those perceptions match up with the biblical picture of Jesus?
• How has your understanding of Christ been shaped by your study of Scripture?
• Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? When and how did you come to that conclusion?
• What opportunities have you had to speak up about your trust in Christ?

http://getmorestrength.org/daily/getting-it-right/

Until You Are Full

A friend who lives in Singapore told me about an old Chinese greeting. Instead of “How are you?” people would ask “Have you eaten until you are full?” The greeting likely originated during a time when food was scarce and many people did not know when they would have their next meal. When food was available, it was advisable to eat until they were full.

After Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two small fish (John 6:1-13), the crowd followed Him wanting more (vv.24-26). The Lord told them not to work for physical food that spoils, but “for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you . . . . I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (vv.27,35).

As followers of Jesus, we should help those who lack adequate physical nutrition. And with all, we can share the good news that our hunger for inner peace, forgiveness, and hope can be satisfied by knowing Christ the Lord.

Jesus Christ, the bread of life, invites us to come to Him for His feast for the soul, urging us to eat until we are full.

Thank You, Jesus, that You call out to those who are weary and thirsty and say, “Come to Me and be filled.” We are hungry and are thankful that You satisfy us. Amen.

There is a longing in every heart that only Jesus can satisfy.

http://odb.org/2012/08/29/until-you-are-full/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+odb%2Ffeed+%28Our+Daily+Bread%29

Jesus In The Hands Of His Enemies

The men who seized Jesus mocked him and flogged him. They also blindfolded him and said, “Prophet, tell us who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things, insulting him.

At daybreak they brought him before the council at which were gathered the elders, both the chief priests and the scribes. And they tried to get evidence against him to have him put to death, but could not find any, for though many made false statements, they did not agree. Some men stood up and falsely said, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made by the hands of men and within three days I will build another made without hands.’” But the statements even of these men did not agree.

Then the high priest arose and asked Jesus, “Do you not answer? What about these statements that these men make against you?” But he was silent and made no answer. And the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ? If you are, tell us.” He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you questions, you will not answer me. But after this the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God Almighty.” Then they all said to him, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “It is as you say; I am.” So they said, “What further need have we of evidence? We have heard it from his own lips.”

Then all the high priests and scribes rose and brought Jesus before Pilate, and began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man leading our people astray, forbidding them to pay taxes to the Roman emperor, and saying that he himself is Christ, the King.” Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “I am.” Pilate said to the high priests and the crowd, “I do not find that this man has done anything wrong.” But they insisted, saying, “He stirs up the people by teaching through all Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he has come even here.” When Pilate heard this he asked whether Jesus was a Galilean, and when he learned that he was and that he came under Herod’s rule, he sent him to Herod Antipas, who was also in Jerusalem at this time.

Herod was glad to see Jesus. He had long wished to see him because of what he had heard about him, and because he also hoped to see him do some wonderful deed. Although Herod asked him many questions, Jesus made no answer, and the high priests and the scribes loudly shouted their charges against him. Then Herod, and his soldiers, after mocking him, and dressing him in a bright colored robe, sent him back to Pilate.

Pilate then called together the high priests and other officials and the people, and said, “You brought me this man on the charge that he stirred up the people to rebel. Now I have examined him before you and found no guilt in him of those things of which you accuse him; no, nor has Herod, for he has sent him back to us. You see that he has done nothing that calls for death. I will therefore have him flogged and then release him” (for it was the custom at this feast to release for them one man). But they all cried out, “Away with him and release for us Barabbas” (a man who had been put into prison because of a riot which had occurred in the city, and on the charge of murder). Pilate spoke to them again, because he wished to release Jesus; but still they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” He said to them for the third time, “Why, what crime has this man committed? I have found no reason to put him to death. I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” But they shouted and demanded that he should be crucified. And so Pilate, wishing to please the people, released Barabbas, but Jesus he turned over to them to be crucified.

http://kids.ochristian.com/Childrens-Bible/Jesus-In-The-Hands-Of-His-Enemies.shtml

Jesus Is Seized By The Mob

When Jesus and his disciples came to a certain place called Gethsemane, he said to them, “Sit here while I pray”; but he took with him Peter and James and John. And as he suffered greatly from deep sorrow, he said to them, “My heart is heavy with sadness. Stay here and watch.” Then he went forward a short distance and threw himself on the ground and prayed that if possible he might be spared this agony, saying, “Father, with thee all things are possible. Take away this cup of agony from me. Yet not my will, but thy will be done.”

When he came back, he found his disciples asleep; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may overcome temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the body is weak.” Again he went away and prayed the same prayer. And when he returned, again he found them asleep, for they were very drowsy; and they did not know what to say to him. Then he came the third time and said to them, “Sleep on now and take your rest. It is enough; the hour has come; already the Son of Man has been betrayed into the hands of wicked men. Rise, let us go; for here is the one who has betrayed me.”

