The Flesh Versus the Spirit.

Genesis 27, Matthew 14

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.  – Genesis 28:15 ESV

The entire Bible is a picture of God working in the midst of and, in most cases, in spite of man. So far we have seen even those who had been chosen by God and given the promises of God, acting as sometimes unwilling and unhelpful participants in God's plan. That pattern continues in chapters 27 and 28 as we read about Jacob's deception of his father in order to receive a blessing from him. Jacob's mother, Rebekah, plays a major role in Jacob's decision, encouraging him to deceive his father in order to cheat his brother out of his blessing. We see in this story a cast of characters controlled by their senses. The physical and sensual play a major role in all that happens. Isaac is physically old and suffering from the effects of his dying body. Yet he is driven by a desire for food and sends out his son, Esau, to kill some game and prepare him his favorite stew. Rebekah, driven by a desire to see her favorite son, Jacob, receive the blessing, allows her sin nature to control her decision making. She concocts a plan to involve Jacob in an elaborate ruse, designed to deceive her own husband and cheat her own son, Esau. Her sinful passions, while probably well-intentioned, are vividly on display in this story. Jacob, a willing pawn in his mother's hands, allows his lust for more – a blessing AND the birthright – to drive his actions. Esau, once he discovered what had been done to him, is driven by revenge and an unbearable desire to be blessed by his father. His disappointment will drive him to seek the death of his own twin brother.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Yet, in spite of all the sinful passions the permeate these two chapters, God is in control. His will is being done – in spite of the motley cast of characters that make up this story. God does not condone Rebekah's scheming and Jacob's willful deceitfulness. But He uses their sinful actions to accomplish His divine will. What they meant for evil, God will use for good.

And yet, there is both pain and punishment involved in the actions of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. Jacob, while blessed, will have to run for his life. His actions drive a wedge between he and his brother. He is forced to leave home and take up residence with his uncle. As a result, his self-imposed exile will ensure that he never sees his mother and father again. He will live in fear of his brother, Esau, for years. Rebekah will live out the rest of her life knowing her favorite son had received the blessing, but never getting to hold him in her arms again. There are always consequences to our sins, but God is always accomplishing His will in spite of them. He did not abandon His promise because of Jacob's actions. He remained faithful to His word, regardless of the unfaithfulness and unrighteousness of those through whom He was going to fulfill his word.  Even after all Jacob had done, God reaffirmed His covenant promise to him. "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you" (Genesis 28:15 ESV). Regardless of Jacob's actions, God was promising to remain with him and to someday restore him to the land. You see this pattern all throughout the lives of the people of Israel. One day they would find themselves living in exile in Egypt, and God would faithfully restore them to the land. Generations later, they would find themselves living in exile in Babylon and, once again, God would faithfully restore them to the land. Years later, the people would find themselves living in spiritual exile in the land, and God would send His Son in an effort to restore them to a right relationship with Him. God has been and always will be faithful to His word. He is the covenant-keeping God.

What does this passage reveal about man?

At heart, we are all schemers and deceivers. We are driven by our senses and controlled by our passions. The physical world is the greatest barrier to our spiritual development. Our lust for more of what this world has to offer make it difficult for us to enjoy all the spiritual blessings God has promised. You see in the story of Jacob, the ease at which our passions for the physical can easily overshadow our faith in the promises of God. The enemy is always at work behind the scenes tempting us to doubt God and trust in that which we can see, hold, feel, touch, and taste. And yet, the majority of the blessings of God are spiritual in nature. They are eternal, not temporal. If you think about the gifts of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – they are all spiritual in nature. And yet, they have physical implications. They show up in the physical world, but are made possible only by the Spirit of God. Any attempt to manufacture them in the flesh always fails. No one can make themselves more patient. You can fake love, but you can't make the real thing. The physical and spiritual are always at odds in our lives. That why Paul wrote, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do" (Galatians 5:16-17 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

