* Including...

Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.

Mark 16:7 NLT

Jesus was great about including Peter. Peter, James and John went places with Him that the others did not go - he was in Jesus' inner circle. He is the only one besides Jesus who ever walked on water - in a storm yet - he got out of the boat! (Yes, I know he started to sink when he took his eyes off Christ, but don't we all when we take our eyes off Jesus?!? Would you have even gotten out of the boat?) This same Peter bragged that he would die for Christ, yet within 24 hours denied knowing Him 3 times. When the realization of what he'd done hit him, he wept bitterly and left. There is no mention of him at the crucifixion.

Including Peter... Simon Peter had issues. He already knew he wasn't worthy of even being in the presence of Jesus (Luke 5:8), and yet Christ chose him to be one of His disciples. Think of all the ups and downs of Peter's life in action. Peter goes from being the one with the revealed knowledge that Jesus is the Christ and Jesus declaring that Peter will have the keys of the kingdom to Peter trying to correct Jesus, then Jesus calling Peter 'satan' and telling Peter to get away from Him - all in one chapter (Matthew 16)!

Have you ever messed up so bad that you wonder if Jesus will forgive you?  I think almost everyone goes through that at some point in their walk with Christ... including Peter. The Truth remains - Christ was crucified so that we could be forgiven.

Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter...

Prayer:

Father,

          Help us to get it - to fully understand the depth and fullness of Your mercy and Your grace in our lives, so we can tell others, too. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Warning - The Day is Coming

Mark 13: 14 [Jesus Speaking]   “The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 15 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 16 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 17 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 18 And pray that your flight will not be in winter. 19 For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. 20 In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

21 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it.22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 23 Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

24 “At that time, after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,
    the moon will give no light,
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

26 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

28 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place.31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

32 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33 And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!

Prayer:

Father,

           Keep our hearts and minds open to You. Let us know Your Truth and walk in Your wisdom. Not only do we want to be ready, but we want to have those in our sphere of influence to be ready also. Give us the words to say that will pierce their hardened hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Working for More

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Mark 8:36-37 NLT

We are a society consumed by consumer conquests - the biggest TV, the fastest Internet, whatever most G network money can buy, the newest phone, tablet and/or computer and all the applications to go with it - not to mention the car that is compatible with all of it! Get that overtime, so we can get the ____________.

I am not knocking work. The Bible says if you want to eat, you should work. However, what is your motive? Is it just to get more something? There's nothing wrong with wanting a comfortable life, but is it at the expense of your relationship with Christ? Do you have less time for your quiet time with God? What about your family relationships? Are they suffering because of the hours you work or the hours they work? How comfortable is that?

Let's get real. He who dies with the most toys, still dies. And when he does, where he spends eternity is determined by his relationship with Jesus Christ. We are working for more; we just need to be sure we know for more of what.

Prayer:

Father,
            Your Word declares itself to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Illuminate our way to see clearly what You would have us do to restore and renew right relationships with You and with those You've entrusted to us. Show us what to let go of and what we need more of. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Crowd Control

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

Mark 5:35-37 NKJV

It's generally not a good idea to follow the crowd. Most of the time, they are blindly pushing forward with only an idea of what they think is right. And with a crowd full of different people providing input, the original missive or message quickly becomes diluted and/or polluted. The pervasive personality commonly becomes arrogant and abusive because of its size and misconceived power. 

Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of onlookers and seekers after Jairus came to Him, begging for his daughter's life to be spared. The woman with the issue of blood pressed through the crowd, dividing and conquering by faith, and was healed. When the people came to tell Jairus to not "bother" the Master any longer, Jesus knew He had to take control. 

He spoke only to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” Scripture tells us that He did not let any follow Him except Peter, James and John. Three who He knew believed and the one who wanted desperately to believe. When He got to the house, Jesus dispersed the crowd there, too! He did not let crowd opinion and mockery rule over Him or the situation.

And there, separated unto God, the prayer of faith became Rhema Word and the child was raised from the dead and restored to her family. Are you taking notes? He did not let crowd opinion and mockery rule over Him or the situation. And there, separated unto God, the prayer of faith became Rhema Word!

What's going on in your world? Are you gathering a crowd or exercising crowd control?

