One day as Jesus was traveling with his disciples he asked them, "who do people say I am"? They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
In that question Jesus cut the bone about the only thing that matters in our faith -
who Jesus is to us.
The first chapter of the Bible opens with "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The final chapter begins with "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth".
In between all of that time is where we live.
Usually we find it difficult to fit a God that created the heavens and earth into the beginning and end of our day. So we keep him outside of our dreams and challenges.
But throughout history God was glorified on the earth by getting involved in the lives of his people.
For Abraham and Sarah he was the God who took something barren and made them parents.
For David he was a God who took a leader of sheep and made him the leader of a nation.
For Moses he was a God who took a man who was afraid to speak and made him the voice of God to his people.
For Mary Magdalene he was a God who freed a woman from bondage that saw no value in herself because of her past. And by the showing of mercy and grace she became a passionate worshipper and one of our strongest female role models.
So if Jesus were to ask you, "who do you say I am?" would you allow him to use the same power that created the heavens and earth to move in your life?
The same power that conquered the grave into your dreams?
Whatever your dreams or desires or challenges, with a word God can speak them into reality.
Jesus is that Word. Through him all things are made and are made possible.
Over the last month I took up bike riding as my main source of exercise during my "30 days of Transformation" living illustration. Because the commitment I made was both Physical and spiritual I found myself seeing life lessons during my daily bike rides. I wanted to share a few of them:
The hardest part of a ride is usually deciding to do it. Choosing to do the hard thing is never easy but once you're doing it you are usually glad you did.
The hardest part about deciding to take it to the next level is... the decision to go for it. Before you know it you're actually doing it!
We are not meant to go through life in the same gear. Changing gears is important to your overall endurance and stamina. The wrong hill in the wrong gear will make you want to quit!
It is smarter to coast on a downhill stretch than when you are going uphill. Momentum into a hill will make it easier to get up the hill. Don't get caught coasting at the wrong time.
Moving vehicles aren't always the biggest danger to be aware of. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Refreshment doesn't always come from rest. Sometimes doing brings renewing!
The mind's response to what your body is telling it on your own: that hurts, this is too hard, I don't think I can do another.
Mind's response to body after proper inputting of truth: Thank you God! You are my strength! This is for your glory! I only get to do so many more laps before I reach my goal so I better get the most out of every lap!
From the very beginning God new that men and women would like having choices. In fact in the garden of Eden he created an envirionment of choices.
Genesis 2:
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
all kinds of trees .....trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.
And just in case that wasn't enough - In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
But like any wise parent God new that unbridled choice is not always benificial for a child. He set up some parameters - "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
My kids are very skilled on the computer. And I want to give them everygood thing. But I would never say "this is the internet, feel free to do whatever you want!" to my 9 year old son. It would be the fast track to an early loss of innocence. And my child would soon look at me through some very different eyes. Caloused eyes. I have to put limits on his choices for his own good.
Isn't it sad that man (and 9yr. old boys) after being given an abundance of choices to enjoy will go after the one thing that will not benefit them.
God has created an environment of choices for us to enjoy. Let us be grateful and not drawn to a counterfeit.
When our family moved from Baltimore to Jacksonville last year, Christy and I decided to look for a house that had a big yard. In Baltimore we didn't have a yard so we decided it was time to get a home where our kids wouldn't have to play in the street(and friends wouldn't feel guilty about running our kids over when they came to visit. It happened, but we can joke about it because of Joshua's ability to bounce off of approaching vehicles). So God blessed us with a big yard. And I usually find myself mowing it when someone important is coming to visit. The thing you don't think about when you dream of big things is the responsibility of maintaining it. It takes a lot of time to mow our lawn. And we already have so much extra time on our hands. We used to joke about those mowers you can ride when we'd pass them in a store but now it might just be a necessity at some point. But until then I'll be pushing. The last couple of times I only finished the front. Figuring that's the part that most people see. That's all I need to do if I want to make a good impression. But meanwhile the backyard has grown past knee level and higher in places. Mowing the lawn makes me think of spirtual things for some reason and it got me thinking about how responsible I am with the other big things God has blessed me with: my marraige, my kids, my job, my serving. And the micro of those things: my heart, my words, my actions. Is my front yard in order and weeds growing high in the out of sight area. With big gifts come big responsibilities.
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1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. (NKJV)
In this day and age we measure everything.
We measure our weight to see if we need to lose a few pounds.
We measure the calories in the food we eat to help keep the weight off.
And then we measure again to check our progress.
We measure our body to know what size clothes we need.
We measure the cost of the clothes by checking out the price tag on the clothes.
And then we measure how much money we have in the bank to see if we can afford the clothes.
If we don’t have enough money to cover it we can measure how much interest we will have to pay if we just can’t live without those clothes.
When a baby is born the doctors measure and weigh the newborn to make sure it falls within the norms of other healthy babies.
And once the child is home the parents measure how many times a day the baby eats and …….releases.
And as that child grows the parents will put his back against the wall and chart his growth progress by marking up that wall.
And when he starts school the teachers and parents will measure his progress with the grades that document the effort and knowledge and behavior the child is displaying in their classroom.
And if that child measures up to the standards of the education system he will receive a piece of paper that tells the world that he has been measured and found to be acceptable.
Upon being released into the working world the now grown up child realizes that employers measure differently than the school system and measure some more favorably than others and heads back to school to learn more before getting measured again.
