Does He Want You?
Mark 3:13-16 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve — designating them apostles — that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.
DOES JESUS want you? Your first response may be, “I don’t know. Should he?” or you might think, “I doubt it. I’m not good enough.” Possibly you will think, “I sure hope so.” What he desires you to think is, “Yes, he sure does!”
I hope and pray you know how much Jesus loves you, and that he does want you as his own. This scripture shows he called 12 men “he wanted” to be apostles. Do you see his vision for them? They would “be with him and that he might send them out to preach”. He wanted them because he wants you. Here’s how I know.
Why would they be with him? Of course, it was to learn the truth of Jesus, the Savior the world. Once they learned that, they would go to preach. And what did they preach? Of course, it was the Gospel of salvation, the truth of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
And in the preaching they had authority to drive out demons. Why? Of course, it was to demonstrate the power of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Now, why did he want these 12 men? It is because he wants you. Yes, here you see God’s plan taking a dramatic step forward to teach, preach and show the truth of Jesus to the world. And now you are in the world. Yes, Jesus wanted these men because he wants you.
Pause and consider what else? Do you want Jesus?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
January 31, 2012 Who Killed the Gospel?
Who Killed the Gospel?
Mark 3:1-6 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” 4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
DO YOU think this episode makes any sense? Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. Then the Pharisees looked for ways to kill him. Seriously? “Wake up, Pharisees! The Lord of Life is healing people. Celebrate him.”
Before you get too critical, though, what about this? I’ve heard of people being offended because a church group worked on a Sunday to help some people in need. “It’s the Sabbath. You don’t do those things on a Sunday!”
Why not? Do you see the God, who came from the throne of heaven to minister into impoverished, disease-ridden communities? Do you see the God, who healed on the Sabbath and was angry and deeply distressed over the stubborn, traditional hearts around him? Would Jesus want you to heal people’s needs on the Sabbath?
What do you think? When did holding back God become a mission of the church? The Pharisees killed Jesus. When did the church kill the gospel?
Pause and consider how Jesus loved this man. Go and do likewise.
Mark 3:1-6 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” 4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
DO YOU think this episode makes any sense? Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. Then the Pharisees looked for ways to kill him. Seriously? “Wake up, Pharisees! The Lord of Life is healing people. Celebrate him.”
Before you get too critical, though, what about this? I’ve heard of people being offended because a church group worked on a Sunday to help some people in need. “It’s the Sabbath. You don’t do those things on a Sunday!”
Why not? Do you see the God, who came from the throne of heaven to minister into impoverished, disease-ridden communities? Do you see the God, who healed on the Sabbath and was angry and deeply distressed over the stubborn, traditional hearts around him? Would Jesus want you to heal people’s needs on the Sabbath?
What do you think? When did holding back God become a mission of the church? The Pharisees killed Jesus. When did the church kill the gospel?
Pause and consider how Jesus loved this man. Go and do likewise.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
January 27, 2012 Are You Uncomfortable?
Are You Uncomfortable?
Mark 2:15-16 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?”
DO YOU like to be comfortable? Then ministry probably isn’t for you.
Consider Jesus’ life. (You can read about it in the rest of “Mark”.) Did he ever do anything in his ministry that made him comfortable? He went to the people who were sick, put himself in positions to be often criticized, attacked verbally and threatened physically. He went to the homes of such people as Levi, whom all the people hated because he was a tax collector. He even went to a stinking tomb to raise a dead man.
No, Jesus didn’t seek comfort and neither should you if you desire to “minister” the Gospel. Ministery may require you to teach children who don’t know the rules. Or you might need to spend time with teens who have no respect for you or anything, Are You Uncomfortable?
Mark 2:15-16 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?”
No, Jesus didn’t seek comfort and neither should you if you desire to “minister” the Gospel. Ministery may require you to teach children who don’t know the rules. Or you might need to spend time with teens who have no respect for you or anything, anyone else. Maybe it’s uncomfortable to talk to people at work about Jesus. Possibly you need to go to a Third World country to minister to the hungry and desperate.
Do you feel God urging you to do something that makes you uncomfortable? To say to Jesus, “I’m not comfortable. Get someone else.” negates the life of your Lord here on earth. Before you say, “No." pray for the Holy Spirit to give you strength and passion for your Lord. Then go. He has modeled for you what he expects of you. How will you respond?
Pause and consider Jesus’ deadly discomfort of the cross is for you.
Mark 2:15-16 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?”
DO YOU like to be comfortable? Then ministry probably isn’t for you.
Consider Jesus’ life. (You can read about it in the rest of “Mark”.) Did he ever do anything in his ministry that made him comfortable? He went to the people who were sick, put himself in positions to be often criticized, attacked verbally and threatened physically. He went to the homes of such people as Levi, whom all the people hated because he was a tax collector. He even went to a stinking tomb to raise a dead man.
