To Live Forever

Happy Wednesday morning to you! This is Michele with you today and I am focusing on the last portion of John 8, verses 48-59. Please read them with me and quiet yourself so you can hear what God has to say to you. It is very short so read it more than once if needed. This is the treasure that spoke to my heart:

I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die! (vs. 51)

"I tell you the truth........never die!" When Jesus says he is telling us the truth, he means what he says. If I had a bible with all of Jesus' words in red, this would be one of those verses that would stand out. Jesus didn't mean that we will physically live forever (praise him for that!) but that we will live forever in eternity with him. Jesus continually tried to get the people to understand this concept of eternal life and following him. Jesus told them time and again that if they would follow him they would experience true life, a life that would go on even after their physical death. A life with purpose far beyond following religious rules and rigidity.

Did the religious leaders believe what Jesus said? No, they couldn't get past their claim against Jesus of blasphemy. They thought Jesus was possessed by a demon (vs. 52). How many people do you know who live with blinders on when it comes to a relationship w/ Christ? Do you ever feel like you are banging your head against a wall trying to witness to them? Imagine how Jesus must have felt in dealing with the religious leaders! Talk about stubborn people! They claimed to know and follow God but Jesus pointed out how blind they really were.

....You say, "He is our God," but you don't even know him....(vs.54-55)

You see, it isn't about what rules we follow, what we do and what we don't do. It's strictly about knowing our Savior and knowing we've been saved from ourselves and the power of the devil. If we don't understand this, we are not truly living at all! To know God is a journey and an adventure, one to be sought after and embraced. It is a growing knowledge of his Word and his love for us. It is a love affair far beyond any earthly love affair with another human being. Knowing Christ is something that will make a difference in who we are at the very core of our being and what we hope others will see in us and inquire about. Do you know him like that? Are you bored with him or do you thirst for more of him?

Lord, I come to you this morning wanting more of you. I can't wait to experience eternal life with you. Until that day comes, Lord, take me deeper in my love affair with you here on earth. Give me a thirst for more of you! I want others to see you in me and want what I have. Speak through me to others who may not know you. So many people in this world do not fully understand eternal life and what that means for them. I want to live my life completely to honor and bring glory to your name. Amen

I hope this was a blessing to you this morning. If so, please share this with your friends.....maybe those who don't already know God. I bet you have facebook friends who live with blinders on. Just click the f below and share this post on your facebook account. Great way to witness to a world in need!

Free Indeed

I hope you had a great weekend! Mondays are, well, Mondays. But to hear something important from God will make even a Monday great! So I'm listening to what he is saying in John 8:31-47. Why don't you join me?

Here is the statement that rings in my head:

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (v. 31-32)

Can you imagine being a slave? The closest I ever came to experiencing slavery was working for UPS loading trucks. It was close, but still not quite the real thing. Slavery is when my choices are made for me. My options are closed. I'm used purely as a means to an end. I answer to a master who controls my life. Doesn't sound like fun, does it?

We watch on the news as other people groups fight for their liberty against dictators. We don't think of ourselves as slaves. We live in "the land of the free and the home of the brave," right? Yet, Jesus points something out that is so important and yet so easily missed:

"I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." (v. 34)

So how is that? God is the giver of Life. He explains its purpose to us and guides and instructs us in how to live it well. But when we rebel and do it our way instead, everything gets messed up. Sin is enslaving. With every moment of giving in I lose a little more freedom. Soon I find myself driven by my sinfulness. I am controlled by my lusts and desires and fears and insecurities. And none of it brings well-being to my life. I become a pawn in Satan's game, used and manipulated by the worst dictator of all. And I can't break free.

But Jesus sets me free! Knowing Jesus is the Truth that frees! He forgives me, cleanses me, clears my name. But he goes way beyond that: He frees me to see life as it really is. He helps me to understand who I am and why I'm here. He opens my spiritual eyes, and with the lies of the devil exposed I am free to choose Life. I am free to live for what I was created for--a relationship with my Maker. And he and his goodness free me to love, to celebrate, to forgive, to overcome.