Prayer:

Father,

         Let us look only to the Author and Finisher of our faith! Help us to walk the way less traveled, following only in Your footsteps. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

* Literally Speaking

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 
Mark 4:35-36 NLT

Few people speak literally. Have you ever noticed that? It can quickly become confusing when trying to make a decision to act, based on what someone has said. Did they mean it literally? Was there a veiled message in it? Did you notice any innuendos? Double entendres? 

Jesus spoke literally. (Yes, He told parables and other stories, but when He did, He always let you know that's what it was.) We're never left guessing when it comes to the spoken Word. And Jesus said He speaks only what the Father tells Him.  You remember Genesis when God the Father spoke the world into existence, "Let there be light." And there was light! 

Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 

Jesus did not say, "Let's go drown in the middle of the lake because of the storm that's coming." He said, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." They heard Him, they got in the boat and started out - heading to the other side. Then it got rough and they lost all hope of living to see the other side! And what was Jesus doing? Jesus was sleeping on a pillow...not moved by tossing waves, stormy seas. He'd already spoken it.

Can we believe the literal Word of God? I know we can, but DO we?

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive us for allowing the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, to crowd out the words You have spoken to us. Let Your Word and Your Word alone be the bread of life to us.  In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Holding Hands

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.   Psalm 18:35-36 NKJV

I cried out, “I am slipping!”  But Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.

When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:18-19 NLT

When my youngest granddaughter was just a toddler, on most afternoons after work, I would take her for a walk. Sometimes, I pushed her in a stroller, but most days, we walked. The good news was, at that stage of her life, we walked at the same speed, so I had no problem keeping up with her.  She was a toddler who waddled while trying to keep her balance - but one who would much rather walk on her own than hold hands with anyone. 

However, she used to do the sweetest thing when we were walking... If she saw a bump in the walk or was stepping from grass to the pavement - without looking - she put her hand up, knowing mine would be there to grasp hers and help her over the rough spots and to keep her from falling. I loved the trust that was in that simple gesture. I loved that she already knew she could trust my love for her. Without looking, she knew I was right there with her.

God our Father reminded me that He does exactly the same thing for us. Yes, there are times He carries us. However, in our daily walk with Him, sometimes we choose to walk on our own - that is until we get into trouble. At times the path is rough. Do we instinctively reach for His hand? Do we trust His love for us? Do we know without looking that He will be right there with us? 

The Truth of the matter is this. If we would hold His hand when the way is smooth, then when the trials come, they would be little more than a step over with no fear of falling.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for those times we think we can walk on our own. Help us to be like a child in this, too, that we would recognize the need to hold to Your unchanging hand; that we would somehow grasp and understand the depth of Your love for us every day, and especially in the tough spots. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* A Heart Toward God

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

2nd Kings 4:26 KJV

In the book of Job, chapter 1 - Job, a very wealthy man, loses all of his children and all his possessions in one day. Scripture tells us at the end of the chapter, Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

How many of us would be able to do what the Shunammite woman did, let alone what Job did?!? Some of us get a hangnail and we want to blame God. Get stuck in traffic and "God, you could move this, if you wanted to..."  Go to bed late because we get caught up in Youtube or Facebook, and when the alarm goes off, instead of 'Good morning, Lord', we're groaning, 'Good Lord, it's morning!' as though it's His fault we're tired...

Let's take a little time to think about the good things God has done for each of us. The times He's brought us through, pulled us up and lifted us out, covered us, delivered, redeemed, and set us free.  Just to name a few...Is your focus - your heart - toward the circumstance or toward God?

Prayer:

Father, 

           Forgive us for the petty things in life that steal our focus away from you. Let us ALWAYS think of what You've already done, what You're doing, and what You're going to do. Keep our hearts, minds, and souls ever toward You, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* What You Sow...

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7

What is your hope? What is it anchored in? When the storms of life come (and they will!), do you lose hope or is its foundation sure? 

♪♫ My anchor holds and grips the solid Rock... His Name is Jesus... yes, He's the One... ♪♫

I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 
Psalm 16:8 NASB

When it's blowing and going with gale-force winds, what do you have to hold onto that is secure? Where will you 'hide' from the storms of life, and yet maintain your hope?