After getting a decent job our man learns that what he gets paid is measured not just by what you know but by how you perform.
It’s been said that a game is not really a game until you keep score. It’s only practice or a scrimmage.
Are you in the game or just practicing?
Most people give up on New Years resolutions because they don’t set tangible goals. Nothing to achieve except the final result. They want to arrive but they don’t want to go on the journey.
Every great story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Not just a beginning and an end. And if you break down the plot line you’ll begin to see many smaller stories in between each of the major parts.
In order to set ourselves up for success, we need to break each of our goals down into tangible measurements.
There are three steps to setting goals that we can achieve:
1.Finding the gap – (Where we are and where we want to be)
2.X to Y by when – (Where we are, where we want to be and when we plan on arriving).
3.Execute – (Going for it! you have to actually execute the plan).
How about if you want to lose 10 pounds in a month. Or in the formula I want to go from 160 to 150 in 1 month. That might seem like a tough goal. But what if you think about like this. In order to lose 10 pounds in a month I would need to lose 2.5 pounds per week. Or in the X to Y by when formula you would say I want to go from 160 to 157.5 by Friday. That seems like a reasonable goal.
Remember you’re not playing for real unless you’re keeping score. What is your scoreboard when you diet? (The Scale)
Life measures - What will influence the movement of the scale in the right direction? Pick 2 (Diet / Exercise)
How can you influence your diet?
How can you influence your exercise?
How about if we apply these principles to our faith?
We no longer dream about the day that we are mature people of faith but we set goals to actively reach that place.
What is your gap? (Ex. Lack of faith)
What is your scoreboard?(Your fruit)
How do we learn how to accomplish our goal?(WatchTV,Talk to friends, Google it?)
Romans 10:17
17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Do know that the word bible can actually be translated library? How cool is that? Looking for an answer? Try looking in the library!
If you want to have stronger faith you have to hear what God thinks about it. And he tells us through this book.
You can’t really know who God is without reading it!
You can’t really know who you are without reading it!
It’s like driving around with out any gas in your car and wondering why it’s sputtering not moving.
Or not giving your body what it needs to survive and then wondering why you’re not feeling well.
Luke 14:28-30 The Cost or measure of being a disciple
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
So make a commitment. X to Y by when.
Here are some life measures I have made.
Life Measure 1 - I will read one chapter of the new testament everyday for a week. Then that becomes part of your building. Your temple. It’s a foundation. And does a foundation ever stop working? So you keep that measure going and you add a new one. (7 per week; 30 per month; 365 per year.)
Life Measure 2- 1 Psalm per day for a week. 7 per week; 30 per month; 365 per year.
Life Measure 3- 1 Proverb per day for a week. 7 per week; 30 per month; 365 per year.
Do you feel like you would grow in your faith if you commited yourself to pouring God’s word into you?
Romans 12:2
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
So often we become week in our faith because we start believing what the world tells us about who we are. And we start believing what the world tells us about who God is.
How do you measure God? How big is God to you? Your problems are only as big as your God is.
Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
How does God measure the church? (Hot, Cold, Luke Warm)
How does God measure man? Romans 3:23
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Nothing we could do on our own measures up. It all falls short. But let God in on it and the scales will tip. Gaps will be filled that seemed unfillable.
Matthew 7:20
20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Our scoreboard.
“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. (NKJV) Rev 11:1
There must be something about this time of year that makes us more concerned about people we care about. We can't stop thinking about how hard of a time they've had in their life or how much better it could be if they just turned around faced the obvious. We weren't meant to live apart from God. And yet they just seem so far from being able to acknowledge that fact. Or maybe they are far from where you remember them living. If you're discouraged that someone you care about seems far from where they should be I'd like to offer this encouraging story.
I can still remember walking home from school when I was about 14, taking a short-cut through a field. As I approached the back of some houses I could here the most amazing sound. Amazing to me because as a 14 year old the only other place I had heard anything close to this amazing sound was in my own bedroom. My mom had recently bought me an electric guitar and amp and I loved to turn it up and play to my favorite Kiss records. And suddenly on my walk home, there it was, only sounding way better. I couldn't help but go around to the front of the house and knock on the door. As I remember there was a certain smell in the air I had only smelled at a recent Black Sabbath concert I went to. When the door opened I couldn't believe it! In the middle of the room with his guitar hung low was a 14 year old boy playing China Grove with all the prowess of someone 10 years older. He then broke in to Purple Haze! Wow! That was the first time I met Tom Bedford.
Tom and I formed a band that rehearsed in his mom's living room. It was a great time to be learning guitar. I became a Christian a few years later. Tom started playing in some pretty well known local bands and we didn't see each other very often. Many years later thanks to Google I found some web pages that mentioned him. To my amazement Tom went to a Christian College and went on to become the Senior Pastor of Life Church in Missouri. Throughout the time that we didn't see each other much God had began to work on Tom. Even though I thought we didn't have much contact Tom shared with me something very powerful. He said, "in high school your life always convicted me so much".
So be encouraged! God may already be working on someone close to you. And remember that the way you live can be a lot more powerful than what you say.
Recent Comments
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Ken Morris said:
I remember that guy, and I remember those times. Several years later, in high school, there was another musician who... read more
on Those Furthest Shall come the Closest
Thanks for reminding me of so many great memories and that the best is yet to come. read more
on Those Furthest Shall come the Closest