Wars and armies may secure political freedom. And we cheer for freedom fighters. But so many people who are politically free are still slaves at the core. The most vital, most profound freedom is found only in knowing Jesus, the Son of God, personally and deeply.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!" (v. 36)

Now that's worth cheering! What do you hear Jesus saying to you in this text? Share it below in the Comments section! (Sign in first or choose Anonymous from the "Comment as" field.)

The Two Things That Will Define Your Life

Congratulations on your desire to hear from God today! He will honor that. He's just been speaking to me through the profound words of Jesus in John 8:12-30. Give yourself the chance to listen to what he is saying. Clear your mind and then read it through at least twice with me, slowly, thoughtfully.

The main thing that I hear him saying is that he is Life. He keeps coming back to that! I need him like I need oxygen. He is. He is everything I need him to be. But something else he says jumps out at me today:

...I know where I came from and where I am going. (v. 14)

When I think about my identity--who I am really--it is really defined by these two points: my origin and my destination. My understanding of the starting point of my life and my ultimate goal ahead determines the trajectory of my life in between. Are you with me?

The world around me and the people in my life try to define me. If I don't know where I came from and where I'm going, I will either let others create a false identity for me or I will create one myself. Either way, the trajectory of my life will be knocked off course and I'll go around in circles lost and confused.

Knowing my origin is important. If I think that I'm a mere accident of mindless chance in a cosmos with no ultimate purpose then I will live my life the same way. If I see myself as just a highly functional animal then I will tend to behave like one. Or if I think I'm worthless and unwanted, the product of a broken, dysfunctional home, rejected by a parent, then I'll be stuck in that sense of nothingness. But if I know that I am a special creation of an amazing God who loves me and created me with distinct purpose, that changes everything. When I start from there, I move ahead with a sense of great worth and meaning. Yet it's not enough to know where I came from.

Having clarity about my destination is equally vital to a full life. Why do people do some of the crazy, self-destructive things they do? Because they think they're headed for non-existence in the grave and they're desperately trying to grab whatever they can while they can. Or if I think I'm on the highway to hell, then why try? Or if I just don't think beyond my retirement years, then my life's trajectory is all about my career, financial portfolios and maybe growing my family. But if I know that I'm headed for eternal life in the new heaven and new earth that God will bring about, then I'm going to live with tremendous hope. I'm going to have a sharply focused sense of purpose that I'm even now part of this movement of God and his inbreaking Kingdom. In the confusion of trying to figure out what's next, I'll narrow my options in light of my ultimate goal.

In short, when I know where I come from and where I'm going, everything in between will fall into place. If I make all my significant decisions based on those two simple concepts that bookend my life, then my vision will be clearer, my decisions will be better, and the consistency will keep me moving forward in the right direction. I'll experience Life.

God bless you today! I'd appreciate it if you'd share this post on your Facebook wall (click the Facebook "f" button below). And please share your own thoughts from Jesus' words below (sign in first or choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment As" field.)

Throwing Rocks

God is near you every day, every moment, no matter what you are feeling. And he is always communicating his love and his vision for our lives. Let's step into a story from the Bible recorded in John 7:53-8:11. You may notice that your Bible indicates this text was probably not written by John or in the original manuscript of his gospel. Yet it has been preserved through the centuries by the church and regarded as an authentic account. As you read it, ask yourself what you learn of Jesus and what he may be wanting to say to you here.

If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. (v. 7)

Even the hate-filled hypocrites in the story couldn't argue with that. Touche`! They knew they really had no choice but to drop their heads and their rocks and walk away...this time. Inwardly we cheer for Jesus! But it makes me wonder why we applaud him and yet there is still so much rock-throwing in the world, even among the followers of this same Jesus.

It's so much better when compassion wins the day over condemnation. Really, we're all in this thing called life together. We all hurt. We all get confused. We are all capable of getting lost inside. It's so easy to look down on someone and think harsh thoughts, but it takes a lot more character to care enough to consider what inputs may have led them to that place. And it takes humility to look in the mirror.