I have to constantly remind myself that God's divine plan for mankind is far greater and more important than my self-centered plans for myself. He is going to accomplish what He has promised to Abraham. He will fulfill His promises to Isaac and Jacob. He will follow through on all His commitments to the people of Israel. He will come through on all He has promised for the body of Christ. And He will complete what He has begun in my life. My petty passions and selfish desires for the physical things of this earth do not thwart God or harm His plan, but they do make my life more difficult. I can choose to do it His way or my way, but irregardless, God will always have His way. Jacob made his life far more difficult than it had to be. His life would not be an easy one. But God would still accomplish His will through him – in most cases, in spite of him. It would be far more pleasant to live in obedience to God and enjoy His blessings, than to resist Him or attempt to somehow "help" Him and have to suffer the consequences of my sin.

I can't help but think about Peter in the story found in Matthew 14. He and the rest of the disciples of Jesus are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee in the middle of the night, experiencing strong waves and winds. They see Jesus walking on the water toward them in the midst of the storm and Peter begs Jesus to command that he be able to walk on the water too. Jesus simply said, "Come!" And Peter did. But then he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to focus on the wind and the waves. He became overwhelmed with the physical and lost sight of the spiritual. His ability to walk on water was a miracle. It was supernatural and impossible, but Peter became obsessed once again with the natural, and he sank like a rock. But Jesus was there. He rescued Peter, lifting him out of the water and placing him back in the boat. But Jesus' words still ring true today.  "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:28 ESV). The life of the believer is to be one of faith. It is to be lived by faith, not sight. It is to be based on the spiritual, not the physical. With God, nothing is impossible. But it is so easy to let the physical realm rob us of the spiritual reality of the promises and power of God in our lives.

Father, I want to trust You more and lean less and less on the things of this world. I want to be spiritually-motivated, not earthly-minded. I want to trust You more and the things of this earth less. I want to develop an internal, rather than a temporal, perspective. Forgive me for my doubt. Help my unbelief. Amen.

A Touch.

Matthew 14:34-46; Mark 53-56

“Wherever he went – in villages, cities, or the countryside – they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.” – Mark 6:56 NLT

They had made it shore, safe and sound. Their evening and early morning adventure on the lake had been a memorable one. The disciples had been caught in yet another storm. This time without Jesus in the boat with them. He had stayed behind to pray. But He had appeared to them in the middle of the storm, walking on the water. The sight of Jesus walking on top of the waves and surrounded by the blowing mist and darkness, had scared them more than the storm. But now they were all safe again near the town of Gennesaret. And as soon as they were able to climb out of the boat, the crowds spotted Jesus. It didn't take long for the news to spread and the crowds to show up. And Mark tells us that wherever Jesus went – in the villages, cities, or countryside – the crowds would appear. Anyone who was sick or had a friend or relative who was sick, flocked to Jesus. He was like the Pied Piper of Palestine.

Interestingly enough, both Matthew and Mark record that people were begging Jesus to simply let the sick touch at hem of his robe, and that all who were able to do so, were healed. Where did they get this idea? Obviously news had reached them about the woman in Capernaum, who had touched Jesus' robe and been healed (Mark 5:24-34). Jesus had told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over" (Mark 6:34 NLT). Now there were hundreds, if not thousands, of sick people who wanted the opportunity to touch Jesus' robe and be healed. And Mark tells us, "all who touched him were healed" (Mark 6:56 NLT). Matthew makes the same claim. Not some, but all. What a scene this must have been. Into every town and village where Jesus walked, a crowd would surround Him, reaching out to touch Him. I can imagine the disciples trying to act as bodyguards, attempting to keep the crowds away. They probably feared for Jesus' safety. But nothing was going to keep the sick from reaching Him. They were needy and desperate, and their need and desperation drove them to get to Jesus any way they possibly could. They were determined. And as each one touched Him, they were immediately healed from whatever disease from which they suffered. As Jesus walked along, He would have left countless healed and happy people shouting and dancing in His wake. All because they had touched His robe. What power. What incredible proof of who He claimed to be. Just hours before, the disciples had watched Jesus walk on water and had exclaimed, "You really are the Son of God!" (Matthew 14:33 NLT). Now they were watching as Jesus gave further undeniable proof of His claim to be not only their Messiah, but the Son of God.

