Mark 8: 2-3

I cheat. I can't stand to be behind but my options are quit or cheat and catch up. So after a long, long year and 1/2 last night I read the first phrase of Mark 8:2 and tears ran down my face! Yeah!! My heart's not dead!
"I have compassion for these people" (me). "Thay have been here with nothing to eat"... like me. I have been empty, dry, famished. I have collapsed on the way, this journey of walking with Jesus here on earth.
"Because some of them have come a long distance." My journey with Christ feels like I have come a long way and I wasn't going to finish strong. But God knows all about me, my struggles, my pain (physically, etc) but He has compassion for me...and you. Compassion from Webster's means "active, sym-pathetic concern for the suffering of another". His compassion was/is so great for us that He embraced the suffering of the Cross for us. Kind of puts my "suffering" into perspective...although I'm not rejoicing yet.

I am Mother, hear me roar!

Mark 7:24-30 I love this Gentile woman! She reminds me how powerful a mother's intervention can be. She stood up to Jesus and said, "Look, I know you've got a lot going on. I know there are others who may be more deserving. But this is MY child whom I love and I want you to heal her - make her well!" And Christ honored her faith and her love for her daughter. He was impressed by her argument that even dogs deserve the crumbs and if that was all he had to give, well, she'd take it. Being Christ, he didn't give her crumbs - he gave her the "good stuff" and healed her daughter.
What faith this woman had! This story will strengthen my prayers for my children. I can feel the Mama Bear rising up in me already....

Mark 5 & 6 and faith

2 things...i had never noticed the woman who suffered from bleeding..when she touched his robe, he felt the power go out of him. like the driving force for the miracle was her faith. and in chapter 6, when Jesus was rejected in Nazareth...because of their unbelief, he couldn't do miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. wow. makes me wonder how many miracles i have missed out on, due to my unbelief.

Ps 37 and Mark 1

I sometimes wonder why Ps 37 hits me in the face over and over again. The first time a friend pointed me to the chapter all I could see was the evil ones and wished that God would smack em dead...even if they were co-workers on the mission field. (What was I thinking?) The next time was Linda Noyes during dicipleship. Of course when I brought up the "smack em" part she informed me that I had my eyes on the wrong part. ie: God will do the smackin, not me (not her words) and it would be in His time and His way. I needed to focus on what He was wanting to say to me besides I am a freter.

I'm still learning, just a different set of circumstances. So what would it look like to wrap my heart of faith, or faithlessness around these phrases and forget about the promises of distruction.

Don't fret, Trust in the Lord, You do good, Dwell in the land ie: abide with Me, aline your thoughts with what is true, delight yourselves, etc. Now about here I had a problem with "and he will give you the desires of your heart. My desire was still to kill them, make them feel my pain! Little by little I began to believe that God was for me and He was trust worthy and I made decisions to trust Him. Faith cures freting. I must not have had enough faith:) because again the fears rose up in my heart and I began to fret. This time it was thinking my kids would hate me, or hate God, if we didn't return to Venezuela for the 4th term. Venezuela was their home, they loved it there and at that time hated being in the US. Again Linda N. showed me something, this time from vs.8. "Do not fret, it only leads to evil" then asked me "do you want evil for your kids? of course not!

And now I fret about by health and chronic back pain (shame...why did I go to RN school?), $$$ (after 14 yrs in the jungle you'd think I'd know and remember that the God who provided wild pig meat or a loaf of bread is the same today) When will I trust quickly after fretting. I read this "true faith is actively obedient". Does that mean I just wrap my mushy brain around what is true and overcome?

From Mark 1. Not too many of us have a clear view of what this kind of "possessed man" but in the jungle we experiences a "crazed, (evil) spirit filled man run non- stop, shouting, slicing his machete through the air. His family would tie him down and he had strength to break even heavy ropes. He would run through the jungle, the village, the houses...until finally after 3-4 days and nights, he would fall in exhaustion. Then our co-worker who spoke the Yanomomi language would pray over him until the man's twisted face and body would relax. All was ok until the next time when evil wrapped its' claws around another mans' heart and mind.

Kingdom inheritance

I have been reading Psalm 37 about every other day for the last couple of weeks. I love it. Some friends at work have joined me and it is dead on accurate about some things we are going through. I love seeing that God fights for justice. Its okay to cry out to God about injustice and frustration. I don't have to pretend to be positive and love what is wicked. All I have to do is focus on Him. Nothing that God has for me can be touched. Not by evil. Not by a failing economy. I will possess the land. Maybe not in the kingdom. Maybe in the kingdom to come.
"The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity." Psalm 37:11
I love it!! Haaaah!!