Instead of throwing stones at people today--verbal stones, mental stones, kidney stones (ha, just kidding)--why don't I just decide to put my rocks down and sit with people in this mess we call humanity, as one of them, and tell them about how God is a forgiving and merciful God. Thank God that he has sent a Savior for them as well as for me. Tell them of how Jesus didn't come to condemn us but to save us. Receive his grace and then go free to treat fellow sinners with the same grace I've received. Why don't I toss some grace their way instead of flinging a rock? It might just be the thing that eventually brings the freedom to...

"Go now and leave your life of sin." (v. 11)

Maybe one of your acquaintances is thirsty for some grace. Why don't you share this post with your Facebook friends and toss some grace their way? Just click on the Facebook "f" button below. And we'd love to hear what Jesus is saying to you. Sign in (top right) and comment below.

Controversial Faith

As we take a few minutes to hear from God today, let's listen to what he's saying to us through the words of John 7:14-52. Pretty interesting reading!

This whole chapter is a picture of controversy over Jesus. We will and do find ourselves at times embroiled in controversy with unbelievers. If you’re going to choose the way of Christ, you cannot and will not fit in with the ways of the world. And some people are highly resistant or even antagonistic to anything they hear relating to faith in Jesus. The way of Christ always runs against the grain. This statement jumps out at me:

But no one would say anything publicly about [Jesus] for fear of the Jews. (v. 13)

God still uses people of faith to draw others to faith, but not if we’re afraid to speak of him. Fear of controversy. Fear of rejection. Fear of getting our chain pulled by the boss or the teacher. Several years ago, France made it illegal to wear any kind of religious symbol in the public schools—no crosses, no fish, no Muslim or Jewish symbols or dress. There is a definite agenda to intimidate believers, to push us underground. “Have faith if you want,” they chide, “but keep it to yourself. Lock it up behind closed doors. Don’t expose anyone else to it. You might offend someone. You might stir up controversy.”

Jesus didn’t shy away from the controversy over him. The contrast couldn’t be any clearer than the crowd—“No one would say anything public about him for fear”—and Jesus:

"Here he is speaking publicly” (v. 26).
Some Christians seem to have an obsession with controversy, but it’s the wrong kind. It’s mainly controversy with other believers. In all of that, the message of Jesus that invites a lost and broken world to him gets lost and people can’t hear it for all the arguing between his followers. Let’s take the controversy to the unbelieving world.

That takes some guts. Where does Jesus get the courage to speak in the face of controversy? I am drawn to what he said:

“I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true.” (v. 28)

Does that speak to you like it does to me? Is there courage for us there? When I need to speak a word about the love of Christ to someone, but I’m afraid of sparking a controversy, what if I think to myself, “I am not here on my own. But Jesus, who sent me to this person, is true.” When I’m wanting to encourage a coworker to discover Jesus, but I'm intimidated because the expectations are to keep your faith out of the workplace, instead I hear a different voice: “I am not here on my own. But Jesus, who sent me to share him with others, is true.”
That’s the language of faith. When I let myself believe it from my deepest heart, fear gets pushed aside and the language of faith pours out.

Please let us in on what God is saying to you in this piece of Scripture by commenting below. Sign in at the top right corner of the page first, or just choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" field. I hope you'll share this post with your Facebook friends, too. Click on the "f" button below.

Timing Matters

Hey, I hope you enjoyed the three-day weekend! I know that I did! I didn't post yesterday because I was busy having fun. Today, I've opened up my Bible to hear from God out of John 7:1-12. Care to read it with me? I couldn't help but ponder over what Jesus says here:

The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. (v. 6)

I've lived long enough to learn that timing is pretty important. (No, that doesn't mean I'm old!) If you have the right person and the right plan but the wrong timing, the whole thing generally goes south. I mean, a guy can send his wife a great looking bouquet of roses with a sweet card attached affirming that on this, their wedding anniversary, he'd marry her all over again. But if it's March 22 and they actually got married on May 27, she's probably not going to take it well.

