What is the time?

Jan 1, 2010

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Peter's question about forgiveness; Feast of Booths at hand; John 7:2

John 7:2 CEV

(2) It was almost time for the Festival of Shelters,

Almost seems like a throw away verse. The ones following it talk about how Jesus' brothers want him to go to Judea and show Himself. but Jesus says it is not time.

So what is the Festival of Shelters. It took place at the end of harvest time. It was meant to have the people remember that they lived as wanderers in the desert. They did this by constructing tents (booths) and living in them for one week. It was one of the three events that all Jewish men were to celebrate in Jerusalem every year. The general attitude during this celebration according to the historian Josephus was one of fun and merriment.

Jesus came to teach the people. It was His time to take His message to them and He would take it to them in His way. This would be a good time for Him to do so. People receive a message better when they are happy. And all the people would be there.

God will give you the times you need to tell others of His Son. Be ready to grab at the times when He does.

Read for next time: Brothers advise Jesus to go to Judea: John 7:3-8

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Forgiveness

December 31, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Peter's question about forgiveness; Matthew 18:21-35

Matthew 18: 34 - 35 (ESV)

34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

We all know the story. A man who owes a lot gets forgiveness by the Lord, but then will not forgive a small debt of another person. Many have looked on it as a story of how we are to learn to forgive, and it is by nature that.

But look at the last two verses and you see a little but of gold that may not be evident on first glance. You see, in verse 34 he is delivered to the jailers (some translations read punisher) till the debt can be paid. My question is how much debt can be repaid from prison? And even if you can, how large was this debt.

We have made a huge debt in the way we live out life. It includes how we treat others, how we maintain integrity, and many other things. Jesus has accepted us for this. He has washed the slate clean. We could never repay the debt but He has done it willingly. If we turn around and not forgive others when the grieve us, then we are like the servant. And the question would be, if you have been forgiven and refuse to forgive others, where does your heart truly live.

Read for next time: Feast of Booths at hand; John 7:2

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I appoligize for my absence the last few months. Along with taking on multiple jobs, I have a new supervisor position at my full time job and it has taken much time and energy. I hope now to get these back on the road again.

Like I did last year I will talk about the scope of the Devotional.

The mailing list has 41 members, up from 27 members last year. As before all new members are moderated till their first post. This is done to prevent spammers from joining to dump spam. I do encourage feedback if you are so inclined. We have stopped a lot of spam by doing this and those people are not allowed to post at all.
The Blog has 3,510 while last year it was at 2,980. The quick math tells you 530 hits this year. I am sure it would have been more if I kept the content current.
Along with the current ways to get the devotional (email, blog site, Facebook and You Version Web site) I have added Google's Orkut to the list.

Pray for me as I try to get this kick started again. If anyone ever has anything to add, send it along.

Wrongs

October 26, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Instructions on church discipline; Matthew 18:15-20

BBE Matthew 18:

15 And if your brother does wrong to you, go, make clear to him his error between you and him in private: if he gives ear to you, you have got your brother back again.

16 But if he will not give ear to you, take with you one or two more, that by the lips of two or three witnesses every word may be made certain.

17 And if he will not give ear to them, let it come to the hearing of the church: and if he will not give ear to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-farmer.

So simple a thing to do. How many relationships could be repaired if these simple steps were taken. But they are not, and friends part and feelings are hurt. Worse yet, marriages crumble because of things like this.

If we could only learn to go to those who hurt us and ask to reconcile. And when someone does come to you to reconcile, not to rear back in horror and say 'no way, you have hurt me so much!'

Read for next time: Peter's question about forgiveness; Matthew 18:21-35

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To sin or to tempt?

September 20, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Parable about the lost sheep; Matthew 18:12-14

Matthew 18:14 ISV
(14) In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost."


This verse picks up from where we left off yesterday. As you remember, Jesus promised a punishment for those who cause another to be tempted. Now we have the parable of the Lost sheep. I never tied the two together before but it is so like our Father in heaven to do things this way. Causing others to stumble is bad. But Jesus does not say that he chases after the one who causes the temptation, but the one tempted. He will try to nudge them along so gently to get them back to Him. The one who caused the temptation in the first place is left to their own devices.

