Make Jesus Seen in 2014!

This is my prayer for myself and for you in 2014!  May we let Jesus be seen this coming year. How do we do this? How do we show the world that Jesus is our Lord? We let our lights shine though our lives and our words. We say to the world by the way we live that there is a difference in us...and that difference is Jesus! We may be the only Bible that some people ever read...so let's represent Him rightly!

The closer you are to Jesus the more you will take on His likeness. You will naturally speak forth His words and mimic His actions. It's like a marriage....the longer you are married and the closer you are to each other the more you take on the likeness of your spouse. You begin to finish their sentences and you may even begin to look alike! This is the same thing that happens with Jesus. We take on a different appearance the more we're with Him. As we learn of His ways from the Word of God it takes root in our lives and changes us from the inside out! We may even begin to look different physically...softer and kinder as the rough edges are sanded away by His loving kindness.

We also can make Jesus seen by the way we live. As we draw closer to Jesus our standards begin to change. What we once saw as acceptable is now not pleasing to Jesus. The movies we once saw, the music we previously listened to...now is defiling and not edifying to us as Believers.  We are called to a higher standard. The things we used to do are not to be part of our new life with Christ...and people take notice. The key here is to not make others feel condemned by their lifestyle, rather we are to pray that the Lord may convict them and that they may desire a new life in Christ.  Whether we want to admit it or not...people are watching us. The closer you walk with Jesus, the more you are watched....and the great your influence. Are you praying for some family or friends to get saved? Let your life show that Jesus is worth leaving the world behind. Let others see His love, His peace, and His joy in your life. Are we called to be prefect? NO...we will continue to make mistakes and have trials and tribulations that refine our character...but this is only to mold us even more in to the image of Jesus Christ.

Often times it's how we handle these distressing times that say so much to the world whose looking on. Do we still freak out like we once did? Do we turn to substances as we once did? Or do we weather the storm with Jesus in our boat and watch as He calms the seas of trials that enter our life? No believer is exempt from storms. In fact, the closer you walk with Jesus the more storms you will face. But, be encouraged you are not alone in your boat. As with the disciples who freaked out when caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee...only to find Jesus asleep in the boat. Jesus does not freak out during storms...He is at rest...knowing that He is drawing out our faith and refining our character. 

Whatever you do...don't hide your light, rather let it shine from the hilltop. Much like a lighthouse, we are to to shine brightly as to lead others to safety. "Let your light so shine among men that they may see  your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:16)  Our motive should always be to point people to Jesus and not to us. We are not the standard ...He is! As we concentrate on  making Jesus Seen in 2014 lets remember to have our walk match our talk. Be above reproach in all things, be mindful of those who are weak and could be easily stumbled, and seek to let our life radiate the love of Jesus Christ.  Lets enter this next year with anticipation as we make His name known and allow others to see Him in and through us! Many Blessing in this new year!

Time To Glean In 2014...a message for singles

 

To glean means to gather or collect bit by bit. If we think of this spiritually, we are to gather and collect many things as we grow in our walk. Jesus describes Himself in John 15:5 like a vine and we are the branch. As we abide and remain in Him we naturally bear fruit. We are to glean from the Word devotionally, from our Pastors, and from our husbands as we seek to grow in our walk. We are to seek to glean from the Lord through prayer and through watching others that are further along in their walk with the Lord. As we glean we are watered and nourished and soon become a healthy and vibrant fruit bearing tree. The key as John 15:5 says; is to abide. "If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit." There is a condition..."If" you abide....meaning you have a choice to remain or not. Many times when we do not chose to remain, we miss out on the blessings found in abiding in Christ.

We  read in the book of Ruth about a love story in which Ruth's husband dies and she remains with her mother in law, Naomi. Ruth does not have much to offer a man...she is a Moabite, a foreigner to the Jews. She comes from a different world and enters an whole new world as she watches her mother in law worship the one true and living God. She sees something different and wants it for herself. As she starts her new life with Naomi, she sees that she needs a husband. But how? Who will want her? 

