Who do you say Jesus is?

July 31, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ; Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30

Matthew 16:13-15 MKJV
(13) And coming into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say Me to be, the Son of Man?
(14) And they said, Some say, John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
(15) He said to them, But who do you say I am?


There is a big difference between head and heart knowledge. From Jesus first question we know that the people thought that Jesus was a good man, maybe even one of the former prophets reincarnated. After all, they expected Elijah to return to bring them into a deliverance.

In the middle of their discourse on who people though Jesus was, He stops them and asks them 'who do you think I am?' If you were to ask the average person on the street who Jesus was you would get a lot of different answers. In truth many of the people responding, including Christians, ones who claim to follow Christ, would give you the answer as the world sees it.

It is only when you get up close and personal with Jesus that you can answer that question. So I ask it, who do you think Jesus of Nazareth is?


Read for next time: Jesus rebukes Peter; Matthew 16:21-28; Mark 8:31-9:1; Luke 9:18-27

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A little at a time

July 30, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Blind man cured in Bethsaida; Mark 8:22-26

Mark 8:22-26 (NIV)
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

24He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

26Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don't go into the village.


I often wonder why, when I read this passage, that Jesus did not just heal the man. Then as I re-read it one day I realized, each time I read the Bible, a little bit more of it comes clear to me. This set of verses makes it clear to me that anything that we get from God does not always come all at once.

When I pray for God to help me with a situation, I have found that He will help me out a little bit at a time. It is up to me to take what He gives me and make it more complete. How about you?

Read for next time:
Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ; Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30

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What leven is in your life?

July 29, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Leaven of the Pharisees; Matthew 16:5-12; Mark 8:13-21

The disciples take Jesus on the boat again and when they get across they realize they did not bring any food. Jesus then says something strange to them.

Matthew 16:6 ISV
6 Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”


The disciples look at each other and start saying to each other how they messed it up. They must have figured that Jesus was upset with him and when they went to get some that the Pharisees sold some bad stuff. What was He really saying to them though?

The Pharisees and Jesus had just had many confrontations. They kept trying to tell Jesus what He could and could not do and why he should not be doing it. They were in effect trying to get Him to doubt in himself. Doubt is a bad thing. When you start to doubt yourself in one area of your life, it will spread to most every other area of your life.

Leaven, or yeast is like that as well. It does not take much in a ball of dough to get the whole ball full of yeast. In fact, just take a pinch of that dough and save it for the next batch and you can leaven it as well.

People in life, when you try to do things for God, will try to make you doubt you can do it. They may try to give you wisdom that does not match what God told you. They may tell you that based on your past life and the sins in it, you may not qualify. They may just tell you that you are not good enough. I am not talking about a ministry saying that you are not qualified to do a job, they have that right to protect their ministry. If God has told you that you have a job to do, then find a way to do it. Do not let yourself get leavened.

Read for next time: Blind man cured in Bethsaida; Mark 8:22-26

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Do you make others jump through hoops?

July 28, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Pharisees seek a sign; Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:11-13

Matthew 16:1-4 (MSG)
1 Some Pharisees and Sadducees were on him again, pressing him to prove himself to them.

2 He told them, “You have a saying that goes, ‘Red sky at night, sailor's delight;

3 red sky at morning, sailors take warning.’ You find it easy enough to forecast the weather-why can't you read the signs of the times?

4 An evil and wanton generation is always wanting signs and wonders. The only sign you'll get is the Jonah sign.” Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

People always seem to want a sign of what is happening in their lives. Before the religious people of Jesus day could believe on Him, they wanted a sign that Jesus would not give them. It is easy for us to reach across the centuries and say that they were foolish. They should have seen the living God in their own midst. Guess what. We are no better.

We want to see a sign that people love us. We want to see in them what we expect them to be to prove that they love us. None of us are immune from doing it. A husband or wife looks at their mate and says, you are not doing this for me, you must not love me, show me a sign that you do.

There is a problem with that. Now in order to show love, each time we must, like the trained lion at the circus, jump through each hoop that is set before us, or force our loved ones to do the same for us. Jesus very wisely chose not to jump through their hoop. He knew it would only lead to more.

We as believers need to stop making others jump through our hoops. In the end it proves nothing.

Read for next time: Leaven of the Pharisees; Matthew 16:5-12; Mark 8:13-21

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Compassion

July 15, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Jesus feeds 4,000; Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10


Mark 8:2 MKJV
(2) I have compassion on the crowd because they have now been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.

Compassion, interesting word.

Dictionary.com defines it as: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

Jesus lived His life that way. How do we live it? Do we walk in compassion?

Read for next time: Pharisees seek a sign; Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:11-13

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Divine Healing - Why?

July 14, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Many healed on a mountain; Matthew 15:29-31

Matthew 15:31 BBE
(31) So that the people were full of wonder when they saw that those who had no voice were talking, the feeble were made strong, those whose bodies were broken had the power of walking, and the blind were able to see: and they gave glory to the God of Israel.

In the past I have been asked why I believe in divine healing. Why would God want to heal people today? It is simple. It gives Him glory. Let me put it another way.

Money is tight. I told my kids that if they wanted to go to church camp this summer that they would have to raise money through fund raisers at the church. My daughter is in band. She is already spending some time at band camp but her little brother was not going to be able to go anyplace. She decided to raise money, not for herself, but so that he would get to go to camp. I thought it was neat but I know her real well and knew her heart. In telling that story to someone, they looked me in the eye and said, 'you have a special kid, you have raised her right and you must be real proud of her.' I was given the glory in something that she was doing.

God is our father, and like any father, He is happy when He sees his kids doing good.

Read for tomorrow: Jesus feeds 4,000; Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10

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The touch of Jesus

July 11, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Jesus heals a deaf man; Mark 7:31-37

Mark 7:32 BBE
32 And they came to him with one who had no power of hearing and had trouble in talking; and they made a request to him to put his hands on him.


So often we beg and plead to God to deliver us from this or that. We want some special person to pray for us, or want a sign from God to show he is there. I know that I have been like that in my life.

The people in today's story knew better. Jesus did not have to pray, they did not have to plead with him for deliverance. All that it took was a touch from Jesus. That is all they asked for.

Seek Jesus, and his touch in you life.

Read for tomorrow: Many healed on a mountain; Matthew 15:29-31

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