While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came up, followed by a mob with swords and clubs, who had come from the high priests and the scribes and the elders. Judas had arranged a signal: “He whom I shall kiss,” he said, “is the man. Take him, and lead him away without letting him escape.” As soon as he came, he went up to Jesus, saying, “Master,” and kissed him. Then they seized Jesus and took him; but one of those who were with him drew his sword, and, striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear. Jesus turned and said, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to seize me as you would a robber? Day after day I have been with you teaching in the Temple, yet you never seized me.”

Then Jesus’ disciples left him and fled. One young man, however, followed him with only a linen sheet thrown about him; but when the men tried to seize him, he left the linen sheet and fled away naked.

The mob led Jesus away and brought him to the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance, and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, he too sat down among them. A certain maid, seeing him there by the firelight, looked at him closely and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” After a little while another person who saw Peter said, “You too are one of them”; but he said, “Man, I am not.”

About an hour later another man said, “Certainly this fellow also was with Jesus, for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered how the Lord had said to him, “Before the cock crows to-day you will deny me three times.” And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

http://kids.ochristian.com/Childrens-Bible/Jesus-Is-Seized-By-The-Mob.shtml

The Bewildering Call of God

’. . . and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.’ . . . But they understood none of these things . . . —Luke 18:31, 34

God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.

This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance— they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.

If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.

http://utmost.org/the-bewildering-call-of-god/

Faith for Today

“The word of the Lord came to me:  ‘Son of man, the house of Israel is saying, “The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.” ‘Therefore say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord”.’” — Ezekiel 12:26–28

Hard day at the office? Usually, in our culture, the antidote is to curl up on the couch and watch a movie. Went on a bad date? If movies and television shows are any guide, the best thing to do in these situations is to buy a pint of ice cream.

In general, when life gets us down, often our default mode is to pamper ourselves until we feel better.

It’s easy to forget the role of faith in bolstering our spirits. Although our faith in God can be a tremendous comfort, many of us have a habit of reasoning that while divine pursuits may help in the long-term, we want to feel better right now, right here – in the short-term.

While this attitude is understandable, God warns Ezekiel about those who take it to an extreme. You see, the people of Ezekiel’s time – like many of us nowadays – had gotten used to thinking of faith as something that may be relevant, but only to others, or only in the future. Certainly, in the here-and-now, faith probably doesn’t have a real benefit.

This is why the Almighty had Ezekiel remind the people that faith is always meaningful and always a major source of strength and support in our lives. But it is our responsibility to take hold of the resources offered to us via faith in God and make them a part of our daily lives.

So let’s all commit to the attitude that Ezekiel was sent to encourage: that God’s word is ever present and ever relevant. We can do this by taking it upon ourselves to learn a bit of Scripture every day, or doing a kind deed once a week for a stranger, or setting aside a bit of our time to devote to charity. Truth is, it can be anything, even something small.

The key, at the end of the day, is to remember that faith – if we truly make it a part of our lives – can be a wonderful wellspring of comfort to us and to those around us.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/faith-for-today

Jesus Tells How One May Become Great & Jesus Makes The Wicked Zaccheus His Friend

Jesus Tells How One May Become Great

Leaving Cesarea Philippi, Jesus and his disciples passed through Galilee; but he wished no one to know of this, for he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed and men will put him to death, but in three days he will rise from the dead.” But they did not understand his meaning and were afraid to ask.

When they had reached Capernaum and were in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they made no reply, for they had been disputing on the way about which of them was greatest. Sitting down, he called the twelve disciples, and said, “If any one wishes to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and set him by his side and with his arm around him said to them, “Whoever receives a little child like this in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not only me, but God who sent me.”

http://kids.ochristian.com/Childrens-Bible/Jesus-Tells-How-One-May-Become-Great.shtml

 

Jesus Makes The Wicked Zaccheus His Friend

 

 

Jesus Is Glorified

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain where they were alone, and in their presence he was transfigured. His clothes glistened with a dazzling whiteness such as no bleaching could give on earth. And there appeared to them Elijah and Moses, who talked with Jesus. Then Peter said, “Master, it is fortunate that we are here. Let us make three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (For in his terror he did not know what to say.) Then a cloud came and overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Beloved Son; give heed to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they saw no one with them but Jesus.

As they came down from the mountain, he commanded them to tell no one what they had seen until after he had risen from the dead. And they obeyed the command but discussed among themselves what “rising from the dead” meant. Therefore they asked him, “How is it that the scribes say, ‘Elijah must first come’?” He answered, “Elijah is to come first to restore everything. And what is written about the Son of Man? Is it not that he is to endure great suffering and be despised? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him what they pleased, even as it is written of him.”

http://kids.ochristian.com/Childrens-Bible/Jesus-Is-Glorified.shtml