Seeds...

I've been waiting for this passage, since I wasn't "signed up" for the Matthew version. This is the official parable of seed salesmen. 8~)

I did some work on this parable in preparation for going to India 3 years ago, as we were encouraged to have a "message" ready in case we were called on to speak.

As I was researching, it struck me that my customers, current-day farmers, would never sow seed on paths, or on rocky areas, or in areas infested with weeds. Seed is too valuable to waste by placing it where it will not grow. In fact, with today's technology, seed is carefully placed in the optimum areas and planting depths to guarantee a good stand and a good return. It seemed wasteful to me to, in essence, throw valuable seed away.

As Jesus points out when he is explaining the parable, the seed is the Word of God. It is not purchased, it is freely given by God to be spread about by the sower. Where we tend to operate from a "scarcity" mindset, God operates from an "abundance" mindset. He wants it to be spread far and wide, without consideration of the type of soil it lands on. As sowers, it is our responsibility to follow that direction. It is not up to us to decide who to tell, just to spread the Word.

Just as present-day farmers have the responsibility to sow seed, there is really not that much they do after that which determines the crop they will harvest. Yes, they can fertilize, control weeds, and maybe irrigate the ground, but the plant will germinate, grow and produce based on what God created it to do (just the miracle of germination is another whole story). We can do things to encourage the people we "sow" with the Word, but it is God who will take what we do and make the changes in their lives.

Abundance vs. scarcity. Interesting concept.

Angry Jesus

Mark 3:5 Jesus was furious as He looked out over the crowd, and He was grieved by their hard hearts. How could anyone care so much about the words of the law and so little about the spirit of it? (The Voice)

What a great example of anger being used in a powerful and righteous way. We see Jesus long for his people to live larger, fuller lives. And we see his anger lead to grief over the enemy's ways, blinding their eyes to real life - eternal, abundant life.

Jesus rises up, finds his voice, and speaks on behalf of the broken. A man is healed - the enemy smashed. And anger has won the day!

God-Investors

Psalm 37:9 "Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store." (Msg)
God-investors - what a great word! It takes on special meaning in today's precarious financial times. People who invest in the stock market are putting their faith in companies run by man. The knowledge that they could lose money is always with them. Even if they research before investing, it's still kind of a guessing game. Many watch the markets daily, keeping an ever vigilant eye on the ups and downs of their investments. They know there is a element of risk involved - at any moment their stock could crash and they would be left with nothing.
God-investors put their faith in God. There's no guessing game involved - we have His Word to guide us and that Word hasn't changed in thousands of years. We, too, keep a vigilant eye - but ours is turned toward Heaven, waiting for the triumphant return of Christ. We know that we could lose "things" because of our faith, but that knowledge is tempered by the truth of who we are in Christ and His sacrifice for us. Even if we lose everything here on earth, what awaits us in Heaven is far more precious than gold or silver. And we, too, know it could all come crashing down at any time - not for us, but for Satan, who was defeated on the Cross.
Isn't it great to be a God-Investor?!!

Celebrate God's great work

Sometimes the Psalms confuse me. Psalm 35:8 (Msg) says "...catch them in the very trap they set..." That doesn't seem very Christian - Aren't we supposed to pray FOR our enemies?

Verse 10 made me stop and think "But let me run loose and free, celebrating God's great work, Every bone in my body laughing, singing, "God, there's no one like You." (Msg) I often pray that God would free me from some bondage, but it's usually for selfish reasons. David wants freedom so he can celebrate and praise God! What a wonderful reminder for me!

Close to the brokenhearted

Some of you might already know this--I have been wrestling with some issues. I have been fighting depression, wrestling with God, trying to piece out what is true about God, and myself. I feel like everything has become difficult. I have been doing a lot of talking and pouring my heart out to God. And He has spoken to me. As I was getting into the shower several days ago, I had a thought that hit me like a brick wall. The thought that, "Yes, this is worth it. All of this heartache to be this close to Almighty God." I was spinning. I have heard Christians say that they are grateful for the difficult times because that's when the growing happens. Man, that just made me roll my eyes...Yet, it is where true happiness and peace lie. There is truly nothing more fulfilling than being with God and knowing that you have heard from him. Most everything else seems like chasing after distractions.
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."
Psalm 34:18

God is listening...

Psalm 34:17,19-20 (Msg)
"God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.
If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there;
if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.
Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.
He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken."

I think that says it all.

I didn't do it...