Did all those people who touched His robe and received healing believe He was the Messiah? Did they acknowledge Him as the Son of God? We're not told one way or the other. But they obviously believed He could heal them. So they came and they reached out and touched His robe. And they were healed. They received back their health. They were made physically whole. But there is no indication that they were spiritually transformed. Like so many of Jesus' miracles, these were intended as lessons for the disciples – those men whom Jesus had chosen and who would take the message of Good News to the world once Jesus had died, resurrected and returned to heaven. Every time someone touched Jesus' robe and received healing, it was meant to solidify in the minds of the disciples that He really was who He said He was. When He walked on the water, it was proof of His deity. When He fed the 5,000, it was proof of the limitless nature of His power as the Son of God. When He cast out demons, it was evidence of His sovereignty over all things, not only in the physical realm, but the spiritual. His power was so great, that those who simply touched the hem of His robe received complete healing. No words spoken. No conversations had. No details shared. A single touch and wholeness was restored.

But Jesus Himself had said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost" (Luke 19:10 NLT). He came to restore the spiritually sick to wholeness. He came to bring healing, but not of the physical kind. He came to heal the broken souls of men and restore them to a right relationship with His Father. He came to redeem mankind out of slavery to sin and offer Himself as the payment for the penalty they owed to God as rebellious sinners. Many, if not most, of the people who received physical healing from Jesus would go on to reject Him as their Lord and Savior. They would end up mocking Him as He hung on the cross. They had gotten from Him all that they really wanted from Him. They were well physically, and that was all that mattered to them. But Jesus came to give us so much more. He came to give us eternal life, not just a temporary fix to our physical lives. Those very same people would inevitably get sick again. They would all end up dying at some point. And while they had touched the hem of His robe and received healing, what they had really needed was Jesus to touch their hearts and give them new life. Perhaps many of these same people came to faith in Jesus after His resurrection. They may have been there that day at Pentecost when the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, "began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability" (Acts 2:4 NLT). They could have been in the crowd when Peter spoke, and said, "each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38 NLT). And "those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day – about 3,000 in all" (Acts 2:41 NLT). Surely, there were some who had received healing from Jesus who eventually received salvation from Jesus. But there were others who were probably content with what they had. Jesus came to provide so much more. The healing He offers is eternal, not temporary. The touch He offers is meant to heal the soul, not just the body. Anyone could reach out and touch His robe and receive physical healing. But only Jesus can touch a heart and provide salvation for the soul.

Father, thank You sending Your Son to touch me. When I wasn't even able to see my own sin and admit my own need, He mercifully and graciously touched me and showed me my need and offered me His solution. I am eternally grateful. Thank You for healing me from the inside out. Thank You for the assurance, that while this body is prone to disease and decay, my soul is whole and my future is secure in You. Amen.

The Storms of Life.

John 6:15-21

“Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough.” – John 6:18 NLT

John's account of this event is short and sweet. He leaves out a lot of the details that Matthew and Mark provide. He simply tells us that the disciples, having waited for Jesus, went ahead and started to sail back across the Lake. According to Mark's account, Jesus had insisted that the disciples go ahead and return to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake. Jesus had intended to get away by Himself for some time in prayer. But it would appear that the disciples decided to wait for Jesus. When it became dark, they finally did what Jesus had told them to do. About halfway across the lake, a sudden storm blew in. They had been here before. But this time Jesus was not with them. While several of the disciples were seasoned fishermen, the majority of them were landlubbers. They were out of their element and way out of their comfort zone. They were at the mercy of the waves and the wind. There was little they could do about it but continue to row and try to make shore.