No, Jesus didn’t seek comfort and neither should you if you desire to “minister” the Gospel. Ministery may require you to teach children who don’t know the rules. Or you might need to spend time with teens who have no respect for you or anything, Are You Uncomfortable?
Mark 2:15-16 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?”
No, Jesus didn’t seek comfort and neither should you if you desire to “minister” the Gospel. Ministery may require you to teach children who don’t know the rules. Or you might need to spend time with teens who have no respect for you or anything, anyone else. Maybe it’s uncomfortable to talk to people at work about Jesus. Possibly you need to go to a Third World country to minister to the hungry and desperate.
Do you feel God urging you to do something that makes you uncomfortable? To say to Jesus, “I’m not comfortable. Get someone else.” negates the life of your Lord here on earth. Before you say, “No." pray for the Holy Spirit to give you strength and passion for your Lord. Then go. He has modeled for you what he expects of you. How will you respond?
Pause and consider Jesus’ deadly discomfort of the cross is for you.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
January 24, 2012 Now
Now!
Mark 2:3-5 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
ARE YOU a passionate person? If you’re looking for a definition of passion, the men in this story certainly fit “passion”. I always marvel at the paralyzed man’s passion to see Jesus and his friends’ passion to help him. How easy would it have been for them to walk away and say, “Later”. I wonder if the man would have been healed if he said, “Later.”
What about you? Do you passionately pursue Jesus, or do you say, “Later—not today. I don’t feel like it. I’ll get to it when it is more convenient for me.”
Do you know what? You won’t get to it later because you always have an excuse. You have things to do. You listen to distractions. You prefer mindless TV or meaningless conversations because your passion is “later” and not “now”. You know what to do, but you make excuses because you like complaining about what you don’t have instead of passionately pursuing what will change your life. Your soul is paralyzed with, “Later”. The truth of “Later” is that it never comes until you say, “Now”.
How about other areas of your life? Want a better job? Better marriage? Better friendships? Then stop living a paralyzed life. Get up and go where you need to be.
Pause and consider you need to start now.
Mark 2:3-5 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
ARE YOU a passionate person? If you’re looking for a definition of passion, the men in this story certainly fit “passion”. I always marvel at the paralyzed man’s passion to see Jesus and his friends’ passion to help him. How easy would it have been for them to walk away and say, “Later”. I wonder if the man would have been healed if he said, “Later.”
What about you? Do you passionately pursue Jesus, or do you say, “Later—not today. I don’t feel like it. I’ll get to it when it is more convenient for me.”
Do you know what? You won’t get to it later because you always have an excuse. You have things to do. You listen to distractions. You prefer mindless TV or meaningless conversations because your passion is “later” and not “now”. You know what to do, but you make excuses because you like complaining about what you don’t have instead of passionately pursuing what will change your life. Your soul is paralyzed with, “Later”. The truth of “Later” is that it never comes until you say, “Now”.
How about other areas of your life? Want a better job? Better marriage? Better friendships? Then stop living a paralyzed life. Get up and go where you need to be.
Pause and consider you need to start now.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
January 22 Remember Who Did It
Remember Who Does It
Mark 1:43-50 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
WHEN YOU consider all the glorious healings the Gospels record, isn’t it easy to say, “Jesus did it!” Would it not have been easy for him to say, “I did it!”
Instead, Jesus points the healed to the Father. Here he tells the now-clean man to go to the priests. God, the Father, had established laws by which a person would be declared clean to re-enter society. Jesus commanded the man to go and do what God had written in the law of Moses.
When the healed man disobeyed and excitedly told his great news, he pointed the people too much to Jesus and too little to the Father. It caused a disruption in Jesus’ ministry. He had to stay in lonely places, and he could no longer preach the Gospel.
When you minister the Gospel and see God work—always give the praise to God. When you are healed in some way—physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically—never praise a person who has helped you. Instead, thank the godly person who has helped you and praise the Father. Your healing has come, as all things do, in the will of God through the power of the Spirit of God.
Pause and consider how God shows up in your life. Praise him!
Mark 1:43-50 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
WHEN YOU consider all the glorious healings the Gospels record, isn’t it easy to say, “Jesus did it!” Would it not have been easy for him to say, “I did it!”
Instead, Jesus points the healed to the Father. Here he tells the now-clean man to go to the priests. God, the Father, had established laws by which a person would be declared clean to re-enter society. Jesus commanded the man to go and do what God had written in the law of Moses.
When the healed man disobeyed and excitedly told his great news, he pointed the people too much to Jesus and too little to the Father. It caused a disruption in Jesus’ ministry. He had to stay in lonely places, and he could no longer preach the Gospel.