As this beautiful story unfolds we see the bigger picture...this story is not about Ruth and her future mate...it's about us and our Redeemer. Ruth was lost and found her way to God through watching her mother in law pray, trust God and see His miracle of provision for their lives. We're told that Ruth came into the field to glean and remained there all day. She went to gather little by little and remained there. It was her choice to go and get food for herself and Naomi. She could have just gleaned a little and left. But she didn't...she stayed all day and it's good she did....because God had a plan. He planned all along to have her future husband there at the right time to ask about her. Had she stopped gleaning early she would've missed him...or should I say, he would've missed her...as he was the one who inquired about her. 

I see this happen often in the church with young guys and gals who have grown impatient while waiting for a spouse. They love the Lord and glean from His field, but then get tired and give up right before it's time. They settle for less than God's best for them...thinking that they've put in their time and God hasn't delivered yet... so,  "let me go and find someone on my own." Notice that Ruth was in the field for one reason alone...to get food...not to find a husband. As you concentrate on getting fed through  the Word and church you will find that the more time you spend gleaning the more opportunity you will have to be noticed. Boaz noticed Ruth and asked about her...she was there all day in the field...that's what they all noticed about her....her commitment to glean as much as she possibly could.

Are you looking to be married...glean in the field as much as you possibly can. Look to God first and He will provide for you in His perfect timing as you concentrate on remaining yielded to Him. Be more concerned about being the right person rather than finding the right person. And you will find, as with Ruth, that it will all happen very naturally as you are out in the field gleaning the goodness of the Lord instead of striving in the valley of bitterness and discontentment. Seek to make 2014 a year of gleaning all that you possibly can from your Kinsman Redeemer...your Jesus!

Chosen To Sit

"Sit here while I go over there and pray."(Matthew 26:36)

No one likes to sit and wait. We often feel that we are to be busy and about our Fathers business, but here we see that Jesus commanded Peter, James and John to come with Him into the garden and sit. I find it very interesting that only three were chosen out of the eleven to come with Jesus into the Garden where He would be betrayed by one of His own. I find it even more interesting that He chose these three as the men that He wanted with Him at His most difficult hour. Three fishermen, all with tempers. Peter was impulsive and lacked self control. James and John were known as the "Sons of Thunder" and mommas boys. These three were quite a trio! Even though they lacked so much, Jesus saw their potential. He saw their future and what they'd become. He looked past their impulsiveness and foolish remarks, past their confidence and cockiness and saw a tough and tenacious trio that would stand the test of time. Jesus gave this trio three commands; to sit, to watch, and to pray. This would be hard for these three to accomplish. As they sat in the Garden late at night and watched Jesus they would learn a great and valuable lesson. A lesson of patience and prayer...and a lesson of obedience.These three had the blessing and advantage of watching Jesus in His most difficult hour. They observed His dealings with the guards, His words with Judas and His humble meek compliance as He was a sheep led to the slaughter.

This would forever change these men. The formally impulsive and overly confident Peter would become the leader of the early church.  The hot tempered and persistent James and John would be used greatly by the Lord to help establish the church and bring many to Jesus through the love of Christ. Have you been chosen to sit for a while? It might mean that the Lord has chose you to have a time of preparation before He sends you out. If you are in the garden of preparation learn from Jesus...sit, watch and pray..."lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."(Matt. 36:41)

We see this in Mary and Martha. Two sisters that loved the Lord, but only one chose the better thing. Mary chose to sit, watch and learn from Jesus while Martha chose to serve. Mary took advantage of Jesus being with her, and Martha chose to serve Him, rather than first sitting and receiving from Him. This too, is a great lesson for us ladies... who tend to get busy serving and become distracted to sit. We can often neglect the greatest thing and chose a great thing, but not the best thing. Jesus told Martha; "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chose that good part, which will not be taken away from here."(Luke 10:41-42)

Simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from Him is the best thing. There, at His feet, we observe His ways, receive His strength, and are encouraged by Him to continue, to serve, to grow and to share His love with all we come into contact with. When we chose the "good part" first we will then become the most effective servants, the best prayer warriors, the most powerful preachers, and most compassionate Christians around. Learn to stop and sit with Him before you start your day. Be like Mary and the chosen trio...embrace the blessing in the garden and you will blossom into the most beautiful fragrant flower oozing with the sweet smelling aroma of Jesus scent!