When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Psalm 61:2b-4 NKJV

Do you have any guarantee for your hope? Anything that will back it up? What about the following?

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
Hebrews 6:17-19 NLT

Word upon Word, promised forever. So in the principle of sowing and reaping, what are YOU sowing? I've just given you a page of encouragement to keep your hope!

Prayer:
           
Father,
           Let everything we sow be pleasing unto you. Let it bring forth fruit, according to Your word. Encourage those who are reading this around the world. Multiply their hope in You. In Jesus' Name we pray.

* What Do You Say to That?

21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Isaiah 40:28-29 NASB

Have you ever had those days that feel like all you do is go from one fire to the next without any lasting results? I've had a month of them. It's like trying to run a marathon with one foot nailed to the floor. You're giving it all you've got, but you're not getting anywhere. 

I've been SO much more busy that at first, I didn't recognize what was going on. Then through the hustle and bustle, I heard Him whisper, "Come away. Come spend time with Me. Make more time for Me - I will help you." In our finite minds, that doesn't make sense. What do you say to that? More time spent on something means less time for everything else when it can feel like we don't have enough time as it is to get everything done in a day. 

However, we're talking about the Creator of the universe. The God of multiplying, not dividing. The One Who always gives more! I was reminded of that when I read Proverbs 21:21, He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor. We pursue righteousness and loyalty and He gives us LIFE. God gives so much more than we could think or ask. So what do you say to a God like that?

You say, "Yes, Lord."

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always loving us. Thank You for always having the right answer and providing it for us. Thank You for knowing what we have need of before we even ask and for being patient and kind enough to allow us to come into Your presence where all our needs are met. Father, let our heart's desire be always toward You. We want to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* For Such a Time as This

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:16 NLT

Let's talk about Esther. Orphaned at an early age, taken in by an older cousin, and offered up in the B.C. version of Queen for a Day - but only if you qualify. (This would not be my first choice, nor my second, not even my thirtieth...). However, think about this. If she hadn't been orphaned, if her older cousin hadn't taken her in and then offered her up for the king's wife lottery, where would she be when the time came to fulfill her purpose in life?

An entire culture had been sentenced to die. Mordecai expected Esther to fix it. Period. No excuses, because she was in the right place at the right time. He asked her, "If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

She was scared witless. She could die merely by taking the first step into the ruler's presence without his expressed permission. I am positive the words kept ringing in her spirit, 'For such a time as this!' 'For such a time as this!' 

It rings throughout my day, 'For such a time as this!' 'For such a time as this!' and echoes as Ephesians 2:10 repeats itself in my heart, "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  

God knows all our days. He planned them... long ago.  As scary as this world can be in its' worst days, we are here for such a time as this. God ordained that we would be here... in the right place at the right time... 

What will WE do?

Prayer:

Father,
       In the words of King David, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Let me fulfill the purpose You have planned for my life... for such a time as this. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* Background Checks and Jesus

Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.)
Mark 2:15 NLT

In my day job, one of the tasks in my portfolio is processing new hires. Regardless of the position offered, it is mandatory to run a background check and prescreen for drugs and alcohol. There is a variety of background checks from which to choose; some vastly more stringent than others, depending on the job description and work location. Only those who pass are eligible to begin the actual process to be employed. 

Once in a great while, we meet a candidate who has a questionable past but who is forthright about the circumstances. Often, we are able to work with that person and proceed with employment, (depending on the grade/number of hits on the prescreens). While reading Mark 2 for our promise, I was reminded of this particular employment scenario. 

In verse 17 of Mark 2, Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” 

In my opinion, this passage is one of the greatest stories in the Word of God! He's choosing His disciples and they are not the crème de la crème. Jesus has the background knowledge of EVERYTHING we've ever done, said or even thought! And yet, nothing can disqualify us when we give it ALL to Him, good AND bad. There isn't anything that can preclude us. God tells us in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow." It doesn't matter how it's graded - or how many hits are on it when it's processed - our background check comes back clear when Jesus runs it. In Christ, our past does not determine our future.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for making every provision for us in preparation of our permanent, eternal position with You. Give us opportunities to tell others of Your greatness and Your faithfulness and Your great love toward us. Give them hearts and ears to hear. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

*+ The Same

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
1st Corinthians 12:4-11 NKJV

God loves you and wants the very best for your life. My pastor declares this all the time. He's not a "name it, claim it", "blab it, grab it" kind of guy, but he is steeped in the Word of God and proclaims Truth every time he speaks. 