So we ask ourselves a serious question. Is it worse to sin, or to be what causes others to sin?

Read for next time: Instructions on church discipline; Matthew 18:15-20

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Causing others temptation

September 19, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Warnings about stumbling blocks; Matthew 18:7-11; Mark 9:43-50

Matthew 18:7 (Amplified Bible)

⁷Woe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes!

Sometimes verses just kind of jump at you. Some verses kinda sit there at surprise you when you are not looking. As I prepared for this devotional, this was the latter. I have read this verse in many translations and never did see it there. Jesus is clearly saying that there will be temptations to sin. I can say that from experience. In fact, Jesus says it is necessary. Why, because it builds us. We can choose to sin or not. When we do not we build ourselves up just that much more and are ready for the next step that God has for us.

But the last part of the verses.... ouch! If I am a person that causes temptation in the life of someone else, what is my fate. Jesus does not make it clear, but it does not sound good. So what does that mean to cause someone else to have temptation?

If I am a boss who does not pay my workers a fair wage, and they are tempted to steal to survive am I guilty of causing his temptation?
If I am a husband who hides affection for his wife and she finds herself in the arms of someone else .....
If I am a wife who withholds normal sexual intimacy in life of my husband and he finds it in the arms of someone else .....

Read for next time: Parable about the lost sheep; Matthew 18:12-14

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Enemy

September 16, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: John's zeal without understanding; Mark 9:38-42; Luke 9:49-50

You know the old statement 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' But is it really true. Sometimes, the person that you perceive to be the enemy is actually the friend. Years ago after I first moved to Oklahoma, and as a baby Christian I started going to a Baptist church. My whole reason for going, they had the time that services met posted on the sign in front. I did not understand the theology of the church and I was just starting to make my way. Later, after I realized that I leaned more towards a charismatic/pentecostal style of faith, I left the church to attend a pentecostal one. We left on good terms, and though they disagreed with my theology we both realized we were Christians.

Now on the other hand, after I got settled in the new church, our pastor got the men together to play in a men's softball league. The church I had gone to before was in it, but another Baptist church in town was not. Their reason, 'if we join with them we endorse what they are doing.' What were we doing. Well, we were getting people saved, helping families in need, and all the other stuff that a church should do. So what was the problem, we were also talking in tongues and preaching divine healing that they did not believe in. They could not get passed the idea that we could be doing the Lord's work as well as them.

Jesus had the same problems. As he walked the earth, people who were not part of His group preached in his name. The disciples called Him on it. What should we do about it? Jesus replied, do nothing.

Mark 9:40 ALT
(40) "For [the one] who is not against you* is for you*.

As Christians, unless there are obvious cult like qualities of a church, or they say you have to do a work to be saved, then we need to learn to accept one another. For just as the one who is not against us is for us, our enemy may not be our enemy.


Read for next time: Warnings about stumbling blocks; Matthew 18:7-11; Mark 9:43-50

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Being First

September 1, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Disciples argue about who is the greatest; Matthew 18:1-6; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48

Mark 9:35 ESV
(35) And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."


Years ago I attended a real small church. Only 3 staff members and they all ran a print shop part time to keep the church running. While it had a limited membership it was a church with ideals and a desire to grow. Several members joked with the pastor that he only worked 2 days a week. Though we joked about it, it is a common belief that most pastors do little if any real work during the week except for maybe prepare a sermon or two.

Nothing could have been further from the truth in this case. As I already stated he was the one who was running the print shop and drumming up the business for it. He also visited the sick, council with people and made sure that the church was set up for services.

It takes a special person to do that. And it does not matter if the church is big or small, the attitude of a pastor, at least one who succeeds, is one that is a servant. It is the only way to be the first in the kingdom.

Read for next time: John's zeal without understanding; Mark 9:38-42; Luke 9:49-50

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