New Years Resolution...Undo The Do!

Now that Christmas is over we look to the New Year with excitement. 2013 is closing and 2014 is at hand. For many of us this means New Years resolutions. We often resolve to do more this coming year than we did the past year. As Believers, we often resolve to read the Bible more, to pray more, to go to church more, and to serve more. Also making our “to do” list is spending more time with family, more time exercising and of course more time eating right.

But, I want to suggest that we “undo” our “to do” list. That we put all that behind one key “to do”, and that is to REST in  the Lord. We often get so busy doing for the Lord that we forget to rest with Him, alone in a quiet place of solitude. Someone once said; "Meditation is the Sunday of the mind." In our busy times we need to give our minds to a "Sunday"...a time of rest in which we do no work, but instead we are simply still before God...looking to heaven and soaking in the rays of Sonshine. Many times these are forced by the Lord. We may end up sick in bed and then we are forced to be still and look up.  When Elijah had just slain the 400 prophets of Baal and was running in fear and excitement, it says that he ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel (1 Kings 18:46). But, the run had been too much for him and took all of his strength, causing him to become depressed.  As Elijah sat under a broom tree he asked that he might die. But God had another plan for Elijah… God’s plan was to get Elijah to the place of rest and refreshment. As Elijah sat alone, tired and hungry he became depressed. When we experience a time of great victory in our lives as believers, we can be met by the enemy with fear, and despair. This can cause a heavy depression much like Elijah, where we feel alone and there, we can become defeated. BUT GOD was with Elijah all along…in his victory, on his run, and under the tree.

What Elijah failed to see is that he was exactly where God wanted him… “Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.”  Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.  And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”  So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.”(1 Kings 19:5-8)

Are you tired today? Are you feeling worn out and weary? Are you feeling alone? You are not alone…God is with you. HE will give you strength when you need it. HE will supply all you stand in need of. HE will provide nourishment for your hungry soul. As with Elijah, the refreshment and nourishment which would sustain him was not in the battle, nor in the victory, it was under the tree when he was alone with God and sleeping that he was touched. If you are running around today, stop, and get alone somewhere with God. Rest in Him and allow him to touch your weary soul. He is all the food we need to sustain us. Let your New Years Resolution be one of  R&R  in Him. You will find that you will accomplish much more when you attempt less, and spend more time in quiet rest waiting upon God. Resolve to have your diet be the Word of God and your exercise be that of quiet solitude before Him. As you stop doing and start resting you will be blessed and bear much fruit in this coming year! 

He Has Come

What would Christmas be like without Jesus? There would be no manger and no star of Bethlehem. No shepherds and no wise men. There would be no Mary or Joseph?  In fact, there wouldn’t even be a Christmas without Jesus…for He is Christmas.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus.  Without His birth He wouldn’t have died and without His death there would be no salvation. And without salvation, we would be hopeless.  Depending upon our best efforts, our charitable gifts, and our kindness alone to get us to heaven. We could go on and on about what life would look like if Jesus had never come.

But, He has come, and for that we have much to celebrate. The solution to our greatest problem in all the world was born 2,000 years ago in a cold, dark, cave on Christmas day. For that alone we have much to rejoice in today. We may not have many gifts to give this year, much money to spend or a nice house to entertain in, but what we do have is worth far more than all those things put together. We have the greatest gift ever given…Jesus! He has come to give us life and that more  abundantly.