When you minister the Gospel and see God work—always give the praise to God. When you are healed in some way—physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically—never praise a person who has helped you. Instead, thank the godly person who has helped you and praise the Father. Your healing has come, as all things do, in the will of God through the power of the Spirit of God.
Pause and consider how God shows up in your life. Praise him!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
January 20, 2012 Purposeful Prayer
Purposeful Prayer
Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else — to the nearby villages — so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
WHAT DO you think about prayer? What’s your response when someone tells you, “I’m praying for you.” or “You need to pray about it.”
One of the fascinating pictures of Jesus is how gets up early in the morning and goes to be alone in prayer. Isn’t it of interest to you that the Son of God purposefully goes to pray alone to the Father? Let that sink in.
Jesus needs the “alone time” with the Father before he begins his day. He needs to prepare for the ministry he’s about to do. That ministry focus is his preaching as he says, “This is why I have come.”
It is clear then, that one purpose of Jesus’ prayers was to prepare for the preaching—the purpose for which he had come.
Now consider your own life. What is your purpose in life right now? Being a mom? A dad? Being a good worker? Being a student? Being a business leader? Being a child of God? Becoming someone with special purpose? Modeling the Son of God, what’s a good thing to do in the purpose of your life?
Of course, it is to pray for God’s strength, guidance, wisdom and peace in your purpose. That is what Jesus models for you. That is the Father’s desire for you.
Pause and consider that as you pray into your life’s purpose, your life will become more purposeful in Christ Jesus.
Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else — to the nearby villages — so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
WHAT DO you think about prayer? What’s your response when someone tells you, “I’m praying for you.” or “You need to pray about it.”
One of the fascinating pictures of Jesus is how gets up early in the morning and goes to be alone in prayer. Isn’t it of interest to you that the Son of God purposefully goes to pray alone to the Father? Let that sink in.
Jesus needs the “alone time” with the Father before he begins his day. He needs to prepare for the ministry he’s about to do. That ministry focus is his preaching as he says, “This is why I have come.”
It is clear then, that one purpose of Jesus’ prayers was to prepare for the preaching—the purpose for which he had come.
Now consider your own life. What is your purpose in life right now? Being a mom? A dad? Being a good worker? Being a student? Being a business leader? Being a child of God? Becoming someone with special purpose? Modeling the Son of God, what’s a good thing to do in the purpose of your life?
Of course, it is to pray for God’s strength, guidance, wisdom and peace in your purpose. That is what Jesus models for you. That is the Father’s desire for you.
Pause and consider that as you pray into your life’s purpose, your life will become more purposeful in Christ Jesus.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January 19, 2012 Why Wouldn't They Be?
Why Wouldn’t They Be?
Mark 1:27-32 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching — and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
ARE YOU excited when you hear about Jesus? The people of Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Korazin were stirred up. And why wouldn’t they be?
News about Jesus was spreading: “We saw the Holy Spirit come on him.” “We hear God’s voice say, ‘He’s my son!’” “He’s the Lamb of God!” “Did you see? He drives out demons.” “Look at Peter’s mom—she’s well!”
The Good News of God’s Kingdom come is coursing through the countryside, invading the hearts and minds of people eagerly searching for the Christ. They see evidence, “They Christ has come!” They’re excited, and why wouldn’t they be?
How about you? Where have you seen Jesus? Are you telling others how he has come to you? Are you eager to get up in the morning and read God’s Word? Are you excited to sit down and pray, to be in conversation with the King? Are you excited to know he is your Savior!
Why wouldn’t you be?
Pause and consider your passion level for Jesus – 1? (low) 10? (high) In between? Where do you want it? Where does Jesus want it?
Mark 1:27-32 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching — and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
ARE YOU excited when you hear about Jesus? The people of Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Korazin were stirred up. And why wouldn’t they be?
News about Jesus was spreading: “We saw the Holy Spirit come on him.” “We hear God’s voice say, ‘He’s my son!’” “He’s the Lamb of God!” “Did you see? He drives out demons.” “Look at Peter’s mom—she’s well!”
The Good News of God’s Kingdom come is coursing through the countryside, invading the hearts and minds of people eagerly searching for the Christ. They see evidence, “They Christ has come!” They’re excited, and why wouldn’t they be?
How about you? Where have you seen Jesus? Are you telling others how he has come to you? Are you eager to get up in the morning and read God’s Word? Are you excited to sit down and pray, to be in conversation with the King? Are you excited to know he is your Savior!
Why wouldn’t you be?
Pause and consider your passion level for Jesus – 1? (low) 10? (high) In between? Where do you want it? Where does Jesus want it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
