Living the Life Jesus Gives

South Pacific

Peggy and I are on the island of Kauai celebrating our 43^rd wedding anniversary (on the 25^th) and her birthday on the 19^th. We love the slow-pace and the beauty of the ‘Garden Isle.’

Last night we went to a dinner theater production of  ‘South Pacific.’ We’ve seen it before when we were here, but always enjoy the great acting and music of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Whenever we go to places that we know we will be sitting with people that we haven’t met before, we usually say, ‘I wonder who we will meet tonite’ knowing that God has a wonderful way of handling our seat assignments.

We found our table and discovered we were sitting next to a mother (Marilyn) and daughter (Sabrina), (mother about 55, daughter about 25). After mutual introductions we found out that in conversation that the Marilyn was a nurse and Sabrina a graduate student who had spent a semester in St. Petersburg Russia, interesting stuff.

As I focused on the delicious Ono and teriyaki chicken, I could hear that the conversation between Peggy and Marilyn was taking a turn from beautiful places to visit on Kauai to personal hurt and tragedy. Marilyn’s husband had been killed in an auto accident and her son had killed himself after the death of his father. Sabrina had moved home from school to be with her mother. They are here still healing and rebuilding lives. Peggy talked, shared tears and ‘the God of comfort’ touched their hearts. They don’t yet know the Lord, but they know one of His wonderful daughters, Peggy that is.

By the end of the evening, when the show was over and it was time to go, we all hugged. The touch of God on the evening was obvious.

Everyone you meet here is a stranger, but obviously everyone is known by God. Strangers can become friends as we give God opportunity to love people thru us.

 

Behold your mother!

Take a look with me at chapter 19 of the Gospel of John. This takes place just moments before Jesus died on the Cross… I know that these are very difficult verses, but I want you to see with me something that can easily be overlooked…

 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”

Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19:25-30)

 The last thing that Jesus did before He ‘gave up His spirit’ was to make sure that His mother would be loved and cared for after His passing, He asked ‘the disciple whom He loved’ (John) to care for Mary as he would care for his own mother.

 In the midst of indescribable agony and suffering, God incarnate was honoring His earthly mother! Incredible. Wonderful. A not surprising expression of the heart of God Who had told Moses in the 5^th of the 10 Commandments, Honor your father and mother….(Deut. 5:16). Jesus certainly did throughout His life.

This particular ‘commandment’ is unique in that it is the first commandment with a promise attached to it, in other words, there are specific blessings that come to those who obey…

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

Live it out, and live in the blessing that attends the directive.

 

Move closer . . . and see for yourselves (Genesis 37-45)

The story of Joseph; despised, rejected, thrown into a pit, sold by his brothers.  He was falsely accused, put in shackles & irons, yet God favored Joseph.  Waiting for God, the 'dreamer' is called upon to interpret Pharoah's dream.  Then Joseph is exalted to high position over Egypt - to oversee the years of plenty and distribution of food during the years of famine.  But what of his brothers who hated and wanted to kill him, even ended up selling him to a caravan heading for Egypt?   

(This is really where the story gets good)  

The brothers have to come to Egypt for food - and who's the one they have to go to for food? Joseph.  But they don't recognize him - they don't see past their own need and situation.  In due time, Joseph made himself known to them.  He said with love and forgiveness in his heart to his brothers, 'Come closer, and see for yourselves who I am.'  What warm embraces, tears, joy, and celebration that followed . . . reconciliation, love, forgiveness, and healing to the wounded hearts.

I can't help but think of Jesus, Son of God, Savior, Redeemer, Restorer, Living God; despised, rejected, beaten, imprisoned, and crucified - yet through hunger and famine in our own soul, we seek for answers, wandering, wondering, is there purpose for my life?  Is God alive?  We don't recognize all the while, that God is bidding us to 'Come closer, see for yourself who I am.'

I implore you to 'come closer' to Jesus - see for yourself who He is. ‘Come and see.'

Psalm 73:28  But as for me, how good it is to be near God!  I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

 

The Words of My Mouth

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21)

I was reminded today as I read these familiar verses the importance of asking the Lord to help me guard the things I say, knowing that my words can be the source of life and encouragement, or tools that result in hurt, discouragement and death to relationships.

Joy and hope, attitudes and offenses, moods and thoughts, reactions and selfishness, all that is good and all that is bad can all find  expression in the words I speak.

Lord, I need Your help.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14)

 

Feelings

Our relationship with God is neither predicated upon nor authenticated by our feelings. 

Finishing Well

Joshua 23:14 “ Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.

Joshua 24:14 “ Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! 15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua, on the day he was to ‘go the way of all the earth,’ declared the faithfulness of God and called the people to follow Him. Fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served.

He told the people - choose today who you will serve - But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Finishing well. Clearly setting the course for generations to follow.

 

The Gospel of John

March 25 we begin a new series of studies in the Gospel of John, entitled, The Gospel of Life.

John clearly stated the purpose of his gospel when he wrote: This is written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31)

That was not only John’s intent and purpose, but ours also, as we read and study this wonderful and unique portion of God’s Word. The focus is Jesus… the result is life, and life abundantly (John 10:10).

I encourage you to read and re-read John in the months ahead as we make our way thru this marvelous book. I’m expecting a ‘break-thru of life’ in and thru our lives. A.W. Tozer once said,  "We should discipline ourselves to read the Word until it comes alive...until we can almost feel the breath of God."

 

Possibilities beyond our abilities

John 5:

Jesus came to the pool of Bethesda where many gathered daily hoping for the angelic stirring of the water so that they could be healed… One particular man caught the attention of Jesus…

Long term illness, 38 years, still going to the pools of Bethesda daily, a place of potential healing, but with no hope of ever being able to get where he needed to be to receive the healing that he so desperately wanted… because someone would always be able to beat him to the pool when the ‘moving of the water.’

Hope, but just beyond reach. It’s not hopelessness, but very close.

Jesus, fully knowing the man’s history and condition asks, “Do you want to be made well?”

The sick man didn’t answer Jesus’ question, but instead told Him why he was unable to be healed.

Jesus comes to us in our ‘hopeless situations’ with a question that invites faith… possibilities beyond our own abilities…

The man’s healing came at Jesus’ word. O how wondrous is the love of God.

 

First Hand Faith

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word.42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” (John 4)

The men first heard the witness of the woman tell of her belief about Jesus. Many believed because of the her testimony. What happened next is very important… many ‘came to Him’ themselves and spent time with Him. 

The testimony and witness of people who believe in Jesus is important and lead many to faith, but all are encouraged to personally seek Him. The Samaritans spent two days with Jesus, ‘and many more believed because of His own word.’

The importance of Now… First Hand Faith...

I believed what you said, but NOW I have a first hand relationship and belief in Jesus, that He is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

Be encouraged to personally seek relationship with Jesus… Believe what others say, but more than that, know for yourself.

 

The Word...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)

These verses are one of the most complete, thorough, concise and clear declarations about the origin, power, ability, and purpose of the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

The Word, in the beginning, with God, and existing as God.

Creator of all things.

The very being and source of life.

Shining forth brightly in the obscure confusion and darkness, bringing light and life.