Matthew 27:24 "...he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying 'I am washing my hands of responsibility for this man's death. From now on, it's in your hands. You're judge and jury.'" (Msg)
What a cop out! Pilate had several options here and he chose the path of least resistance because he was afraid the crowd might riot. He chose personal safety over doing what was right. It was the easy thing to do. Because of his public display of hand washing, if it all fell apart he could point his finger and say "It's not MY fault. You made me do it!"
How many times in my life have I don this? How many times have I said to myself "Why try? They're just going to do what they want anyway?" Today's reading will make me more aware of those times. I know down deep within me that each time I choose the path of least resistance I'm weakening my faith.
Lord, strengthen me today to hear Your voice and choose Your way.

You, what do You want?

Matthew 26:39 "...but, please, not what I want. You, what do you want?" (Msg)
Other versions of this verse usually say something like "not my will, but yours be done." When I read that, even though I know Jesus said it with a true heart, searching for God's will, my interpretation adds a desperate sigh followed by "You're probably going to do what You want anyway, so I may as well give in." Reading it in The Message gives me a new outlook. Jesus question "You, what do YOU want?" changes that desperation to a longing to be an obedient Son. It becomes an act of will - one that earnestly wants to know what God has for Him. I think this statement will change my prayer life...
Speaking of which...
vs 41 "Stay alert, be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire." (Msg)
Those words pierce me - show me how pathetic my prayer life is. My measley couple of minutes praying while showering each morning aren't going to cut it. For one thing, I never remember who to pray for. I want to pray but like that old dog by the fire, I'm lazy about being intentional about prayer. Lord, show me what You desire for my prayer life.
One last thing...intentional...isn't that a great word? I love it and hate it at the same time. It makes me responsible...hence, the love/hate relationship with it.
I pray you have a day filled with Jesus sightings!!

God, my God, I can't thank you enough!

I didn't get a chance to read yesterday (I hate it when that happens), so I caught up this morning. And as usual there was so much good stuff that I wrote a couple of pages in my journal, but I'll try to sum it up here.
Yesterday's readings were so much about God's Words and His power. Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my Words will never disappear." NLT So comforting to me. When all else is gone, the Creator's Words still exist - and it was His Word that spoke everything into being.
Psalm 29 in the Message is all about God's "thunder", His voice. "...thunders across the water; brilliant...God's thunder tympanic, God's thunder symphonic." Mountain ranges skipping like colts, God's thunder spitting fire, trees dancing because of His thunder. And we cry "Glory! God makes His people strong. God gives His people strength." As I read the Psalm I was mesmerized by His power. The Psalmist uses such strong words, such beautiful words, I could feel the tympanic, symphonic resonance of them in my heart, as though it was beating in tandem with them. But I was frightened, too. It felt as though someone was shaking their finger at me saying, "This is what happens to people who displease God. All this power is directed at you, so watch it!" I felt as though I was being scolded. I felt a jolt of surprise then, when I got to the end "...we call out Glory!" Oh! I get it! My fear shouldn't be for me. It should come from respect for His power. It should come because "God makes His people strong; God gives His people peace". All of that power, all of that thunder He gives to us. What can harm me? Truly, nothing. Even perceptions of harm must be just that - perceptions. He will reveal the truth of that perception when the time is right.

Today's Psalm is a balm to my soul. I shout "You did it! You did it! You've turned my night of mourning into thanksgiving - for You, for Christ, for the Holy Spirit! For your Word, which brings me such comfort as it thunders across my conciousness. It turns hopelessness to strength; darkness to light; fear to courage. I'm beginning to get a glimpse of what Your Kindgom is about and my place in it. 'God my God, I can't thank you enough.' (Msg)".

I pray that God's thundering Word speaks to you today!

Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 22: 34-40  The most important command…

When they talk the Pharisees meet together to question Jesus again they meet just for that reason.  They don’t meet to discuss religion; they meet to come up with a question that will stump Jesus.  How long did they meet before they came up with this question that is such a great trap?  How dare these hypocrites call Jesus “teacher” when they are just asking the question, “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” in order to try to confuse him. I think the message says it in words that strike true, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list.  But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”  Did you catch that?  Those should be number one and two on ANY LIST, and for us list writers out there we should see those more often.  Also, those two commandments are pegs, which we should hang more than our troubles upon.  How often have you found yourself turning to the Lord when you NEED something to hang onto?  I am as guilty as the next guy and that is not a bad thing but how would those pegs look if we hung EVERYTHING from them…the good, the bad, clean and dirty laundry…EVERYTHING.  Everything in God’s law and the Prophets hangs from them…what makes us too good?  Stubbornness?  Pride?  Being able to give everything to the Lord, to hang everything on those pegs, makes you stronger than trying to fight through something alone.  

