Life and Death are Truly in the Tongue

Journal Thursday, October 16, 2014

Scripture

Mark 6:23New King James Version (NKJV)

23 He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

Observation

John the Baptist warned Herod and his wife Herodias about their illegal marriage. She left her husband, Herod’s brother, to marry him. John warned them about their sin, but instead of taking heed, Herodias wanted to suppress the message. In this famous scene Herod, promises half of his kingdom to Herodias’ daughter because he was pleased with her dance. 

Herod spoke impulsively (a trait also attributed to King Saul in 1 Samuel). He was under Roman rule and was a figure head at best. He actually had no kingdom to offer. Herod was a man driven to impress people and here his words trapped him. Herodias’ daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist — a man he did not want to kill.

Application

Here is an example where life and death is actually in the tongue. Herod trapped himself by being concerned about impressing his guest. To not concur with the request would have caused him to loose credibility and weaken his position as ruler. He could have repented and put his life in the hands of God, but the words he spoke made it too difficult for him. He felt forced to heap on another level of evil to his life because he was bound by the impulsive words that he spoke.

Prayer

Lord help me measure my words carefully. Please save me from the temptation of worrying about the opinions of others to the point that I make unwanted compromises. Help me to listen and follow your commands, not just be entertained by them. Amen

Sometimes God is Late

Tuesday 10/14/2014

Sometimes God is Late

Scripture Luke 8:50 NLT 

    But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”

Jairus was desperate for his daughter to be healed. There was a real sense of urgency when he asked Christ to come with him. He must have been very concerned and had mixed feelings when a woman touched Jesus’ robe and received her healing. We often separate these stories but they go very much together. As Jesus conversed with this woman  Jairus must have been thinking, “Couldn’t this wait?” Panic must have been growing in him as Jesus stopped to look for the woman. Every precious second waisted could mean the end of his daughter's life.  Suddenly his worse fears were realized — his daughter was dead. They were too late. I wonder if he screamed in agony at this horrible loss. I can only imagine the feeling of despair as he hears those words "don't bother the teacher any more ... " It was over now. Jesus was late and the situation was hopeless. 

Suddenly Jesus spoke to him, "Don't be afraid..." At this point he had a moment of decision. Did Jesus let him down? Did He neglect his daughter or could he trust Him once more? Taking the huge step to trust in Christ, he received his daughter back form the dead!

God isn’t always on time, sometimes he is late. He has total control of life and of time. It appeared like one woman's healing would mean death for Jarius’ daughter but Jarius received a greater miracle then he could have imaged. What seemed like Jesus ignoring his need, provided an avenue for a greater blessing. We must be careful about being jealous of the blessings that others receive. They are not a deterrent to us receiving a blessing but are meant to be a faith builder for us. We need not fear the waiting but trust in Christ. 

Can we trust God even when He is late?

Lord help us to be patient. We know a great healing and a blessings are coming. We choose to trust you one more time!  

The Cross–Good Friday Thoughts

I am currently at my desk working on my Good Friday sermon. I am once again amazed at the depth of the cross. It seems so simple to say that Jesus died for my sins, and yet that statement goes so deep. I think about what a helpless state that I am in.

A good non-Christian friend once said to me “all religions are people climbing up different sides of the same mountain. They all end up in the same place.” This statement reminded me of the people of Israel in the dessert. At one point God was going to meet with Moses on a mountain. God told them “Don’t let them come near the mountain or they will die.” (paraphrase). That is how helpless we are. In our feeble attempt to create religions, so that we can climb a mountain and see God, we are not even able to come near the mountain!

Today I admit my helplessness. I fall at the cross as one, who in myself, has fallen dramatically short of what God wants, and expects of me. At this place I also receive incredible forgiveness, grace, and strength. This place is the great equalizer of all humanity. The CEO on wall street, the factory worker, African, European, Asian, and American, men and women; all need to fall and admit their helpless need for God’s grace; here at the cross. I have not lived one day when I have impressed God with my goodness, but I feel His love and grace everyday. All because of the price my redeemer paid for me. So today I pray again the prayer I prayed so many years ago:

Lord I am a sinner

Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins

I confess you as my Lord and Savior

Thank you for forgiving me

Amen

For God So Used a Stick of Wood.

Francis Schaeffer in his book "No Little People" uses the illustration of the rod of Moses.

Moses was a shepherd for forty years. Every day he went to work and used his shepherd's rod to do his shepherd's stuff. This piece of wood was a stick form a tree and had been dead for at least forty years. When Moses met God at the burning bush; Moses objected to God's call by saying "How will they know you have sent me?". God answered with a very interesting question, a question I believe He asks us all. That question was this "What is in your hand?". All Moses had to offer God was a shepherds rod - a dead stick of wood. Throughout the ministry of Moses God used that dead stick of wood to defeat demonic powered magicians, bring the plagues on Egypt, cross the Red Sea, defeat the greatest army in the world, bring water from rock and much more. Almost everything God asked Moses to do was done through the dead stick of wood that was in his hand.

I love the thought that God only expects from me what I have to give. It reminds me of the boy with the loves and the fishes. Jesus used his little lunch to feed over 5000 people. God took a dead stick of wood consecrated to Him and did great and mighty things with it. What can He do with a person who is completely consecrated to Him? He doesn't ask us to climb a mountain, be better, or be something other than what we are. He never ask for what we do not have to give. He challenges us to live for Him and do His work. When we say "how?" , He asks us the same question He asked Moses: "What is in your hand?".

First Blog

This is a test more is coming.