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion, there suddenly appeared a form moving across the surface of the water. With the blowing mist and the darkness, it was difficult to make out what it was. But it appeared to look like a man walking on the water. The very sight of it terrified them. Their fear of the storm was replaced by the fear of this apparition. Little did they know at the time that it was Jesus. According to Mark, Jesus had seen their predicament while standing on the shore. This in itself is a miracle, because they were three or four miles away and it was dark. But Jesus saw the clearly. And Mark says, "He saw that that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard, and struggling against the wind and the waves" (Mark 6:48 NLT). Jesus saw what was happening. So what did He do? "Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, but when they saw him walking on the water they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost" (Mark 6:48-49 NLT). This is an important point. Jesus intended to go past them or pass them by. But John says, "suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat" (John 6:19 NLT). It seems that Jesus had every intention of them seeing Him. He wanted them to see and sense His presence in the middle of the storm. He could have calmed the storm while standing on the shore. But instead, He literally walked out to them in the midst of the storm. He was in the storm with them. And He was in a seemingly worse spot than they were – He had no boat!

Jesus called out to the disciples over the wind and the crashing waves. He said, "Don't be afraid. I am here!" (John 6:20 NLT). I think it's interesting that He didn't say, "Waves be still! Wind be calm!" He didn't speak to the storm. No, He spoke to the disciples. And He assured them of His presence. He was right there with them. He was in the middle of their storm. If He could walk on the waters of their storm, certainly they could row over them to safety. But that wasn't enough for the disciples. John tells us that "they were eager to let him in the boat" (John 6:21 NLT). They wanted Jesus in the boat with them. And I think they also wanted Him to calm the storm around them. But we have to remember that Jesus had seen their situation from a distance. He knew what was happening. And He didn't seem shocked or overly concerned. They were three to four miles away and Jesus decided to walk that distance to them. We don't know how long it took. But it does not appear that He was in any rush. He didn't suddenly appear to them. He didn't just show up in the boat. He walked to them. He saw their circumstances and then calmly revealed Himself in the midst of them.

There is nothing that happens in our lives that Jesus is not fully aware of. As God, He can see everything. And there is never a point in time that He is caught off guard or shocked by the circumstances and storms of our lives. Not only does He see, but He shows up. At just the right time. And He tells us, "Don't be afraid. I am here!" There is no storm great enough to keep Him away. He simply walks into our situation and shows Himself to us. Smack dab in the middle of the storm. There were going to be other storms for the disciples. Their lives were going to be filled with dark and difficult days. Jesus had already told them, "But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with ships in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers" (Matthew 10:17-18 NLT). The storms were coming. But Jesus would be with them. He was not going to abandon them. And we have that same assurance today. We are not promised a storm-free life, but we are promised the presence and power of Christ. He will never leave us or forsake us. And He will always show up in the difficult times. He will reveal Himself to us. And we will see Him if we look for Him.

Father, thank You for the constant abiding presence of Jesus in my life. Forgive me for the many times I allow the storms of my life to convince me that He is nowhere to be found. But nothing could be farther from the truth. He is there. He is always there. And that constant presence should provide me with overwhelming peace – even in the middle of the storms of life. Amen.

Here We Go Again.

Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52

“They were totally amazed, for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” – Mark 6:51-52 NLT

After all the leftovers had been picked up after the feeding of the 5000 and the crowds had been sent home, Jesus told the disciples to head back across the Sea of Galilee to the town of Bethsaida. After spending some time alone in prayer, He would meet them there. This out to bring to mind another recent trip across this same lake. That time Jesus was with them and a storm blew in unexpectedly, catching them in the middle of the lake. The disciples thought they were going to drown, but Jesus was asleep in the boat. They woke Him up and He calmed the storm. They were blown away at what they had seen. And it was all about to happen again. But this time, they were alone. Jesus was not with them. They had seen a lot happen between these two events. They had witnessed the healings of the demoniac and the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus' daughter being brought back to life, and they had been given power and authority to perform the very same kind of miracles themselves. And just a few hours before, they had witnessed Jesus feed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes.

Now they were in a boat in the middle of the lake in the middle of the night. I'm sure they were thinking, "This can't be happening again!" And even if their faith did kick in and they remembered how Jesus had saved them the first time, they had to worry about the fact that He wasn't asleep in the boat this time. He was nowhere to be found. Evidently, this storm was not as bad as the first., but they were having to work hard to row against the wind and waves. Jesus sees them from the shore. Mark tells us that He began to walk on the water, but had every intention of walking right past them on His way to the opposite side. He wasn't heading their way in order to save them. He must have known they were safe and would make it to the shore eventually.