Battle Cry

OK, Sherry, here goes...I'm behind on my reading, but there's still hope! For some reason, I love epic, battle movies where there's a fight for justice. When all hope seems gone, and the odds seem impossible. Scenes from Braveheart or Lord of the Rings--Two Towers. Good stuff. It comes alive in Psalm 27:3,13..."Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident...Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living." Sometimes the pressures and evil of this world are so heavy. And then to think about spiritual warfare on top of that, that's overwhelming. And quite frankly, it really makes me angry (insert swear word if this wasn't a church blog!) But, this gives me hope and I think that I can stand knowing that God is right here with me.

I trust Him...

Psalm 28:6-7 "Praise the Lord! For He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." (NLT)
I have praised the Lord. I have cried out for mercy. I have trusted Him with all my heart. My heart has been filled with joy when He's helped me. I have burst out in songs of praise to Him. I recognize all these things - have done them all. But I realized this morning that I don't think I've ever done them all at the same time regarding one situation. You know what I mean? I think of all the times I've cried out for mercy, knowing that He hears. Sometimes I trust Him, but often I don't - which turns my cry for mercy into a complaint. Of course when He helps me I am filled with joy and respond with songs of thanksgiving and praise. But what about those times He seems silent? Is my heart filled with joy then, knowing that even in silence He is responding? Do I burst out in songs of joy, even when my heart feels as though it's being torn out of my body?
My brokenness makes me want to turn away when I think He's silent or when His help moves me in a direction I'd rather not go. I'm grateful for His Word, for the community of Christ-followers I get to walk with (that's YOU!)on this journey - they keep me grounded in truth instead of my brokenness. Because of that truth I feel the joy of knowing He's there even though I can't see Him, and that knowledge causes me to burst out in songs of thanksgiving and praise. It reminds me of His infinite mercy and grace and once again I trust Him.

Stay with God

Psalm 27:14 (Msg) "Stay with God! Take heart. Don't quit. Stay with God." It seems that no matter what I read in Scripture, it resonates throughout my soul. I feel God speaking to the depths of me, reaching those places that have been hidden in the dark for much too long. Some days I don't want to go there - "Just leave me alone today, God, I can't take anymore." But I know that's not what He desires. So I continue to read, trying to listen to His familiar voice, bringing light to all those dark places.

Matthew 21: 28-46

I really enjoy these two parables. They both just cut straight to the heart for me.

Matthew 21:28-32-
How often are we the son who says "Sure, glad to." But never goes? I feel like this all the time. I feel driven to pursue a life in the ministry and catch myself saying, "yes Lord!" and then thinking, "what would they think of me? What if my faith isn't strong enough." This is the reason i have had arguments, out loud straight forward arguments, with the Lord. I have flat out said, "I do not feel strong enough to be in your flock, let alone lead part of it." It often feels better to me to refuse and then be shown the light than to ignore the light all along.

Matthew 21: 33-46
When the wealthy landowner left planted his vineyard he turned it over to the farmhands. He wasn't forced to leave, they didn't take over the vineyard, he turned it over to them. He trusted them and saw them fit to run his farm until he returned. What happened between the time he left to the time when he sent his servants back to collect his profits? Where was this turn from trust worthy to corrupt? The servants were sent in the masters place and they suffered for him. They didn't turn away from the task when he gave it to him because they were loyal to their master, so loyal in fact that they were beaten, stoned and killed for him. Not only were his servants beaten and killed, but they were beaten and killed by their masters tenants, those who were left in charge of his vineyard. Lastly, he sends his son to collect the profits owed to him. He took the risk of sending his own son because he believed that they would respect him and his authority. They kill him with no regrets. They dragged him through the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner do when he returns home? "He'll kill them—a rotten bunch, and good riddance," they answered. "Then he'll assign the vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits when it's time." esus said, "Right—and you can read it for yourselves in your Bibles:
The stone the masons threw out
is now the cornerstone.
This is God's work;
we rub our eyes, we can hardly believe it!
"This is the way it is with you. God's kingdom will be taken back from you and handed over to a people who will live out a kingdom life. Whoever stumbles on this Stone gets shattered; whoever the Stone falls on gets smashed." Jesus is this stone, this rock the Lord builds on. He is the son who is killed for our profits. Though he is thrown out by the masons he is the cornerstone. The religious leaders heard this parable and knew that they were the wicked farmers. They weren't told... they knew. Where are we sitting in the vineyard? Are we in the watchtower throwing stones or are we faithfully asking for the profits due to our master? Where do you want to be when the owner returns to the vineyard?