Happy New Year!!!

“During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.  Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." “

–         Matthew 14:25-33

A recent conversation . . .

          Sister: “Did you hear about . . . in the news?”

          Me: “It’s just wind and waves.”

The Virgin Mary lived in Nazareth.  Nazareth was NOT a nice place to live.  Nazareth was a backwater of the Roman Empire – a place forgotten.  Mary was young, poor, and engaged to an older man.  Her future didn’t look particularly bright, but then the angel came and changed all of that forever.  Let’s take another look at that list of what Gabriel said about Mary’s baby, Jesus.  The baby will be:

·         Great

·         Son of the Most High God

·         King

·         Given David’s Throne

·         Reign forever

What would you have expected from life after an angel lists out all that?!?!  I can’t speak for Mary, but I know what I would have expected.  I would have expected life to get a whole lot easier, but it didn’t get easier for Mary.

Trouble

Mary is so pregnant that she’s about to pop when she has to travel to Bethlehem because of a census.  Now, that’s a little more than inconvenient. She gets to Bethlehem, and goes into labor, but there’s no room in the inn.  She gives birth to the King of Kings in a cold, dark, damp cave surrounded by barnyard animals.  That’s not exactly fit for the King.  She’s tired from traveling and from labor when all these smelly shepherds show up babbling about angels.  Are shepherds “great”?  Not so much.  If anyone could have had a bad attitude and have been justified it was Mary.  But, Mary chose something different.

Treasure

Now, you may ask, “What does this have to do with the verses from Matthew chapter 14?  Christmas is over!”  Well, Mary chose to look at the miracle of Jesus instead of the wind and the waves of trouble around her.  She chose to treasure all of these things in her heart. 

Walking on Water

You and I have the treasure of the Spirit of Jesus living in our hearts.  We are more than conquerors in Jesus!  His plan is for good in our lives.  His plan is hope for now and for the future, but just like Peter I mess up.  I sin by looking at my circumstances instead of having faith that Jesus Christ – the Man/God who defeated death itself – isn’t enough to overcome the storms in my life.  Sometimes I react with disappointment when God’s plan for me doesn’t look like I think it should.  I don’t always feel glorious.  I don’t always see the glory of God in others.

Hope

But, I take hope in Peter’s story.  He did at least walk on the water.  Jesus did pull him out of the drink when he was sinking.  Jesus did still the storm.  Jesus will do the same for me.  I repent and I am restored.

And, I take hope in Mary’s story.  Though it didn’t look like what anyone would have reasonably expected, everything the angel said to Mary took place.  She received everything she was promised!  Jesus will do the same for me.  I repent and I am refreshed.

Now, I want to encourage you.  No matter what 2011 brings Jesus’ plan for you is good and glorious!  If you have sinned – repent.  He is faithful and just to forgive and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Even with the wind and waves around you . . .

Keep looking at Jesus.  Keep trusting in Jesus.  Keep seeking Jesus.  Keep pressing upward in Jesus!  When you screw it up – repent and get back in the game.  All of God’s promises are yes and amen for you because you are in Christ Jesus!  Let me pray for you.

Prayer

Daddy, I come to you in Jesus’ name, and I lift up to you everyone who will ever read this post – grant them true repentance.  Strengthen their faith.  Help them to fix their eyes on you in the midst of the storms.  Give them insight to see what is eternal and what is temporary, and give them wisdom to act on that insight.  I receive all of this in Jesus’ name – amen.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!

"LK 1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. ⁷ But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

^{LK 1:8} Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

^{LK 1:11} Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. ¹⁶ Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

^{LK 1:18} Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

^{LK 1:19} The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

^{LK 1:21} Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

^{LK 1:23} When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

^{LK 1:26} In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

^{LK 1:29} Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

^{LK 1:34} "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

^{LK 1:35} The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For nothing is impossible with God."

^{LK 1:38} "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her."

– Luke1:5-38

“Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? . . .”

– Luke 1:18

“’How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?’”

– Luke 1:34

A recent sermon . . .

          Me: “What’s the difference between the two answers?”

          [dramatic pause]

          Me: “One doubts and one believes!”

A Guy, A Girl, an Angel

God sends one angel to talk to two people and gets two answers that seem to be very similar.  Zechariah doesn’t understand how Elizabeth is going to get pregnant because they’re old.  Mary doesn’t understand how she’s going to get pregnant because she’s a virgin.  Both questions seem to be a matter of logistics – how are you going to deliver that package?  But, Zechariah is the only one who gets in trouble.  Why?