It was dark, rain was coming down in sheets, and the wind was blowing hard. The sudden appearance of what appeared to be a man walking on top of the water unnerved them. They were terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus calmed their fears. He spoke to them. He even invited Peter to step out of the boat and walk out to meet Him on the water. Which Peter did, until he took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on the waves and wind. Then he sank. But Jesus rescued him and they both make it safely to the boat. Much has been made about Peter's adventure of walking on the water. But it's interesting that neither Mark or John record that part of the story. Their main emphasis is on Jesus, words. "Don't be afraid. Take courage! I am here!" (Mark 6:50 NLT). And Mark makes note of a special point of interest. He tells that when Jesus climbed into the boat and the waves immediately stopped, that the disciples were totally amazed. Matthew records that "the disciples worshiped him" (Matthew 14:33 NLT) and said that He must really be the Son of God. But Mark simply says, "They were totally amazed, for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracles of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in" (Mark 6:51-52 NLT). Those two accounts seem to be in contradiction to one another. Did they worship or did they doubt?

The real point of this story seems to be their surprise. They were totally amazed at what they had seen. Mark makes mention of the miracle of the loaves. But this was just the most recent miracle they had witnessed. These men had seen Jesus heal the demoniac and the woman with the issue of blood. They had even personally done some of the same things when Jesus gave them power and authority to do so. They had watched as Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead. And not too many days prior to this one, they had watched as Jesus calmed the storm on the very same lake with just a word from His mouth. And yet, they were shocked and surprised at seeing Jesus walk on water. I think they did worship Him. I think they did say, "You really are the Son of God!" (Matthew 14:33 NLT). But it was all after the fact. It was as a result of what He had just done. It seems that their hearts had not grasped the significance of all that had happened up until that point. They did not anticipate or eagerly expect Jesus to do the miraculous, but seemed to be surprised each time He did something out of the ordinary. Their worship was retroactive not anticipatory. It is interesting to note that Jairus came to Jesus expecting Him to heal his daughter. The woman with the issue of blood anticipated something miraculous happening if she could just touch the hem of Jesus' robe. The crowds flocked to Jesus expecting Him to heal the sick. Yet the disciples were blown away each and every time Jesus did something unexpected or extraordinary.

And we can be guilty of the same thing. Too often we fail to anticipate or expect the miraculous from Jesus. We call Him our Lord and Savior. We acknowledge Him as the Son of God. But we don't eagerly expect Him to do the unexpected in our lives. As a matter of fact, we are usually surprised when He does – pleasantly so. But a true understanding of who Jesus is anticipates the miraculous. Rather than being surprised by the power of Jesus, a person of faith expects and anticipates it. He looks for it. This was the problem with the disciples. They were still living with doubt and fear. When the storm came up, they didn't expect a miracle, even though they had already seen Jesus do something before. When Jesus came to them walking on the water, they were shocked. They had failed to learn the lesson of the loaves. Jesus is not limited by anything. As the Son of God, He had power over demons, disease, and nature. He even had power over the molecular structure of bread and fish. Nothing was impossible for Him. So expect Him to do the impossible.

Father, Your Son should not surprise us. His power should not catch us off guard or shock us. We should eagerly anticipate it and expect it as a normal part of a life lived with the Son of God. May our worship be anticipatory, not retroactive. May we live looking forward to what Your Son will do, not just worshiping what He has done. Help us to live expectantly. Amen.

You Feed Them.

Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17

“Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.’” – Mark6:35-36 NLT

This is a very familiar story for most of us. But most of us don't know its context. Over the years it has become an isolated event – a Sunday School story – floating on its own, somehow removed from the timeline of Jesus' life and isolated from the immediate context of all that was going on both before and after. But in reading and studying the Scriptures, context is critical, especially when studying the life of Jesus. The context surrounding this event is that Jesus had just recently received news of the death of John the Baptist. As a result, He had spent some time alone in mourning while His disciples were away on their first official assignment. He had sent them out "two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits" (Mark 6:7 NLT). Luke tells us that Jesus had given them "power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases" (Luke 9:1 NLT). They had returned fired up and excited to tell Jesusall the wonderful things they had done. Their faith should have been at an all-time high. Jesus attempts to get them away for a little R&R, but the next thing they all know, the crowds have found them once again. There were so many of them, Jesus and the disciples didn't even have time to eat. Jesus felt compassion for them "because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things" (Mark 6:34 NLT).

But as the day got late, the disciples, still worn out from their short-term mission trip, came to Jesus and told Jesus, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat" (Mark 6:35-36 NLT). They were tired and hungry. They were also probably a little sick and tired of the constant presence and pressure of the crowds. This would have looked like a good time for Jesus to get rid of them. It was dinner time. But instead of sending the crowds away, He turned to the disciples and simply said, "You feed them." Now this is where context becomes important. They had just returned from an assignment given to them by Jesus where they personally experienced the power and authority of God in their lives. They had been able to cast out demons – just like Jesus. They had been able to heal all kinds of diseases – just like Jesus. But when faced with this statement from the lips of Jesus, they didn't know what to do. And I have to think that part of their problem was that, while they had experienced the power and authority of Jesus, they still did not have the mind of Jesus. They did not yet have the heart of Jesus. When Jesus looked at the crowds, He felt compassion. When the disciples looked at the crowds, they saw a problem. Jesus saw an opportunity. They saw an impossibility. Just look at their response. "‘With what?’ they asked. ‘We'd have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!’” (Mark 6:37 NLT). Remember, they had been given power and authority. Their capabilities were limitless. It was their imaginations that posed the problem. In their minds, what Jesus was asking them to do was impossible and illogical. It made no sense. It was out of the question.

But Jesus simply responded, "How much bread to you have? Go find out." (Mark 6:38 NLT). Reluctantly and without much confidence, they did as they were asked and returned with the bad news that they only have five loaves of bread and two fishes. Their doubts were confirmed. Not enough food for so many people. They had been right all along. Jesus was going to have to send the people away to find food somewhere else. But instead, Jesus took the opportunity to teach them a valuable lesson. He would show them how He sees things. He would reveal to them His though process when confronted with what appear to be insurmountable odds. Jesus took what little they had and did something unbelievable. He used His God-given power and authority to meet a need. He fed the hungry, rather than send them away. He provided for their need, rather than demand that they fend for themselves. And what is important is that Jesus used the disciples as the means by which He distributed the food to the people. They became the conduits of blessing as they took the fish and the bread from the hands of Jesus and distributed it among the crowds. They would have had to have looked at all those faces. They would have seen their hunger and heard their words of thanks and amazement. And they would have noticed that every single person had more than enough to eat, including themselves. And surely it's no coincidence that there were exactly 12 baskets of food left over when it was all said and done.

When I read this story, I can't help but think about the words of Paul: "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had" (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT). We must have the mind of Christ, the attitude of Christ. Paul goes on to describe Jesus' humility and servant's spirit. Jesus loved others to the point of death. In his famous "love chapter" Paul reminds us "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT). The disciples had experienced the power and authority that Jesus possessed. But they still lacked love. They did not yet share the heart of Jesus. To be able to cast out demons and heal all manner of diseases would be wasted if it could not be done with love. Jesus did all that He did out of love. He was motivated by love. He was empowered by love. He fed the 5,000 because of love. He died because of love. Before we long to experience the power of Christ, we must learn to love like Christ.

Father, thank You for the lives of the disciples. We are so much like them. Their transparency is refreshing, because it reminds me of how often I can lose sight of what makes Your heart beat fast. Continue to teach me to have the same attitude that Jesus has. May I grow more and more in my love for others. May humility and servanthood mark my life more and more. Help me to view the world and others through the eyes of Christ. Amen.

Bad News and Good News.

Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9

“As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone.” – Matthew 14:13 NLT

Over the centuries, the spread of the Good News has not been without its share of difficulties, setbacks and even tragic losses. From the very beginning there have been costs involved in following Christ and spreading His message of salvation through faith in Him alone. Once Christ rose again and returned to heaven, even the disciples suffered greatly as they took over the responsibility of disseminating the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. In fact, Jesus had just warned them of this reality right before He had sent them out on their first official missionary journey. "But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues" (Matthew 10:17 NLT). He had told them that they would be arrested and tried for being His followers. There would be those who would want to kill them. And many of the disciples would end up dying as martyrs at the hands of those who stood opposed to Jesus. The Gospel is costly. Living for Christ in the midst of a world that despised and hates us is dangerous. And it has been that way from the beginning.

John the Baptist was the first martyr for the cause when he was beheaded by Herod. John had had the audacity to stand up to this powerful leader and call him to account regarding his immoral relationship with Herodias. She was actually his brother's wife and Herod had stolen her from him. John had warned him against marrying her because it was in violation of God's law. John's message was not received well, and it ended up costing him his life. This faithful servant of God was brutally murdered by a corrupt political figure whose life provided a vivid and stark contrast to that of John. It seems so unfair. It doesn't make sense. Why should someone so gifted and obviously called by God, be snuffed out in the prime of his life. Yet Herod would continue to live a life of luxury and moral license. But this pattern has been painfully repeated over the centuries with the deaths of men like Steven recorded in the early chapters of the book of Acts. And there have been countless others who have suffered and died as a result of their faithfulness to the call of Christ – men like David Brainerd, William Tyndale, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Jim Elliot. Even the apostle Paul would eventually die a martyrs death, having spent most of his ministry life imprisoned and persecuted for his faith. And it was a reality he willingly, if not eagerly, embraced. "As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful" (1 Timothy 4:6-7 NLT).

When Jesus received word that John the Baptist had been executed by Herod, He had to get away by Himself, so He went by boat to a remote area. We're not told what He did there, but I have to believe that Jesus spent time in mourning over the death of His cousin and ministry partner, but also in prayer, asking His Father for wisdom, strength, and perseverance to finish the race strong, just as Paul had desired. It is interesting to note that Jesus would have been without the disciples at this point, having just sent them all out on mission. So He would have been entirely alone when the news of John's death arrived. Jesus would not have taken the news lightly. I am sure His heart was saddened, but He also would have been fully at peace with His Father's plan and the timing of it all. I am sure when the disciples returned and heard the news, they were probably just as upset, but also confused by the events surrounding John's death. They would have had questions and concerns, and raised issues regarding the fairness of it all – just as we would do today. They would have had no idea that a similar fate was awaiting many of them in the not-too-distant future. This was just the opening salvo of a deadly and dangerous spiritual war that is still going on today. Around the world, there are those who are still dying for their faith in Christ. The enemy is still attempting to stop the cause of Christ by attacking the followers of Christ. As Jesus Himself told us, his objective is "to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10 NLT). He is vicious and relentless. He is obsessed with the thwarting of God's purposes and the destruction of God's people. But we have a Savior, and He has a plan. His redemptive work is not yet complete. His victory is assured, but the battle still wages on. We must remain steadfast and faithful. We must trust in His purposes and rest in His plan for us. It will not always make sense. It will not always appear fair. But God is faithful. He knows what He is doing. We can trust Him. And we can rest in this timeless truth given to us by John: "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world" (1 John 4:4 NLT).

Father, keep our eyes focused on You. Don't let us lose hope in the midst of the seeming victories of the enemy. When we see a brother suffer or fall, keep us trusting in Your perfect plan. You never take Your eyes off of us. Your never stop loving us. You are faithful, true, and completely trustworthy. There will be bad news as we continue to spread the Good News. There will be martyr. There will be sufferers. But the battle is won. The victory is assured. The end is already determined. Help me to rest in that reality. Amen.

And So It Begins.

And So It Begins.

