December 24th, Acts 9-10
So my mind immediately raced to courage, then faith, then George Michael, then faith, faith, faith AHH, baby..." Ananias is a hero in this story. The man who executes Christians for a living has need of a miracle and a little witness. Would you go help with a miracle to make public enemy of the church receive back his sight. You gotta have faith...
What would your wife say to you when you left? How long would you hug your children? How many times would you nervously need to go to the bathroom? The truth that we live in, the faith that God has called us to, illicits a response by us physically, emotionally, relationally. Every fiber of our being should really be invested in this thing of trusting God, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength. Thanks Ananias for your faith, and praise God for the power to take one from executing for Jesus to testify to the life-changing power of God! Faith...AHHH
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Matthew 7-8 See for real or trust a done deal?
October 4th, Matthew 7-8
A man of authority knows a man of authority. Jesus says he has not seen such faith in all of Israel. What's the link between the flow of authority and faith. In a world so suspicious of authority, I'm guessing something has been missed.
The centurion has a need, his servant is paralyzed and suffering. He comes to find Jesus because he knows he needs a miracle. Jesus agrees and wants to come. The centurion is aware of the greatness of the one he is talking to and considers himself unworthy of having such a guest as Christ in his home.
This centurion explains that he understands the chain of command, people are over him, he's over others. I tell this soldier "go" and he goes, "come" and he comes. I do what I'm told and what I ask will be done. How's that for a norm of behavior. How much progress could you make as a person, church, business, organization if your understanding was that direct. As great as you are Jesus, I know that if you say the word it will be done, and I will leave this exchange fully trusting in what you have said.
Jesus reply..."I have not found such faith in all of Israel."
Here's a man that trusts his superior to be a man of his word. Here's a man that when he is the superior, will be taken at his word. There's is much to be learned in this story about trust, about authority, about faith. Doubting Thomas had to see if it was for real, the centurion walked away knowing Christ spoke, it's a done deal.
A man of authority knows a man of authority. Jesus says he has not seen such faith in all of Israel. What's the link between the flow of authority and faith. In a world so suspicious of authority, I'm guessing something has been missed.
The centurion has a need, his servant is paralyzed and suffering. He comes to find Jesus because he knows he needs a miracle. Jesus agrees and wants to come. The centurion is aware of the greatness of the one he is talking to and considers himself unworthy of having such a guest as Christ in his home.
This centurion explains that he understands the chain of command, people are over him, he's over others. I tell this soldier "go" and he goes, "come" and he comes. I do what I'm told and what I ask will be done. How's that for a norm of behavior. How much progress could you make as a person, church, business, organization if your understanding was that direct. As great as you are Jesus, I know that if you say the word it will be done, and I will leave this exchange fully trusting in what you have said.
Jesus reply..."I have not found such faith in all of Israel."
Here's a man that trusts his superior to be a man of his word. Here's a man that when he is the superior, will be taken at his word. There's is much to be learned in this story about trust, about authority, about faith. Doubting Thomas had to see if it was for real, the centurion walked away knowing Christ spoke, it's a done deal.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Gen 12-15 4000 Years Later...
January 4th Genesis 12-15
Great things are birthed in obscurity. The great idea has an incubation period. Sometimes we see the fulfillment of the idea and imagine it to have always been that way. 4000 years after today's passage we are where we are, but it all started with one man and a Promise.
Yesterday, God saw a nation that he wanted to confuse and scatter, because all they wanted was notoriety for themselves. It's not that God does want to bless people, it's just that he chooses people with the right heart and the right intent.
"I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you the families of the earth shall be blessed." God to Abram- Genesis 12:2-3
I marvel at these first pioneers who placed their faith in God. They have no advantage of the proven track record of God interacting with His people like we do. Sometimes in life I have to lean into the proven faithfulness of God. A great cloud of witnesses that proclaim, God knows my name, catches my tears, and in Genesis 15:13-16 knows the next 400 hundred years(and more) of history.
All of what we know today is rooted in a promise long, long ago. In an age where promises don't always mean much, there is a promise that comes from God, that seeks to bear fruit in us. Fruit that bears fruit, that bears fruit. I pray you've found a home in a promise that is 4000 years old and as fresh and inspiring as it ever was.
Great things are birthed in obscurity. The great idea has an incubation period. Sometimes we see the fulfillment of the idea and imagine it to have always been that way. 4000 years after today's passage we are where we are, but it all started with one man and a Promise.
Yesterday, God saw a nation that he wanted to confuse and scatter, because all they wanted was notoriety for themselves. It's not that God does want to bless people, it's just that he chooses people with the right heart and the right intent.
"I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you the families of the earth shall be blessed." God to Abram- Genesis 12:2-3
I marvel at these first pioneers who placed their faith in God. They have no advantage of the proven track record of God interacting with His people like we do. Sometimes in life I have to lean into the proven faithfulness of God. A great cloud of witnesses that proclaim, God knows my name, catches my tears, and in Genesis 15:13-16 knows the next 400 hundred years(and more) of history.
All of what we know today is rooted in a promise long, long ago. In an age where promises don't always mean much, there is a promise that comes from God, that seeks to bear fruit in us. Fruit that bears fruit, that bears fruit. I pray you've found a home in a promise that is 4000 years old and as fresh and inspiring as it ever was.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Gen 8-11 Noah: Hero then naked, drunk, cursing...
Jan 3rd, Genesis 8-11,
Two in one. A hero of the story in one moment. Living in faith, building a ginormous boat while all his neighbors mock him(you've seen Evan almighty?!). A man of faith and that faith was credited to him as righteousness. But as with many of our favorite Bible characters, the story isn't doctored up to protect them from revealing their faults as well.
Noah planted a vineyard(which means...several years later) made wine, got drunk, fell asleep naked in his tent. The curious part of the story is the son who sees his father naked and recruits his brothers to help cover up dad's mess. Noah ends up cursing the first son. Prior to today I always thought it seemed okay, but today I wonder if Noah's curse is just another in a line of bad decisions like drunk, naked, cursing.
How much of life(yours and mine) is rooted in faith(building Arks and other things that don't make sense to people) and how much is rooted in self(out of control, cursing others/life/circumstances.
Chapter 11, the story of towers built to impress ourselves is thwarted by God, but acts of faith are blessed. The history of the Bible is filled with both stories, so is my life, and I guess yours is too. By the grace of God may our acts of faith increase and the moments of honoring the Lord become more frequent.
Living God's Way Today
Two in one. A hero of the story in one moment. Living in faith, building a ginormous boat while all his neighbors mock him(you've seen Evan almighty?!). A man of faith and that faith was credited to him as righteousness. But as with many of our favorite Bible characters, the story isn't doctored up to protect them from revealing their faults as well.
Noah planted a vineyard(which means...several years later) made wine, got drunk, fell asleep naked in his tent. The curious part of the story is the son who sees his father naked and recruits his brothers to help cover up dad's mess. Noah ends up cursing the first son. Prior to today I always thought it seemed okay, but today I wonder if Noah's curse is just another in a line of bad decisions like drunk, naked, cursing.
How much of life(yours and mine) is rooted in faith(building Arks and other things that don't make sense to people) and how much is rooted in self(out of control, cursing others/life/circumstances.
Chapter 11, the story of towers built to impress ourselves is thwarted by God, but acts of faith are blessed. The history of the Bible is filled with both stories, so is my life, and I guess yours is too. By the grace of God may our acts of faith increase and the moments of honoring the Lord become more frequent.
Living God's Way Today
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