Circumstances

The answer to the question why has to do with the circumstances of both Zechariah and Mary.  What was Zechariah doing when Gabriel appears to him?  He was burning incense in the temple.  It’s important to understand that burning incense in the temple was thought to carry the prayers of the people to God.  So, Zechariah throws the incense (his prayer) onto the fire and “poof” there’s Gabriel.  What does Gabriel say?  He says, “your prayer has been heard . . .” Note that Gabriel said “prayer” singular and not prayers plural.  Gabriel then tells him that he’s going to have a son.  So, what did Zechariah just ask God for in prayer?  A son.

Yes, already!

Think about it – one second it’s “amen” and the next second it’s angelic visitation!  The Lord’s answer to his prayer is a quick and resounding yes, but Zechariah isn’t jumping for joy.  He should be jumping for joy, but he’s not.  He doesn’t believe Gabriel, and Zechariah has trouble.  I really can’t imagine not talking for 9 months.  It must have been torturous.

BIG FAITH MARY!!!

Now let’s turn our attention to Mary.  What’s she doing when Gabriel shows up to talk to her?  The Bible doesn’t say.  It’s easy enough to speculate that she’s just going about her everyday life.  We know she’s planning her wedding.  She’s happy.  Then Gabriel comes along and tells her she’s going to have a baby.  Mary has one question, but she certainly has room for more questions if she wanted to ask them.  Let’s list out what Gabriel actually says about Mary’s baby.  The baby will be:

·         Great

·         Son of the Most High God

·         King

·         Given David’s Throne

·         Reign forever

Mary doesn’t question ANY of this huge stuff – she just believes!  What she wants to know is the logistics of having a baby without ever having had sex!  That’s a reasonable question.  Gabriel answers her question, and Mary believes his answer.  Mary is blessed.

The difference between Zechariah and Mary is simple.  Zechariah doubted.  Mary believed.  And, I can see a bit of myself in both of them.

I find hope for me in Zechariah, because though he doubted he still received his miracle.  I find hope for me in Mary, because she believed and received such great promises.  So, I find hope for me in both their stories, because no matter if I momentarily look at the circumstances around me and have my doubts, or if I surrender perfectly to the Lord’s word for me I know that the Lord is faithful to accomplish his word.  That’s real grace.  That’s grace I can use because . . .

There are times when I have to remind myself that the Church IS glorious – not that it will be glorious some day, but that it is at this very moment glorious.  The Spirit of Jesus and the Word of God say that the Church is glorious.  I just have to continue to believe him for a greater expression of his glory on the outside of you.  And, I know it will happen, because just as Mary said yes to the Lord’s offer, you have said yes to the Lord’s offer of eternal life in Christ Jesus.  The Spirit of Jesus makes his home in you, and that makes you GLORIOUS!

Let’s pray:

Daddy, I come to you in Jesus’ name, and I ask that you give every believer everywhere a revelation of your presence and your glory living on the inside of them and living in every other believer.  I ask that in some quiet unexpected moment you would surprise them by expressing your glory to them.  I believe I receive, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Satan Wants to Kill Your Husband

If you are joining me from The Imperfect Wives, welcome!  I'm glad you've come to visit.  I pray that this post blesses you and encourages you to increase your efforts in prayer for your husband.

My Sisters in Christ, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil want to kill your husband. 

Q: “What do you mean they want to kill my husband?”

A: “The World, The Flesh, and The Devil want your husband to stop breathing

      immediately and permanently.”

No ifs, ands, or buts – The World, The Flesh, and The Devil want your husband: “6 foot under”, “dead as a door nail”, “pushing up daisies”, “bought the farm”, “kicked the bucket”, “dirt nap”, DEAD. 

Don’t believe me?  Believe Jesus,

“The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” – Jesus.

This is what your husband faces every single day of his adult working life . . .

He goes to work and he’s beat down.  There is a constant low hum of anxiety and stress that at times erupts into the boss questioning his intelligence, his effort, his value, and his very existence.  At some point, The World, The Flesh, and The Devil whisper in his ear, “Everyone would be better off if I were dead.”

If he’s his own boss, he faces customers that are trying to squeeze him for every penny of the business’ life blood.  The very customers that he needs to provide for his family treat him like he’s a thief because he’s working to make a profit.  And, if any and every reasonable or unreasonable expectation isn’t met he’ll be hearing from their lawyer.  At some point, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil whisper in his ear, “Lots of people are making big money doing this, what’s wrong with me?”

You see, Sisters, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil sell men on the idea that only sex, wealth, and power count for anything, and the “snow job” starts when they are little boys.  We are shown the shiny sports car and we want it.  We see the sports star on TV and all the fame, fortune, and adoration (women) that come with being a “superstar” and we want it.  We see the corporate “tycoon” portrayed in the media as powerful and decisive and we want it.  These things are set up by the World and the Devil to entice the Flesh to feed all three in a spiral of death.

Your husband has God-given dreams of greatness in his heart that he is afraid to let out, because the world wants to blow that flickering light out.  Your husband knows that as long as he keeps those visions closed inside his heart the flame will keep burning, and the possibility that some day his “ship will come in” still exists. 

The World, The Flesh, and The Devil don’t want to kill everyone all at once.  Where’s the fun in that?  They want to bring as much pain and suffering as they can before death. 

The death of God’s vision for your husband’s life is the first thing they are after because it is spirit and of the HOLY SPIRIT.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that God’s vision for every husband is to be a Pastor, Missionary, or some other kind of Minister, but what I am saying is that God does have a ministry for your husband no matter what the work looks like. [Col. 3:23]  Your husband is called to shine the light of Jesus everywhere and in everything he does.

The World, The Flesh, and The Devil know that those dreams exist and if they could reach in and snuff it out by force they would.  But, they have no right to your husband’s heart, so they put as much pressure as they can on him to do it for them.  They whisper to him: “You can’t do that.”; “Where are you going to get the money?”; “How are you going to pay the bills?”; “You’re not smart enough”; “You don’t have the time for that.”; “It’s pride to think of doing great things for God”; “Everyone will just laugh at you”.

The fight is desperate.

Q: What did the master do to the servant who buried the one talent?

A: “. . . throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where

    there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” – Matthew 25:30

              [Read Matthew 25:14-46 for yourself]

The World, The Flesh, and The Devil are trying to get your husband to give up on those dreams so that a small part of him dies – they want to kill the mustard seed of faith in Jesus Christ inside of him.  If they succeed, Death enters in and begins its slow dark crawl across his spirit, soul, and body.

To top it all off – there is a 99% chance that you are the only person on the planet praying for him.

Sisters in Christ . . .  

if you aren’t praying for your husband no one else is

My Dear Sisters . . .

if you aren’t positive with your husband no one else will be

Brides of my brothers . . .

If you don’t strap on the armor of God and fight in the spirit until your voice is raw, your eyes are weary, and your knees are callused in prayer for the one and only, highly flawed, and weak, little boy of a man that the Almighty and Sovereign GOD himself has chosen for you, then you will never see him rise up like the mythical Phoenix engulfed in the true flame of the Spirit as God’s vision roars out of him to engulf everything and everyone he touches.

Ladies, it’s God, it’s you, and your man – period. 

The people in your church love you two, and they will help you, but no one else in creation is joined to your husband like you and God are joined to him.  Jesus lives in him and Jesus lives in you.  You two are “one flesh”.  The three of you have a unique bond that only you and your husband can chose to break.

Don’t worry; God + you = VICTORY!

Rebecca prays for me.  She is more perfect than I am, but she is still imperfect.  But, my wife prays for me.  She pours God’s strength into me when I can’t find any.  She is my prophet when I succumb to the doubts and fears of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.  She reaches into the Spirit and gives me living water that refreshes my soul, and I rise again to fight another day.  I have known victory and will be further victorious, because the Lord has blessed me.  I have a praying wife.  

Your servant in Christ Jesus,

Rob

We Are Dissipated

^“Catch for us the foxes,

the little foxes

that ruin the vineyards,

our vineyards that are in bloom.”

-- Song of Songs 2:15

A recent conversation . . .

          Me: “Can you talk, eat dinner, and text a friend all at the same time?”

          A Brother: “Yes, I can.”

          Me: “Which one are you concentrating on?”

          A Brother: “None of them.”

My wife and I have three kids.  I know exactly how the two lovers in our scripture from Song of Songs feel.  Don’t get me wrong – I love my kids, but there are times when I just want to be alone with my wife, Rebecca, without any distractions.  I want to take my time and get it right.

Now that may sound like too much information, but if I feel that way about my wife how much more does Jesus feel about me?  You do know that Jesus has feelings, right? 

Jesus has feelings for you. 

And, while they are not sexual feelings, they are passionate feelings of love for me and for YOU.  Jesus not only loves you, but is in love with you.  Jesus isn’t some sort of emotionally frigid robot that’s so busy keeping the universe going that he doesn’t have time for you.  Jesus LOVES you, and he doesn’t hold anything back from you.  It’s not unreasonable for someone in love to want to spend time with the one they love, is it?  Truly, the depths of the Lord’s passion for us, his bride, are unfathomable.  So, what does that mean?  It means that  . . .

Jesus wants our “free” time.

The Lord doesn’t want all of our “free” time (he’s not unreasonable), but he definitely wants most of it.  And, he most definitely wants access to us whenever and wherever he wants.  You see . . .

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil don’t want me to spend time with Jesus.

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil are screamers!  Everything they do is BIG, LOUD, and FLASHY.  They shout at me, “WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT!”  My answer is, “I’m not interested in wind and waves – I’m interested in Jesus.”

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil are whisperers.  Everything they do is a whisper in the dark, a play on words, a suggestive glance.  They whisper in my ear, “You just need to ‘veg out’ – it’s been a hard day.”  My answer is, “Oh, good now that I’m weak, Jesus is strong.”

The Bible is right. 

The Bible is correct. 

The Bible is true.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”-- 1 John4:4

But, The World, the Flesh, and the Devil don’t have to be greater – they only have to dissipate my attention and make me sluggish.  They only have to keep me from the one person who matters – Jesus.  They only have to keep me from the one thing that matters – loving Jesus.  They only have to keep me from the one action that matters – obeying Jesus.  The World will be destroyed by fire.  The Flesh will be transformed at the resurrection, and the Devil knows that he’ll be thrown into the lake of fire, but they can try to delay all of that if I don’t have my spirit, soul, and body given over to loving Jesus.

Please, please, please I’m begging you not to misunderstand me. 

I’m not saying all is lost or everything is bad.  If you’ll notice, I didn’t name one specific item of dissipation.  I’m not saying that you should never have a relaxing moment when you are just watching TV.  I’m not saying that I have it all together, or that I have all the answers, but what I am saying is this . . .

The Spirit of Jesus living inside of YOU right now is sweeter.

Jesus is sweeter than anything the World, the Flesh, and the Devil have to offer.  I’m saying that the lover of your soul living within you really is greater.  I’m saying that you are glorious because you have the King of Glory living in you!  Let’s turn from the distractions and give Jesus the attention he deserves.

Let me close in prayer:

Daddy, I come to you in Jesus’ name, and I ask that as everyone who reads this post chooses to spend time with you that you would sweep them off of their feet and show them the passionate love you have for them.  I receive it in Jesus’ name – Amen.

The Potter

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
   We are the clay, you are the potter;
   we are all the work of your hand.”

-- Isaiah 64:8

Many recent conversations . . .

          Brother:  “Why is my boss mean to me?”

          Me:         “The Lord is shaping you to love the unlovely.”

          Brother:   “But, it hurts.”

          Me:          “He is the Potter, and we are only clay.”

My senior year of high school I took an art class called “Introduction to Art”.  Being an introductory art class, we dabbled in a little bit of everything.  We drew in charcoal and colored pencils.  We painted in oils and watercolors.  It was great fun!

One day I came to class and there were 5 gallon buckets half full of ugly gray water lined up along the wall.  I asked my teacher, "What's with the buckets of dirty water?"  She answered by reaching into one of the buckets and pulling out a large lump of clay.  Then she explained that the clay was soaking in the water so that it would be soft enough to be molded when we started to study sculpture. 

Only time would allow the water to penetrate the clay and make it pliable.

The quiet time you spend alone with the Lord is seen only by you and the Lord.  There is no one in the flesh to encourage you.  In fact, your own flesh will want to rebel against this discipline. 

You are clay underwater. 

There is no one to tell you how spiritual you are.  There are no witnesses to see you.  There are no crowds to cheer you on.  There are no admirers to pet your ego.  There is only you and the Lord you love making his love evident as you soak in his presence. 

And, as you soak in his presence – you are changed from glory to glory.

Let’s pray:

Daddy, I come to you in Jesus’ name, and I ask in Jesus’ name that everyone who reads this post would choose to be alone with you and for you.  I receive this from you and thank you for it, in Jesus’ name – Amen.