Matthew 14:4-12;Luke 3:19-20; John 1:26-27

“So John was beheaded in prison.'” – Matthew 14:10 NLT

How many times in life does something happen that makes us ask the question, "Can this be God's will?" Usually, it involves an event or situation that appears tragic, unfair, unexplainable or, in our minds, unacceptable. It could be the death of a child or a spouse. Someone innocent who is treated unfairly or accused unjustly. At those times in our lives, it is easy to question God and wonder about His will. Was He in charge? If so, why didn't He do something about the situation? Why didn't He intervene? Doesn't He care? If it was all a part of God's will, how can a loving God allow something so tragic or unjust to happen? Invariably, we begin to measure God based on our understanding of the circumstance, rather than the other way around.

Here in the opening days of Jesus' earthly ministry, we read the tragic story of the death of John the Baptist. John had been arrested by Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for publicly reprimanding him about having an immoral relationship with the wife of his brother, Phillip. Here was John, the cousin of Jesus, and the one chosen by God to herald the coming of the Messiah, locked in prison for speaking the truth of God. He and his disciples had to be wondering how this could have happened. He had a God-given job to perform. He didn't have time to sit in prison. He had a message of repentance to preach and more people to baptize. But not only was John confined to jail, he was about to be beheaded at the request of Herod's wife, as a party favor for a dance her daughter performed for his friends. John's head would literally be handed over on a silver platter, ending his life and putting an end to his career as God's voice in the wilderness.

But why? How could God allow this to happen? How could this tragic event be a part of His divine will? Those are legitimate and yet difficult questions. And there are no easy answers. But we must not allow ourselves to question the wisdom, righteousness, or justness of God. We must remind ourselves that at no point was God up in heaven shocked by these events, or caught off guard by the outcome. He was fully aware and fully in control – otherwise He would cease to be God as we know and understand Him. As difficult as it is for us to understand the why behind events like these, we must refrain from questioning the Who. God reminds us, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine" (Isaiah 55:8 NLT). God does not always act in ways that we can understand or comprehend. He does not operate according to a rule book devised by men. There are things happening behind the scenes that we cannot see. There are outcomes we are not aware of. We tend to equate the activity of God with those events we deem good and that produce for us a measure of happiness. A job promotion most certainly be God's will. The birth of a baby must be His will. A bride and groom exchanging vows and rings has to be within the will of God. But should anything seemingly negative or unfair happen in or around our lives, and suddenly we begin to question God and His will. And yet, when Job found himself covered in sores, financially devastated, and having lost all of his children through a tragic event, he told his wife, "Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" (Job 2:10 NLT).

Yes, John the Baptist died a tragic, undeserved death. From our point of view, it was unnecessary, unfair and far to early in his young life. But God had a reason. There was a purpose behind it all. Does He explain it to us? No. Is He obligated to explain Himself to us? No. But would the death of Jesus be any less tragic, unfair, seemingly unnecessary, and unacceptable to the disciples when it took place just a few years later? No. Would they question the will of God for allowing their Messiah to be murdered at the hands of their own religious leaders? Probably. But God had a purpose. God had a plan. It was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die. And for some reason, it was necessary for John to do the same. Why? I don't know. We can speculate that God needed to remove John from the scene so that there would be no chance of anyone mistaking John for the Messiah, but the Scriptures don't tell us. God doesn't give us His reasoning. But rather than view God through the lens of life's events, we must learn to view life's events through the character of God. We must remind ourselves that He is all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful, sovereign, wise, just, righteous, holy, merciful, gracious, and in complete control of ALL that is happening in the world around us. We see only in part. Our perspective is limited. Our understanding is restricted. So we must learn to trust that God, in His infinite wisdom and love, is doing what He knows to be best, according to His divine, perfect will.

Father, open our eyes and help us to see You. It is so easy to concentrate on what we see happening and not recognize that we have a faithful, loving, all-powerful God working behind the scenes in ways that we cannot see or comprehend. We have such limited perspectives and are quick to call You unjust or unfair without knowing the full outcome. Teach us to continue to trust You even when we don't understand. Amen.