God really DOES love you and He TRULY wants the best for your life! So, because He loves us so much, He made each of us uniquely ourselves. Think about the billions of people and no two fingerprints alike. Mind-boggling! He didn't make us unique in order to be in the spotlight. He didn't make us unique so that we could laud it over anyone who doesn't have the same giftings we might have. He made us unique because we each bring something of value to the table to accomplish His purpose - His goals in our lives and the lives of those around us. Something that is uniquely our own, yet a vital part of the whole picture. 

The world calls for us to celebrate diversity and to make it our focus. The world encourages us to find the thing that's different and exploit it; to focus on what separates us and divide into groups accordingly. God never called us to division. He called us into relationship with Himself and the Body of Christ - which is you and me.

How do you make a friend? You either get thrust into a forced connection or you first notice that there is some kind of common ground on which you can connect? Right? 

That is EXACTLY what God is calling us to do in our Scripture text for today. Yes, we're all different, but we are to celebrate the SAME! The same Spirit (the one that raised Christ Jesus from the dead). The same God who works all in all. We are not called to separatism.

Prayer:

Father,
         We don't want to lose our lives by lauding it over everyone. Lord, may we remember and focus that we were created to do things for others - things that You ordained for us to do long ago. Help us to recognize Your handiwork and cause us to hasten to do all that You have in Your Heart and Mind for us. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen

The Twenty-third Psalm +

Sometimes, I have no words of my own. The only insight I have about this is that there's a reason it's one of the most favorite passages of Scripture. It is a declaration of who God is and who I am NOT.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for all that You are and all that You have provided for us, are providing for us, and will provide for us. Lord, we need so much more of You and so much less of us. Cause it to be so. Clean hands and a pure heart, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* A Way Out

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1^st Peter 1:13-16 NLT

When we start talking about love in Scripture, we are quick to point out there are 3 distinctly different types of love: eros  (physical), phileo (or Philo – friend) and agape - the love that is revealed through Jesus Christ. Agape is the love that is there no matter what you do for me (eros) or who you are to me (phileo). It’s what we should aspire to – how we should do it – It is Godly.

However, more often than not, I hear many cite Peter’s response to Christ in John 21:15-17, [Christ asks if Peter loves (agape) Him and Peter replies he does love (phileo) Him] and then they use it as an excuse for their lack of love (agape) one for another. I only mention that because it seems apparent that we, as human beings, are always looking for the reserve, the safety net, the “good enough” clause - in other words - a way out.

“You must be holy because I am holy.” I immediately thought of Peter’s response regarding love, and wondered if holy really meant holy – Godly holy – on His level holy. I don’t like to think that I was looking for a way out; however, looking for a way to lower the bar is still looking for a way out…

Hagios is the Greek word used in our text today. But now you must be hagios in everything you do, just as God who chose you is hagios. For the Scriptures say, “You must be hagios because I am hagios.”  This quality of holy, according to Strong’s, “as attributed to God, is often presented in a way which involves Divine demands upon the conduct of believers.”

Being a saint is not an attainment, it is a condition – a state of being  - which God in grace calls us to be. 1st Timothy 1:9 reads, For God saved us and called us to live a holy (hagios) life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.  We, as believers, are called to sanctify ourselves – to set ourselves apart – removing OURSELVES from all corruption, forsaking sin, and living a holy manner of life.

I found it interesting and very convicting to learn that the exact same word that we are to be - hagios – is the exact same Greek word used for the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, the Holy place, the Holy of Holies… No distinction, no clauses. No way out, as we know it… 

So how do we do it? WE don’t! We can't, except by the grace of God, 1^st Corinthians 10:13 NLT assures us, The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

He WILL show you a way out…

Prayer:

Father,

             We want to be holy as You are holy. Help us to realize that the only way out is by following You.  In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen