Tag Archives: Love

Don’t You Care If We Drown?

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If there is one thing we know about Jesus, it’s that He loves people.  That’s one of the main points of the entire Gospel.

His loves His disciples.  He loves the crowds that follow Him.  He loves the sinners and tax collectors He meets along His journey.  He even loves the Pharisees.  He loves His family.  He loves the entire world.

That’s kind of the point of John 3:16 – God loves the world.  Through Jesus, we see God’s love for the entire world.

We can argue about a lot in faith. But, we all agree on this.  Jesus loves people.  There is no doubt about that.

Watch what happens today, through in Mark 4:

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). 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. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

There’s a lot in this passage. But, one of the things that always sticks out to me is this. The disciples asked Jesus, don’t you care that we are going to drown?

They are afraid. This huge storm has blown up all around them. It doesn’t look good.  The boat could sink. They could drown. They could die. That’s a scary, scary thing.

So, out of their fear, they ask Jesus, don’t you care that we are going to drown!  Don’t you care that we are going to die!

In short they are asking, aren’t you going to save us? Don’t you love us?

Each one of the disciples knew that Jesus loved them.  They had seen His love. They knew His love.  They had felt His love.

But now they were scared. They were worried. They didn’t know what was going to happen. And so they questioned. They questioned His love. They questioned His help. They questioned Him.

Do you not care if we drown?

Of course He did. But, in their fear, they lost sight of that. In their fear, they lost sight of God’s love.

Today, no matter what you are going through, God loves you.  God loves you in your storm. God loves you in your life. God loves you no matter what. God loves you.

Don’t let the storm you are going through take your eyes off of God’s love. Don’t let fear cause you to doubt God’s love.  God loves you more than you’ll ever know.

Don’t let the storm of today take your eyes off the love of God.

 

No Mark

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As I’ve said several times that the thing I love most about the Psalms is that they are honest. When the Psalmist is angry, you know it through reading what’s on the page. When the Psalmist is happy and full of joy, you know it by reading what’s on the page. When the Psalmist is struggling with something, you know it.

And the struggles that the Psalmist has with God is apparent in different times. Sometimes he’s upset with God about something. Sometimes he’s afraid that God will be mad at him because of something he has done. Sometimes he is just scared of his enemies, of his sin, of the things in his life.

I just love them because they are so honest about the things that we go through. The emotions behind them match the emotions of our lives.  We are the same. The Psalms reflect what we feel, so many times in our lives.

Listen to part of the words of one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 130:

Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.

If the Lord kept a record of sins, who among us could stand? If the Lord were to mark our mistakes, His book would be full of failures and sins. If we had to do more good than bad in our lives to earn His love, we wouldn’t be able to stand.  None of us could do that.  None of us could undo the bad that we’ve done.

We can’t do enough good to make God ignore the bad.

That was the work of the cross. Through the cross, our sins are done away with. Through the cross we are forgiven. Through the cross, things have changed, life is different, we are new. Through the cross, our sin is forgiven.

Through the power of the cross, there is no mark. It is erased.  It is forgiven. It is forgotten.  It is gone.

Through the power and grace and love of God, offered through the cross, there is no mark.  There is no record. There is no sin. The Psalms also tell us that as far as the East is from the West, that’s how far our sins are from God.

Today, you are forgiven. Today, there is no mark. Today, they are gone.

Today, may we live like the forgiven children of God that we are.

 

Nothing

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Sometimes in a devotional, there is the need to tell a story to help connect someone the truth of scripture to their life. Sometimes there is the need to further explain what is happening in the text, or what is happening behind the scence or what the intent was, or whatever.

But, here’s the thing about the Bible. It doesn’t need my (or anyone’s) help. It speaks for it’s self.  It proclaims truth in it’s self. At the end of the day, there’s nothing to add to it. It speaks truth.

Today, I want to share a passage with you that I read, and really, there’s not a lot I can add to it. This is from Romans 8:

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Today, nothing will seperate you from God’s love.  Nothing.

Not life, not death, not anything created, nothing in your life, no worries, no fears, no doubts, no mistakes, no failiures, no nothing (yes Enligsh majors/teachers. That’s a double neagive. Sorry 🙂 ). Through Jesus,  nothing can separate us from God’s love.

So, today, remember though Jesus Christ, nothing is going to separate you from God’s love.  He loves you. And He wants you to live in the reality of that love.  That’s where life, hope, peace, everything is found in.  God and His love.

Today, let’s God’s love form you.  Let it shape your actions.  Let it shape your thoughts.  Let it form your very being.  You are loved.  Today.  You are.  Live in that knowledge. Live in that hope.  Let that sink down deep in your soul.  You are loved.

And nothing can take that from you.  Nothing.

Live in that knowledge today.  Live with that confidence today.  Live in that assurance today.  Through Jesus Christ, nothing can separate you from God’s love.

Nothing.

How Far Will You Go?

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How far will you go to share the love of Jesus Christ today?

How far are you willing to go in this day to share with others, through your words, your actions, your expressions, through everything, how far are you willing to go to show others Jesus today?

How much of your routine are you willing to change? How much out of your comfort zone are you willing to get?

How motivated are you to show that love of Jesus to others?

See, as Christians, I believe what we know is the hope of the world. The hope of the world is Jesus Christ. Through relationship with Him, people are find their true purpose in life, find they are loved, and experience the power of peace, joy, and life.

How far will we go today to show that love?

Listen to this story in Mark 2 today:

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

Ok. Let’s think about what really happened here. Forget what you’ve heard and the stories you knew from the past.

These four dudes cut a hole in someone’s roof.  WHAT?!?!?!?!

They cut a hole in someone’s roof.  Literally. They cut a hole in roof of someone’s house and lowered their friend down.

Because they wanted him to meet Jesus.

Wow.  That’s how far they would go to make sure that their friend met Jesus.

Today, how far will we go?  Will we witness about Jesus with our words?  Our actions? Will we talk in a way that reflects His grace? Will we share about our faith? Will we invite someone to church?  Will we show Jesus to others with all that we do.

These folks when a long way to show Jesus to their friend. Today, how far will we go?

BaseCamp 2011 Day Four

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Today is the last day of BaseCamp 2011. It’s been a great week of service to the greater Pine Belt area.

We’ve seen yards get cut, bathrooms get fixed, children get loved on, and food given out. It’s been a real great week of being the hands and feet of Jesus. These youth have given of their time, their efforts and of all that they are to really make a difference in the lives of others.

And these last two years I’ve had the privilege of working with BaseCamp, that’s always my take away. You can make a difference. You really can.

That may be one of the most dangerous things that the world can do to us. It can make us believe that we can’t make a difference. That there is nothing that we can do. That it is hopeless. That there is no point in trying to change the world.

That there is no point in trying to change yourself.

I believe in the power of change. I believe in the power of God to change lives. To change the lives of the ones that we serve, and to change our on lives as well.

You can make a difference today. Each smile. Each warm word. Each offer to help someone. Each time you don’t respond in anger. Every little thing you do, you can make a difference.

And, today, God can make a difference in you. You can grow closer. You can be more like Him. You can feel His power and His life in you today. You can be changed.

Today, let’s go make a difference. Each of us, let’s go be the hands and feet of Jesus.

God is Not Out to Get You

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As a pastor, one of the things that most breaks my heart, is when broken people, people who are truly hurting don’t want to turn to God for relief, support, love, and life.

I hate seeing people struggle and hurt over things in their lives, over pain they feel, and even over pain they may have caused.  And I have found, perhaps my just in my experience, the reason folks don’t want to turn to God in that moment is that they think God is mad at them.

God is out to get them.

Perhaps God is even the one causing their pain to get them back for whatever they may have done wrong in the past.

They feel like God wants to get them, punish them, destroy them.

Maybe this morning, that may even be you.  Maybe you feel that way right now. Maybe you think God is out to get you, destroy you, punish you.

If so, listen to what God says through Ezekiel this morning:

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.”

God is not out to get you. God loves you. God wants you to live. God wants you to know life. God wants you to know mercy and joy and peace and hope and life.  God wants you to know and experience the depth of His love and mercy.

He loves you.

He wants to know you.

And, He wants to forgive you and bring you home today.

He wants you to know the power of hope, life, and forgiveness.  God wants what’s best for you today. And, you can trust Him.

Let me say it again.  You can trust Him.  No matter what you’ve done, what you’re doing, what you’re going to do. He loves you.

God is not out to get you. He wants you to know life. Today, no matter where you are in your walk with God, and other people, know this.

God loves you.

 

What are you Looking at?

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What are you looking at?

Well, you are probably thinking right now, my email.  Or my smart phone.  Or your blog.  That’s what I’m looking at right now.  Ok, what will you look at next next?  What you have you looked at already today?

And I’m not just talking about what you’ve “seen” with your eyes.  What have you dwelled on with your soul?  What have you allowed your mind and your spirit to rest upon today? What have you focused your thoughts and your presence upon today?

In the Bible, one of the things that we see Jesus do over and over again is heal the blind. Now, in scripture there is a physical miracle that happens here, but there is a deeper spiritual miracle. To heal the blind isn’t just to bring sight to the eyes, it’s to bring sight to the soul. Not just to let folks “see” physically, but to really let them see what’s going on in a deeper, spiritual way.

So, today, what are you looking at?  Where are you gazing?

Listen to the words of Psalm 101 today:

I will be careful to live a blameless life—
when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
in my own home.
I will refuse to look at
anything vile and vulgar.

What are you looking at? Where are you dwelling? Where is your soul today?

Today, are you “looking” at the things of God? Are you “looking” at the things of the world? Are you “looking” at your own fleshly desires?  Are you looking at the things that dishonor God?  Or are you looking at the things that honor God and give life?

Are you “looking” at anger?

Are you “looking” at pride?

Are you “looking” at hatred?

Are you “looking” at unforgiveness?

Are you “looking” at you?  Or are you “looking” at God?

Our kids used to sing that song – Oh be careful little eyes what you see, Oh be careful little eyes what you see, for the Father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little eyes what you see.

Today, are you being careful what you see?  Are you placing your eyes, your mind, your soul on the things of God?  For only in doing that can we find life, love, peace, and joy.

Today, what are you looking at?

 

Simple

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One of my favorite statements by John Wesley was in talking about the Bible.  He said “The Bible contains everything needful for salvation.  And everything that is needful is made plain within.”  I just love that quote because it tells us two things.

First, everything we need to know to be a Christian is found within the Bible.  We know that we can look there inside to find the things that are necessary to be a Christian. But, to me, the second part is just as important.  In that he said that all these things are made plain with.

If it’s important enough to impact our salvation, don’t you think that God would make it plain to understand?  If it was something that was going to impact our eternity, don’t you think that God would make it simple within Scripture?

God doesn’t play hide and seek within His plan.  He doesn’t play hide and seek with salvation.  He wants to know, to understand, to seek yes, but to find. Scripture says to seek and we will find.  Knock and the door will be opened.  God wants it to be simple to understand.

It may be hard to follow, but simple to understand.

In that vein, listen to what Paul says in Romans 13 today:

For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.”  These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

These commands are summed up in that command.  Love.  Love your neighbor.  Jesus taught us in the Gospel that the entire law is summed up in that command, love God, love your neighbor. That’s it. That’s the list.

Simple.

Easy to understand.

Hard to do. But simple to understand.

You want to follow the law today?  You want to be good?  You want to be holy?  Love.  Love you neighbor.  Lay down your life for them.  Point them to Jesus. Care, pray, carry.  Love.

That’s the law.  Love God and love neighbor.  Simple.  Simple to understand.

So, the question for us today, is what will we do with it? Will we follow the law?  Will we love?  In that action, we are keeping the law.

May we see the simplicity and beautify of God’s law and God’s command to us today.  To love.

The Whispers

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Who are you?  Who do you feel like you are?  What are your dreams?  Your wishes?  Your hopes?

Who do you see yourself as?  What do you see yourself doing?  Where do you see yourself with your walk with family and friends; with your walk with God.

We want to think of ourselves in good places. With good hopes and dreams and futures.

But perhaps, just perhaps, you have heard the whispers.

You aren’t any good.

You are worthless.

You’ve done too much. God can’t love you. . . . .can’t use you. . . . you are of no worth to Him.

Or anyone.

Just give up. . . . quit. . . . stop trying. . . . what’s it matter. . . . . you can’t do it anyway.

Perhaps today, you’ve heard those whispers in your head.  If so, listen to what Paul tells us in Colossians today:

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

You were once far away from God.  You were his enemy. That’s a big word.

But you were.

And so was I. So were we all. Because we were all dead in our sins. We were all far away from God. We.  Were.  His.  Enemies.

And how did God respond? By giving us His son to reconcile us to Him. To forgive us. To bring us into the throne room of grace. To make us clean.

To change us from being His enemies to being His children.

Today, when you hear the whispers, remember who you are. Remember what’s been done for you. Remember what Jesus has done for you.  You are forgiven.  You are restored.  You are His child and you are loved.

Don’t listen to the whispers.  Listen to voice of God here through His word.  You are redeemed, you are restored, you are made clean and made whole.

Don’t listen to the whispers.  Listen to God.  And know that you are no longer His enemy.  You are His child.

Go out and live like the loved child of God that you are.

Not Complicated. Just Hard

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One of my professors, Dr. Harold Bryson, at Mississippi College used to say that Jesus isn’t hard to understand.  He’s just hard to follow.

He was telling us that the things that Jesus calls us to do are not complicated.  They are just hard to do.  It’s not complicated to love your enemies.  It’s not complicated to forgive those that hurt you. It’s not to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

They are just hard to do.

This week as we continue to reflect upon verses that deal with our love for our neighbor, listen to what Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:12:

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

Ah, the golden rule.  He even says, this is the essence of all that’s taught in the Old Testament (the law and prophets).  This rule actually sums it up for us. It actually makes it easier for us.  It simplifies it for us.  It’s not complicated.

It’s so easy to understand, we can very easily teach it to our children. And it makes sense.  We know its good for us to live by the golden rule.  We know it simplifies things. We know that in doing that, we living life that’s going to be more peaceful, more productive, and better for us all.

We know this.

But, it can still be hard. There are just some folks we don’t want to be nice to.  Some folks that don’t deserve our niceness. Some folks that it’s hard to “do unto others” to.

Because we know they won’t do the same to us.  We know they aren’t going to respond to our offer of grace with grace.

But, here’s the catch. We aren’t called to live their life. We are called to live our lives.  No matter how “they” choose to respond, we must offer grace. Because that’s what God wants us to do. And it’s the way we find peace in our lives.

In the end, it’s not even about “them.”  It’s about “us.” And in offering “them” grace, we find peace.

So, today, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s not complicated.  it’s just hard.  But, God will give us the grace to do it. And in it, we will find His life for us.