How do you make decisions? Do you go with your gut? Do you jump at the first opportunity? Are you likely to overthink and struggle with a decision? Do you do your homework by asking friends for their opinions, reading reviews, and scouring the internet? Or maybe you just flip a coin and hope for the best?
The image of the people of God as a flock of sheep occurs several times throughout the Bible. In Ezekiel 34, the current shepherds (rulers of Israel) are rebuked for their abuse of power (34:1-22). The prophet describes a situation where they had grown fat and wealthy at the expense of the very people they were supposed to care for. We are told that because of that, God would bring judgment on them…
The prophet Ezekiel had a responsibility to be God’s spokesman when the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon. In the midst of suffering, and as people drifted further away from God, Ezekiel uttered prophecy that brought hope. In that prophecy, God promised to change the people’s stone-hardened hearts to hearts capable of feeling the immense love God was willing to give them…
Have you ever said yes to something or bought something only to find out there were some conditions you weren’t aware of or didn’t pay attention to? Often, we call that, “the fine print.” It’s the gotcha that comes along with the deal. When the promise sounds too good to be true, it usually is. You signed up for the new phone plan with your carrier because you could get the newest phone free, and then it wasn’t….
I love the saying, “The juice is not worth the squeeze.” It describes situations where the benefit doesn’t justify the cost of something. For instance, when I was a kid my brother and I along with some of our friends really, really, really wanted an Atari game system (the old school kind with controllers made up of a joystick and one orange button to push). We decided the bast way to get one was to collect cans to turn in for recycling. Now, this was before can deposits and we were not in Iowa, so it was going to take A LOT of cans. We scoured the ditches along the roads in our neighborhoods, dug around in the weeds in the woods near our houses, and even did a lot of dumpster diving. It wasn’t pretty, but it was for an Atari 2600, so it was totally worth it. Or so we thought….
At Journey, we have an early morning men’s group that meets to go through a Bible study called 33 (modeled after the 33 years of Jesus’ life on earth). Currently the series is focusing on, “A man and his traps,” which deals with some of the sins and struggles that are common to men. One of the biggest insights that we have received in the study so far is that it is not enough to resist areas of temptation and sin in our lives, we also must replace them if we want to overcome them. Saying yes to the right things is just as important as saying no to the wrong things.
In the early 1900’s, the London Times newspaper asked the question, “What’s wrong with the world?” It was early in the twentieth century, and the optimism of the Industrial Revolution and the potential of scientific progress had been shattered by World War I. Men had been gassed and gunned down in the trenches. Sickness, poverty, and rising totalitarianism had darkened people’s hopes and dreams. So, the Times wondered, what’s the problem? What’s wrong with the world. Maybe they were hoping for some inspired essays or political commentary to answer their questions.
Several years ago, a well-known pastor in Africa was interviewed for an American magazine. During the interview, the subjects of faith and miracles came up. “Why,” the pastor was asked, “do the people in your congregation have such great faith that God will take care of them and that miracles happen?” “That is simple,” the pastor replied, “in my country, the people have nowhere else to go.” He went on to say, “In Nigeria, we have blessed assurance, in America you have blessed insurance.” Ouch.
In the movie Nacho Libre, Nacho (played by Jack Black) is a Catholic priest in Mexico who secretly wants to be a professional wrestler. When he becomes to stressed out, he decides to head out into the wilderness on his own. In the film, we see him comedically sitting underneath a pile of sticks trying to figure out his life. All of a sudden, his close friend shows up to talk to Nacho. “How did you find me in the wilderness?” Nacho asks. “I saw you from the village,” his friend responds. Then the camera pulls back to reveal that Nacho is only about fifty feet from the nearest house. “Hola, Nacho!” shouts the family that stands in their yard waving at him. Nacho wanted to get away, just not that far away…
Recently, I ran into a friend who had just come back from what appeared to be a great vacation (based on all the pictures she posted). When I asked her about it, she told me she had an incredible time and how much fun she had. Then she told me about how tired she was from all the running around she did on the trip, and shared the famous line, “I need a vacation to rest up from my vacation!” Most of us have either heard that line or said it ourselves. As Spring Break wraps up this weekend, many students and families have gotten away somewhere warm to take a break and relax…
One day, a second-grade teacher was having trouble with one of her students causing trouble in class. Instead of staying in his seat, Josh kept getting up from his desk, wandering around the class and bugging the other kids who were trying to get their work done. Several times the teacher told Josh to go back to his desk and sit down, and several times Josh refused. “Josh, if you don’t sit down, you are going to have to stay inside during recess.” Josh still refused to sit down…
Lent is a season of repentance and humility, a time where we are called to consider our human sin and frailty in light of the splendor and perfection of God our King. Psalm 2 is the first of many so-called “royal Psalms,” focusing on God’s kingly character. The psalm opens with a question that answers itself, establishing rebellion and the throwing off of God’s yoke as the desire of the nations and kings who conspire against the true King. The reaction of “He who sits in the heavens” is scornful laughter, highlighting the ridicule of one who will not be mocked.
James, who was the half-brother of Jesus, told the church that they should pray for each other. Those prayers, James said, are, “powerful and effective.” In actuality, the Greek words that James used are better translated, “powerful, having been made effective.” Our prayers are powerful because they have been made effective. What makes your prayers and mine effective? The resurrection of Jesus. It’s not how articulate we are when we pray. It’s not using special words or phrases. It’s praying in the name of Jesus, who died and then CAME BACK TO LIFE, that makes our prayers powerful. And when we pray for each other in Jesus’ name, things happen.
David was the second king of Israel and the bible describes him as, “a man after God’s own heart.” When you read David’s story, one thing that sticks out is how much David trusts God in some pretty horrible situations. For instance, when Saul was the first king of Israel and David was serving him, Saul became jealous of David and tried several times to kill him. David was forced to flee out into the desert and mountains and run for his life. During that time, there were at least two different times where David had Saul lined up in his sights and could have taken him out and become the king. But both times David resisted. He believed that if God wanted him to become king it would happen…
In the Gospels (the first four books of the New Testament), three of the four authors write about Jesus experiencing a forty-day fast in the wilderness. During this time, we read that He was tempted by the devil. If you have been feeling temptation or thought about giving up on fasting or whatever you have set aside for Lent, you are not the first and you are not alone. When we commit to fasting and prayer, we put ourselves in a position to really hear from God. We also put ourselves in the enemy’s cross hairs. But the good news is that we can trust God to give us the strength we need to keep going as we believe for breakthrough!
James, who was the half-brother of Jesus, told the church that they should pray for each other. Those prayers, James said, are, “powerful and effective.” In actuality, the Greek words that James used are better translated, “powerful, having been made effective.” Our prayers are powerful because they have been made effective. What makes your prayers and mine effective? The resurrection of Jesus. It’s not how articulate we are when we pray. It’s not using special words or phrases. It’s praying in the name of Jesus, who died and then CAME BACK TO LIFE, that makes our prayers powerful. And when we pray for each other in Jesus’ name, things happen.
When we start to feel distant from God, God instructs us to SEEK HIM. That’s what Lent is all about. Setting aside some of the common everyday activities and objects of our lives so we can seek God in a greater way. When we do that, God promises, we will find him. When you seek me, you will find me.
Lent is an opportunity for us to be still, to take time to let the water of our heart settle down, so we can take a good long look and see who we are. There are so many things in our 24/7 world that keep the water of our heart sloshing around. May you set some of those things aside this Lenten season, allowing God to show you the condition of your soul, and helping you to grow to be more like Christ.