But knowing that the right timing is important and knowing when it's the right time are two very different matters! I know the first but I'm not always so sure about the second. How do you know when the right time has come?

So Jesus talks about "the right time." And he says that for some people, "any time is right." I notice that Jesus had a sense and respect for what we often call God's timing. When I get something in my head to do or say, my impulse is to just do it. Do it now. Why put it off? I don't like to wait on those kinds of things. And that's how a lot of people are, I think. We want to operate on our own schedule.

Jesus, however, didn't live that way. He acted and moved in perfect rhythm with the will of God. He always made sure to consider not only what God wanted him to do but also when. In this text, he was well aware that it wasn't yet time for him to play all his cards for the Jerusalem crowds. His brothers thought they knew better. They're egging him on: "Come on, Jesus, what are you waiting for? If you're really the Messiah, why don't you go ahead and call a press conference? Don't keep us all waiting!"

Discerning God's timing is no easy matter of following a spiritual formula. I wish it were! But I have found that half the battle is just caring enough to seek God's will about what his timing might be. Praying sincerely about that often brings the discernment and sensitivity to know when the right time has arrived. It's also a matter of seeing the signs and reading them through the lenses of a commitment to God's purposes. Are the doors opening or are they still closed? Is that person's heart seemingly ready to be receptive, or do they show no signs of it? What kind of counsel am I getting from people I trust? Is my heart really fully submitted to God's will and timing and, if so, what is it telling me?

Jesus, I realize that for some things, anytime is not the right time, while for other things it is. Help me to know the difference. And please show me when the right time is. Amen.

What did God say to you as you read the Scripture? We'd love to know, so comment below. And it would be very cool if you would share this post with your Facebook friends. Just click on the Facebook "f" icon below. Thanks!

The Dark Stormy Seas of Life

Today's conversation with God takes us back to John 6 to pick up the little story we skipped over last time--John 6:16-24. So here we go! This one is a quick read. Read it a second time and go slower, thinking about the details. Ask Jesus to show you what he wants you to see.

This event follows on the heels of the miraculous feast he fed the crowd. His disciples had witnessed his power to provide whatever was needed, regardless of the size of the need. I think that was the lesson. Then, Jesus gives the exam. He sends them out across the Sea of Galilee at dusk heading straight into a serious storm. And he sends them alone.

What I notice are the details that describe what the disciples were experiencing out there and the similarity to things I experience myself:

By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.

A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.

They had rowed three or thee-and-a-half miles.

They were terrified.

They couldn't see where they were going. There was no sign of Jesus. Everything around them was in a state of chaos and adversity. They felt exposed and threatened. They were exhausted. And fear had a grip on them.

To every person who has ever felt that way, take heart. Even Jesus's closest followers did, too. But more than anything what I hear Jesus saying to me today, through the noise of the wind and the jostling of the waves and the darkness of uncertainty and the exhaustion of all that I've done to try to keep the boat afloat and heading in the right direction is this...

It is I; don't be afraid. (v. 20)

So, like these rain-drenched, reluctant sailors, I'm going to do this--I'm going to receive Jesus into my boat.

Then they were willing to take him into the boat. (v. 21)

Somehow things take on a whole different perspective when I remember that Jesus is in my boat with me. After all, he commands the forces that appear to be against me. He defies their threats and even comes to me using these adverse conditions as his vehicle. Isn't that the deeper point of him walking on the tumultuous sea? He's telling me he's got this. No need to worry.

And then I notice the results. Alone, they fought the wind and the waves for hours, rowing helplessly against the contrary forces, lost in the darkness in the middle of the sea. After Jesus approached and they let him into their boat, John recounts what he and the others experienced:

...and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (v. 21)

Jesus knows what he's doing. He knows where he's taking me. And he will make sure I get there. So in the meantime, I'm hanging onto him. No worries, mate!

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